Sonny Liston’s Impossible Power & Intimidation (Most Insane KOs Ever)
2021 ж. 30 Мау.
1 426 551 Рет қаралды
Sonny Liston was the original Intimidator. A powerhouse, knockout artist who changed the face of boxing...one thunderous combination at a time. The mysterious Liston lived a hard life, and remains one of boxings most intriguing legends. This original documentary examines the entirety of Liston's boxing career.
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wow this guys' life story man.... this is almost hard to watch. i feel horrible for sonny, i can't even imagine how he felt taking a dive in that second match, not to mention his father's abuse, the general neglect in his life, his portrayal in the media, (i assume a tremendous deal of racism as well, as was hinted in the video in the Las Vegas move), and the disrespect and unfair treatment he received his entire life. i'm glad he will still be remembered as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, however. not that that means much anymore.. people forget that boxing is the greatest test of an individual in sports.
MMA*
@@el3usis622 *boxing
Joaquin Phoenix’s joker origin story energy.. Heartbreaking to sit through
@John Flower that's nothing, all lil boy stuff.
MMA.
So you're telling me that peak Sonny Liston was basically a middle-aged man beating up a bunch of 20-25 year olds? That's badass.
@@georgegreig8054 black don’t crack george
His exact age was unknown, most likely he was a few years older then they listed, but not as old as this clip made it look like. Getting. Late start in boxing also has the advantage there is little milage, not much damage take. So he basicly was young in boxing.
@@georgegreig8054 Apparently heavyweights like Cleveland Williams and Nino Valdes didn’t exist who were actually bigger than him that he still knocked the fuck out. I don’t know about him being born in 1919 tho, I always figured Sonny was probably born in the mid to late 20’s because I honestly doubt he was 50 when he fought Wepner, much less when he fought Leotis.
@@rubenaerts7284 You want to start young, there’s no way around it. There’s a reason why so many people start their kids in boxing before they’re the age of ten. Besides, Liston already had physical mileage from the beatings as a kid and God knows what when he was running around on the streets of St Louis as an enforcer with all the gang violence. In no way was he “young in boxing”, starting in your 30’s will negatively effect your career, no matter how you try to look at it. Especially back when sports science and medical knowledge wasn’t even close to where it is today.
@@verscarii3238 for a 30+ year old boxer on those times, when price fights where very brutal, he was still pretty fresh. I'm not going in the story like he was a middle aged washed up fighter when he fought Ali. Liston was still demolishing guys at that age and even a lot longer.
The most intimidating world heavyweight champion they never wanted but deserved
@@That-guy916 what's your argument my friend??
They didn’t deserve him rip sonny
@TheNordic Aryan Like Seriously...Come On
What about Tyson
@@joeltuck4846 tyson got creamed by a soupcan when he was 23 and was never a real champ again so what about him?
There's video footage of Sonny Liston away from boxing and the bad men who surrounded him, he had such a genuine smile and seemingly wanted to open up youth projects after he'd hung up his gloves. He was abused, misunderstood and portrayed as an evil man, when really he clearly had a caring nature....one of the saddest stories in boxing, of which there's been a fair few ! R.I.P Sonny
Sadly people sometimes judge well meaning people aesthetically. I believe many of us can relate. Thankfully the Lord looks at our hearts.
Horse pucky! After he left home his only job, if you want to call it that, was beating people to steal from them. That's not a good person and all this talk about his good heart is repugnant to me. The man was a criminal, a thief, a degenerate, illiterate, ignorant, stupid man with no skills other than beating people nearly to death. His heart was as black as a night with no moon. And he rightly received the scorn of everyone who knew what kind of man he really was.
He was forced to be a tough guy by circumstance. He made me reconsider what makes men’bad’ and ‘ good’.
sonny: naturally super strong, 84" inch reach, 14" inch hands ~ his gifts were almost curses, when the mobsters got hold of him
@@erinmeggik391amen..
My grandad had the same early life as Sonny, it’s almost unbelievable how similar they are. Both grow up on a southern farm, both had 24 younger siblings, both got beat and driven like a slave by their father. His dad didn’t let him attend school because he wanted him to work at the farm, so my grandad couldn’t read much or write at all until he joined the navy later. Only difference is my grandad was born in 1921 and grew up during the Great Depression. They were as poor a someone can possibly get and plenty of his younger siblings who were born closer to the depression died of sicknesses that came with malnutrition. The crop failures of that time made it so they couldn’t even farm right. My grandad didn’t even see a piece of money until he was nearly grown. I mean he’d never touched a bill or coin in his life. He had whip scars on his back, all the way down to his thighs from his dad. That was how he’d get punished. He forged his birth certificate and joined the navy in ‘37 at age 16. He finally escaped that farm, but can you guess where he got stationed? Pearl Harbor. He was there during the attack and was one of the survivors. He has pictures with himself and 3 other sailors standing on the deck of a ship and shaking hands with Franklin Roosevelt. Talk about a life, that’s just a small portion of his story. For everything he went through, that man was an impossibly good person. I have no idea how he could even smile anymore after going through all that by the age of 20, but he did. He was always smiling and cracking jokes. He’s always going to be my greatest hero.
Liston didn't have 24 younger siblings, he was the 24th out of 25 children (second last child to be born)
Today's society doesn't produce men like you grandad. Hard times make hard men. He deserves to be your hero.
Thanks a lot for sharing this about your grandfather. Sounds like he was a great man.
@@elkevinskisecond that. Great share. I hope grandad is with our lord and smiling at you my brother.
Your Grandad's birth yr might actually be the same as Sonny's.
grew up with a hateful dad, probably desperate for acceptance and approval, won the world championship and you could see the light in his eyes that he would finally be accepted and praised, but all he got was hate. That's rough. Its amazing he was as successful as he was. Strong.
Yah it was sad. Once sonny became a champion he was expecting the public to give him a warm welcome. He got no love from the public and the media so he showed no compassion towards them either
@@ascendantking2178 he grew up without love and didn't know how to show love to others, so he never received it. Man, wish I could have spoken with him
Yes this is the story of many Black men in America.
He had 25 siblings
@@davidruffin9585 bro his dad? Or....
Sonny's life was so tragic. Imagine how much potential was missed because of his late start and constantly being pulled apart by the mob and cops...
Sonny was a douche bag lol
@@joshallen5316 No. He was what he had to be to survive. Sorry survival takes some dick moves. The world makes it that way
@John Flower oof 😰. Why’d he do that
I'm sure that's your uncle's side of the story, there's still Sonnys side and the truth. When you come from a violent and abusive background/upbringing, it's hard to shake that from your mental outlook on life. You think everyones out to get you, and all you how to do is fight and solve problems through violent behavior. People that never grew up in bad environments will never understand how badly that effects your decision making process.
@John Flower That is sad.
I knew his early life wasn't great but I had no idea it was this bad. The mental strength it must have taken just to hold himself together as an athlete into (probably) his 40's is something else. This man deserved so much better from so many people.
It's all in the mind 😉
“I don’t talk to my wife. Why would I talk to a man?” That’s one scary individual
Lol
Wtf
My homie don't even talk to his momma but damn 😂
I DONT GET IT ..
@@tommydawson7147 he doesn't waste time with the person he swore his life too, why would he waste time with a total stranger especially another man
I wish I could have met him. I did reach out to his son before he passed on and he was very nice. We both shared the fact that our Fathers had met in the ring. R.I.P. Sonny Liston
Sonny had a son? By the way, your father is a legend. He surely is missed.
I was driving down Sumner Ave in Springfield, Ma when a car passed me with Floyd Patterson in the passenger seat and at least 1 kid and fishing poles headed for a day out fishing. I wonder if you were there? Just saying it was a great thrill for me. I saw your dad fight Charlie Devil Greene in the old Garden. Much Respect!
Your father is a great man
Thank you for sharing this!!
Wow
Sonny will be glad to see how many fans he has today and the impact he made
The real Mandingo
“It occurred to me, that if he hit me in the face, he would hit me in my entire face.” 😂
Kwai Leonard hands
@@chronometa jordan has bigger hands than kawhi
That line was fucking hilarious around 5 min mark
@@TheSands83 Gronkowski has even bigger hands and much more meat on them like Sonny's hands.
@@TheSands83 ...False!
Sonny liston made me look like a boyscout - mike tyson
Thunny lithten*
Nuff said .🤘!
@GENETIC BEAST what u talking about
@GENETIC BEAST And you just psychically know they did do them?
@GENETIC BEAST you probe it you clown
Damn, my entire perception of Liston changed. I never even heard about anything in his career after the Ali fights. What a legend.
Because sadly, it's all he was known for. One thing left out of this, was Liston cheating in the first fight. He put stuff on his gloves. Ali couldn't see for an entire round. And still beat him.
Rest in paradise Liston your a legend and I’m sorry your life was the way it was, we all love you man ❤️❤️
Kiss ass 😂
THE Ali/Llston fight was fixed!
Imagine all the hardships he went through ( racism , biased media , abusive father ,police harassment etc) and Liston emerged stronger .That's the test of a true man. RIP champ
100%
If i was sonny i would rather have not been born r i p u are with god now
The mob too
💯
Imagine that those conditions still exist
The OG baddest man on the planet
Jack Dempsey was the OG baddest man on the planet, everyone else followed
@@rafaleodbz jack johnson
@@rafaleodbz Maannnnn how you named Alpha & you don't know the difference between Johnson or Dempsey? LOL
@@rafaleodbz facts. They have an fish named Jack Dempsey cichlid ....I ain't seen a Sonny Liston fish yet 😃 of you get an animal named after you you get OG BMOTP status haha
@@omardaniel1 I Never Seen Liston Fish Before Neither Sir, And I Do Agree With You
The examining physician:"And I quickly came to realize that if he hit me in my face, he would hit my entire face.."🤣🤣Damn
It really is about time this man gets credit as one of the greatest heavyweights ever.
Truth
I think it speaks volumes of who Liston really was at 17:00 when Patterson is counted out Sonny doesn't even raise his fist in victory but instead immediately begins consoling Patterson
Real.
All Sonny had around him were people who used him. He deserved better,
A man with a good heart🖤🥺😢😔
Yes, you'll note he is pulled from embracing Patterson by his corner men to celebrate his victory. It's a remarkable moment.
Interesting, after Sonny lost to Ali, Floyd was the first in the dressing room to console Sonny and said "I'm sorry champ"..Sonny looked like he just lost everything in the world.
Imagine boxing against a guy who literally beats the shit out of people in his free time
I’d fold like a pancake..
its funny in the book iron ambition there is a scene where Muhammed Ali apparently calls Cus on the flight, for advice to beat liston because he was so intimidating.
Beating people in his free time was his side job
Well Alì did, and he beat him so easily.
@@brianlawson4368 ok and?
DEFINITELY the most misunderstood and unfortunate heavyweight boxer. His life could had been completely different, he could had been a national hero and a very, very happy soul, if he had a good start and a bit of luck im his life. It’s very sad story and I genuinely feel sorry for him, as I think, that he had no bad intentions. RIP big man. You’ll be given the respect, that you have reserved
The greatest heavyweight intimidator ever. Even "Big George Foreman sparred with this man as a young fighter and mimicked Liston's menacing death stare , ring attire with bulky towels under his robe , and ruthless aggression towards opponents and media pundits as well. This man was complex , troubled , misunderstood , and played the hand he was dealt in life to the best of his limited abilities seeing as he wasn't educated. Floyd Patterson understood this and gave him a chance to fight for a title against everyone's wishes. Patterson showed great compassion and empathy to give this guy a shot when he knew he wouldn't defeat Liston. I think Liston respected Floyd till the end of his life for being so gracious in giving him the opportunity as well as being gracious in defeat. Hopefully Liston has found the peace in the afterlife that eluded him in his life here on earth. R.I.P. champ. ❤️. Love the content JV. You're the best at doing what you do. Keep up the great work.
YES INDEED SONNY LISTON IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE - , JOE NANIA
I grew up thinking Liston was only the man that Ali beat on his journey, something I kept believing into my 50's until I decided to do a little more research. There was far more to Liston than I ever imagined and at the very least he was one of the best ever fighters. Simple fact is though and the way the USA was in those days they were never going to give Liston a break and let him escape his past much of which was no fault of his. Such a tragic life
@@johncharles9996amen.. i agree
@@josephnania2693yes.. sonny is one of mine as well.. sonny: very troubled home-life, very low education = did some very bad things, but still made it to the top of boxing.. *i think [?] he took the dive against c.c./m. ali..
Man I never heard that about George being Liston sparring pathner
I read online that Rocky Marciano interviewed Liston. Marciano was asked if he could take Liston and said diplomatically, "I don't know. Sonny is a pretty big guy". Liston responded by saying Marciano was too small, which angered Marciano. Marciano challenged Liston to four rounds in the ring asap, but Liston didn't oblige and left the interview with his entourage.
Marciano would've been whooped by either Sonny or Ali back then. He did good in retiring early and keeping his 0 in his record. Pretty much why he's still talked about so much...
Regardless of if that's true (Liston I reckon would've beaten him...Ali quite probably would've on points) marciano deserves all the respect he gets
@@TommyDee-ei5cp Ali on points was pretty much proven by Jersey Joe Walcott. Marciano was getting hammered. His knockout was absolutely fantastic, but if he hadn't landed that punch he might've lost to Walcott.
"i seen him knock out a guys teeth once, hit him so hard he dislodged the mouth piece and the teeth went with the mouth piece"... wow just wow.
That’s just crazy😳
@@wcgold2 then theres earnie shavers managed to break someones gloves by punching them
No baloni
@Kevin0_1825 ehh I don't think dental health was a big concern back them
Foreman knocked Moorers mouthpiece halfway through his cheek when he won the title . That's some serious punching
My heart hurts for you, Liston. You didn’t deserve to be treated the way you were. May you forever RIP, legend
Kyle iI have always felt sad fot the way that Sonny was treated . It's no wonder he trusted no one. He should have been shown love and affection because i believe that he was a good man who only wanted to be accepted.His is a tragic story
I completely agree
@@michaelhampton9493 thoughts become things my friend. Nothing wrong with Sonny, like the so called psychopath who threatened to knock my head of the first evening we met last month... thing is, the solution is found on the inside... Its basically abt raising ur frequency so u wont have fear of abandonment and/or inadequacy like Liston most likely got. Fear is a very low frequency so Sonny is afraid of needles and the so called psychopath is afraid of... u name it. For sure Sonny got his fair share and he, like th emajority of ppl, wasnt able to learn his life lessons.
Talk about a tough life. He never even had a birthday.
How was he treated? My old man Vito has been in Caesars Inc promotions since he was 17 and my Uncle Sonny Reisner was the odds man for The Showboat. They both worked with and loved Sonny, helping him (and Uncle Joe Louis and guys like Jerry Cooney) get their host gigs at Ceasars. My old man who was living on Alfred Drive at the time helped Sonny pick out his second house. Everybody loved Sonny in Vegas. He was beloved so I don't know about all these bullshit stories no one can actually cite examples of. Maybe he wasnt liked in St Louie because well.. As much as i love him Liston was a goon. Literally, he was a loan collector and leg breaker. But by the time he was boxing and in Vegas nobody disliked him despite the fact he was still violent. In fact the one time Sonny got locked up after knocking out a black dude who accused him of "koonin" in the Silver Slipper where my mom worked, everybody chipped in and bailed him out. Dont believe this nonsense . Sonny was a gangster and a great guy
It's sad that no one talks about Sonny Listen except when they talk about the night he lost to Muhammad Ali. I never saw any footage on him about his career until now. Thanks for sharing this.
Same. I always heard his name but figured he wasn’t really important because he wasn’t really spoken about on the media even to this day even the mention of his name doesn’t even have a picture. It’s like people want to erase him. I found out by accident clicking this video finally thinking,” alright who is this guy anyways, I’ve heard his name”.
There needs to be a 30 for 30 and a biopic about this man cause this is just flat out crazy!
There was in 1997 and a documentary featuring Mike Tyson called Pariah: The Legend of Sonny Liston.
The moment you realize the reason why Cus decided to devote his time to train Tyson was because he saw the next “Sonny Liston” in him the man who slaughtered his former prodigy and champion twice, and wanted to not only carve it out of mike Tyson but to give him the almost perfect training,
This is an excellent observation.
Tyson was Cus's revenge. He wanted a perpetual motion fighter Like Henry Armstrong only at HW and he finally got him.
*perfect timing
Zack Miller ...Tyson wasn't anywhere near Liston, PERIOD!!!
@@brucescott4261 True, Tyson was Tyson
Great boxer that doesn’t get enough respect
@@JoshuaNorton How much choice did he have in the matter?
@@JoshuaNorton I’d love to watch how you handle his circumstances, it’s usually the guys like you who would do even slimier shit if they thought they’d get away with it.
@@JoshuaNorton I bet you a Tyson Fury fan
@@montbrink4700 I know...
@@JoshuaNorton His criminal activity has nothing to do with his boxing ability. You need to separate his personal life from his boxing. In that case Muhammad Ali shouldn’t get praise cuz of a lot of things he did in personal life. Liston was a great fighter but didn’t live a moral life. That’s how he should be remembered.
Possibly the most underrated Heavyweight.
What a rough life man I tell ya.... In my heart I think he is the best boxer that ever lived.
He looks like the a person so hurt that lost faith in talking. I think he told his story through his fists telling every person he met in the ring how his life was. A true legend with sad a ending and beginning.
His childhood was horrific. Was made to toil at an early age on the fields and his father whipped him with a bull whip if he slacked. He eventually ran away . He also did hard time and while inside took up boxing and thats where his raw power was discovered and word got out so the mob heard about it and before long took him under their wing to be exploited and used . He never had a chance . He was never able to shake off the past for a better future , a future that refused to open its doors to him for the man he was and the company he was in. Bared from entry. I find it shocking still to this day that after he won the title not a single press man was at the airport for an interview. Had i been a boxing reporter back then i would have been there as a fellow solitary man and given him his due . He must be the most vilified boxer there ever was.
One of the best comment.
This was tough to watch. I used to think Mike Tyson had it rough, until I saw this. This man never had a chance, not to talk of a second chance. I really hope hes in a better place now. RIP, warrior!
He did well for a guy that was arrested about a hundred times
me too .
@@ratdad48 they, the police regularly arrested him, if he had such a good mob connection he'd be intimidated the mafioso crime families by some rag tag converted Muslim convicts.
He is Tysons favorite boxer
What do you mean he never had a chance he was a world champion how many people get to carry that title in life
It says it all on his gravestone. A man R. I. P. Sonny Liston.
Sonny Liston one of the all time greats. Powerful, intimidating, never really appreciated. RIP Champ
The most intimidating man to ever walk into the ring. Tyson was scary, sharp, and precise. But Liston is sheer power and destruction in every aspect of his life.
Thank God I’ve spent 2 years asking for this video once again nobody does it like Joe Vincent
Thank you
I had no clue about his story. The fact we didn’t get to see 10 years of his prime is crazy.
He's not just a boxer he is an incredible person the actual man I am big fan 💪💪💪💪💪 Love from 🇮🇳🇮🇳👍😁😁😁😁😁
I love the indian people
6'1 84 inch reach.... that's insane
That's a 7 foot reach at basically 6 foot (72 inches)
Invincible; bonecrushing punching power! ;; sunny liston
Plus15 inch fist
Sad to watch, May His Soul Rest in Peace. I'm sure wherever he is he has smiled today from this documentary
He was nice to children and the elderly. RIP Sonny.
It's honestly crazy 1. How old Sonny Liston was and was still an athletic phenomenon. 2. When you really watch, and hear the credible sources, you can truly see what effected him, when he wasn't trying for whatever the reason was. 3. He seemed like such a good guy, a kind, nice guy. That dealt with sooo much. Bless his heart. I hated how the world treated him. He deserved so much better. So much ❤️
Sonny had to be tough at all times. Man that breaks my heart. Rest in paradise Man!
This has to be one of the saddest stories in boxing. You'll forever be remembered as the GOAT Sonny ❤️
Muhammad Ali 🐐
Nahh he is definitely going to be remembered
Mos definitely a goat
They need to make a movie on Sonny's life. That would be epic
They'll never do that because no one in Hollywood would want to be honest about the Ali fight.
There's one with ving rhames but it is very mid
too bad that idris elba didnt do it when he was in his prime, he would be the perfect hollywood version of sonny
Woke Hollywood would ruin it.
They just have to find an actor who can take a good swan dive after being hit by a "love tap."
I think sonny Liston deserved a lot more respect and recognition than he received...he was a truly great boxer
I was told by Las Vegas trainers that Sonny Liston once knocked out Rocky Marciano in a sparring section. 3:40
The ONLY man who made "BIG" George Foreman fight going backwards, by his own admission. Easily the most intimidating, terrifying champion ever. Criminally underrated as a boxer and an all time warrior. What Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali did was truly incredible to have taken down a GREAT like Liston. Sonny was gunning for Frazier before his passing too. R.I.P. to the legend: Charles Sonny Liston.
@Hoa Tattis the 2nd, maybe. The 1st? No. Clay had him.
@@TheCharlesJackson actually its entirely possible both were fixed
@@shilohwehrmacht2947 big doubt, don’t be caught in the hysteria of the time. People only thought it was fixed because the world was weary of Ali’s new style, they thought he was a average fighter at best. Obviously what we know now years after is that Ali was the greatest and certainly was capable of doing what he did.
@@The_Honcho except as the comment above you points out the first fight he couldnt feel his left arm and the second a friend of alis kidnapped listons family and told him to take a fall or theyd die
@@The_Honcho well nevermind different comment sections sorry but yeah found that out elsewhere
This one is the best documentary on Sonny Liston I've seen, and he is a classic example that you can go through all bullshit and hate you still can be great
Bars 🔥
Rainy day boxing also has a good one.
One of the most heartbreaking moment for me came when Liston arrived at the airport after winning the title.. and NOBODY showed up 😢😢😩How do you prepare to win such a fight..?!? Brought me to tears :(((
ME TOO!
That's what you call racism at it's best
It's absolutely heartbreaking to watch. I feel so bad for him. He deserved to be revered....not hated.
I enjoy boxing & history & this hurt my heart, He deserved better, if they don’t celebrate him then, we will do it now, R.I.P. Legend🙏
The most intimidating boxer ever, also one of the most underrated ever.
Debaitable with george foreman
Probably the most underrated and Foreman was probably the most intimidating
You cant say most intimidating without mentioning iron mike Tyson
ISAIAH SMITH Nowhere near as intimidating as Sonny Liston or Foreman. Tyson said Sonny Liston made him look like a Boy Scout and Foreman is recognised as the improvement of Sonny
Underrated is a understatement he beat alot of top ten heavyweight of all time in his prime.
I now know what Mike meant when he said ‘I’m Sonny Liston, I’m Jack Dempsey’. Just straight killers in the ring!
Imagine if Liston started boxing with Cus D'Amato when he was in his teenage years like Tyson...Jesus Christ that would be a storm.
@@kantovagrant3194 If they were in the same era, Liston would have pounded Mike to the canvas.
@@highdefboxing8056 Mike once said "Sonny Liston made me look like a boy scout"
Sam Constantinou ...Tyson definitely wasn't Sonny!
@@kantovagrant3194 ...Tyson didn't fight anybody!
It's no wonder people turn to crime. If you're a societal reject you can always find acceptance with criminals. Sonny wanted acceptance and no one gave it to him no matter how hard he tried. That's how it's been in my life too, and I really feel bad for the guy. He never had a fair chance.
I'm sorry you've had trouble in your life. It's definitely not fair to some, but hang in there Jonathan, I'll ask God to take care of you.
@@MrMarco855 I'm doing way better now. God has been very good to me. Far more so than I deserve for sure.
@@jonathansmith3031 I'm glad to hear it, Peace to you and your loved ones.
Don't give "God" the credit.... you deserve the credit. God isn't real. Nice sentiment though
@@TommyDee-ei5cp I'll give Him the credit if I like and you can't stop me. And if you can look at nature, believe in evolution and not see intelligent design in it then you have far more faith than I do.
🎉He only asked for a second chance to correct things and be a better person which the world refused to grant him which I felt also led to his untimely death. Once again that's human nature. Rip champ, forever remain one of the best heavyweight of all time
Haven’t even watched the video, already know it’s gonna be a movie. Love these documentaries please don’t stop making these. Some recommendations Miguel cotto Chávez Trinidad Bernard Hopkins
And pernella Whitaker
Sugar Ray Robinson
@@jaylenyaheardmeh8588 definitely Pernell too.
@@gztech1217 Absolutely Sir
Lennox Lewis, Holyfield or Nigel Benn would be amazing
Sonny Liston definitely in the top 5 heavyweights of all time, that's how good he was. I always thought he took a dive against Ali
Eddie Rivera ...Liston didn't take a dive!
@@brucescott4261 please looks like you fell for that BS punch that nobody saw, oh! Boy.
@@eddierivera1860 ain't no Mafia crime families were intimidated by some converted Muslim convicts just because Malcolm X was assassinated.
It does appear to many boxing historians that he took a dive, given the preponderance of evidence, you have to acknowledge this as anything but a very plausible possibility. If I was a betting man, that's where my money would be.
@@Bugs-ni8egexactly
One of the best sports documentaries I’ve seen. Excellent work
This is such a badass dude. RIP Mr.Liston. Thank you Joe 👌
Imagine him in his prime, the longevity of his career he wudda held it 4 yrs
He was definitely a lot older than his listed ages
@@brandonscorner9184 He may have been older than his listed age- but I seriously doubt that he was born in 1919. Joe Louis was born in 1914. He would have been 50 when he fought Wepner. Sonny's physique was always pretty much the same. He looked the same fighting Cleveland Williams as he did when he fought Wepner. Rock solid. Look at Foreman when he came back- and George was only in his late 30's. Sonny was probably born in the early 30's. At the earliest- maybe the late 20's.
@@stuartperry1047 I always thought he was probably born in the early-mid twenties, I’ve heard 1919 as well but I agree with you there, seems like a bit of a stretch.
People forget sunny liston fought for ali when he was 30s plus;; young sunny liston different fight
@´°` I muhammad ali really not win a fight against Joe Frazier;; ,, boxing community wanted to win fights 15 round against Joe Frazier who know who would have won ???
Gotta have sympathy for this man, maybe one of the most misunderstood athletes in the USA ever. Vilified for a past he couldn’t do anything about, and never given a fair shot to prove to the people that he wasn’t who the media set him up to be. Amazing story
Hell yeah. I have a feeling he was probably a good guy if you knew him. Massive presence in that ring man.
Definitely, not even his own people in his town gave him a chance. Really sad😢
Understood and felt.
@@Diablo-3323cause there is no god to speak of.
The media didn't do it to him, he did it to himself. He was a bum. Not a very good fighter either, compared to the amount of praise heaped on him by the modern media. He successfully defended his belt 1 time and it was against the same guy he won it from in a talentless division. He gave up the HW crown on his stool.
'I think he died as soon as he was born.' - Wow. I have nothing.
Definitely Liston is the most intimidating boxer. It's sad we don't know his exact age, this could change everything, the range is over a decade. His reach,which is almost similar to Tyson Fury although he was 20cm shorter, and his fist were outstanding.He was a freak of nature.
It sucks folks wouldn't give Liston a chance. Strangely, ten years later people seemed fine with Ron Lyle who had a more serious rap sheet than Sonny.
Fight between them would be brutal both were hard punchers.
Exactly Alex, its madness.
Things changed fast in those days. America really was no longer a racist country in the 70s, at least not institutionally so (I know modern educators would disagree with that, but whatever). A lot of white Americans were still biased, but many were trying to change. It also helped that there was no talk of Lyle being controlled by the mafia.
Just goes to show that the media has always been full of shit.
@@daviddufresne343 lmaooo wasn’t racist
It’s a shame what people did to Sunny. Truly one of the best of all time. Some times a man has to do bad things to make it in a world that doesn’t want him. Fought Clay age 22 when Sunny was 44. You more than most deserve recognition. Rest In Peace Champ.
RlP Sonny Liston
This is one of the best worded comments about someone that I think I've read on KZhead.
celebrate evil
Chapeau et respect 💪👏 monsieur liston !
Such a sad look in his eyes, yet the most vacant death stare you’d ever see.
I'm sure Sonny would be happy today knowing he has a lot more respect and admiration today then when he was alive, what he had gone through from start to finish was tragic yet it's what made him tough.
Well said Ken..100%
Imagine Sonny v Foreman I’m glad I got to see this, truly a great video, and keeping a mans legacy that was discarded alive. 10/10
Sonny liston lost to something hes never faced before which was muhammad ali, hes never faced anyone with the power of george foreman but the way foreman was punching people i think foreman would beat liston although both have super human like power. Couldnt trade blows with big george ask ron lyle
Actually, Big George was sparring partner for Sonny before winning the olympic title.Can´t be sure who would´ve won in a real match but honestly, George´s excessivly sweeping blows surely would be put him in trouble against Sonny´s powerful jab.
@@philippedossantos3884 George Foreman himself said he i dont want to say idlolized Liston but learned a great deal from him and look how Big George turned out? also one of the greatest ever that alot of peopel dont really mention..Big George was also a busy fighter with about 80 fights unliek the cupcakes today who fight 12 times and are considered titel contenders and pick and choose their opponents and retire after 25-30 fihts these guys are ironmen...and Big George has never been knocked out in thsoe 80 ish fights..i mean to compare todays heavyweights with those guys is folly
@@Djuane A prime Sonny Liston from 1957-1962, would beat the same George Foreman that Ali fought.
They use to spar. Foreman said Liston was the only man whoever made him back up in the ring.
A very sad situation my son had a gambling addiction got involved with loan sharks …it took my little money paying vigs…weekly for his safety…This-brings back those bad memories of when you get in deep you’ll do anything to survive..😢
I feel for you Glenn. 👍 Without going into detail my own brother wanted me dead, he had power as a copper. The streets are hard. You drink to blot out the pain even if it destroys your liver I hope you all will try and be happy again.
ultimately my favorite fighter. A true phonemonon, utterly terrifying when he wanted to be and yet extremely human. maybe my fondness for the unpopular is why I'm so fond of him. If i could go back in time, one of the things i'd definitely do would be to make damn sure he received a proper welcome when returning home as champ. RIP Sonny.
Thats really wholesome, he probably would've lit up to see just anyone be there for him, poor dude could never leave the shadow of his past. Seems like a gentle giant type that never let it show, since everyone already saw him as a thug.
I thought the same I'd prop go set up a sighn saying "WELCOM BACK CHAMPION" and ask for an autograph
Imagine this guy in his prime? Shame the world never got to see it, but he’ll always be recognized as a top 5 heavyweight boxer imo
Certainly top 10, and probably the best jab in heavyweight history. Sonny would have pulverised Anthony Joshua.
@@graemechristopher4008 and Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder
Agreed: 1a) Joe Louis 1b) Muhammad Ali 3) Mike Tyson 4) George Foreman 5) Sonny Liston
We did see him in his prime. It is from his first recorded fight in 1953. He also went on to beat Patterson and win the heavyweight title in 1962 so I would still consider that his prime years..
@@jasongibbs3713 Nah 1a) Muhammad Ali 1b) Sonny Liston 2.) Joe Louis 3.) Mike Tyson 4.) Jack Dempsey 5.) Rocky Marciano (And let's be honest, Liston threw the Ali fight for the mob.)
Ive never seen a more tragic champion in my life breaks my heart man
Even his gravestone all its says is; "A Man." That might be tragic, but Sonny was born a man, lived his life as a man, and died a Man. Those two words have more impact than literal entire essays.
Beautiful job with this documentary on Sonny Liston. He was a knockout machine like few in history. It is more than just PSI, he threw bombs a little like Sugar Ray Robinson. Starting from less than zero he did what he had to do, that is better than "a man" for his grave marker. If he would of started boxing at say 12 like Ali and he was sponsored by someone other than the mob just imagine how much more refined he could have been and how long he would have held the title. His life is what made him so tough and with his genetics having to fight for everything as he was happy in prison, because he was feed 3 times a day. It would have been exciting to see him fight Tyson, Frasier, or Foreman if one had a time machine. Really, I would have adopted the little guy as a kid from such a terrible life and teach him to read and write and have a normal life. Knowing how well he boxes I would leave it up to him if he wanted to try it. The On It interviews he did show the other side of himself, and how he tried his best to be kind and accepted in those interviews. Too bad the masses did not accept Sonny, but I think some people did.
Rip. The legend.❤
This is extremely hard to watch and imagine what this champ went through. He was hated, abused, beaten….a man trying to fight his way through life…
I wish he could see all the credit and respect that have finally been given to him in recent years. It would give him the peace he deserved.
Finally!! This guy deserves recognition!!
It feels like his fate is already sealed from the moment he was born, yet he keeps going on until the bitter end. His past action might not be the best, but he is a struggler and he really inspired a lot of people in a way he might not even realize, what an inspiration and a man he was.
He was like a precursor to Tyson. What a beast he was
But better. He also never turned into a cannibal rapist either
Jack Dempsey, duran, LaMotta, liston, foreman, mike all from the same cloth
I was 24 years old wen Sonny fought Clay and didn’t give Clay a chance but I always thought Sonny was one of the great fighters ever to enter a boxing ring.he will always be a hero in the boxing world to me and showed his respect to Floyd Patterson for the chance to fight for The World Championship and became Champion. I hope you are at peace now Sonny Liston World Heavyweights Champ you deserve to be.
Same reach as Jon Bones Jones. That's insane.
and with bigger arms and hands.
185cms height and the longest reach in history of boxing world champions, not even Fury has a better reach than Liston
Without looking. I wonder if Vaulev has the same reach or more? He was a WBA champ after he beat Ruiz.
Did they measure half inches back then or round off? Jon has an 84 1/2 inch reach. I know it's nitpicking but I'm genuinely curious
This is absolutely incredible! His life is a perfect example of never giving up.
he was not rewarded....sadly...being for several days...how?...the creepy ending of a former boxing hero..
Fight on brother! You always have to fight on ..
I just wonder who could beat him under normal circumstances! What a boxer! My favourite boxer of all times
Unfortunately one of the very many possibilities of him dying is by suicide. Unfortunately that seems like the most likely possibility of death due to their being no criminal investigation, and Geraldine Liston taking over 4 hours to clean the house of any evidence of Sonny Liston dying.
The difference between Tyson and Listons power. Tyson was dynamite but would knock a guy down 3/4 times before the ref stopped it. Liston would hit a guy once break something and they wouldn’t get up. KO. Flat out. Absolutely unbelievable
Yup! Sonny would hit so hard that his glove 🥊 would tear.
From 58' to 62' Sonny Liston had the greatest clean out of any division in boxing history. He dismantled the entire heavyweight division from #10 to champ with ease. That motivated, healthy, and uncaged Liston would have given any version of any fighter in history a real fight. Make no mistake: Clay never saw the real killer that was Sonny Liston in his best years.
Spot on. 👍 Phil
Spot on 👍🏻👌🏻
JUST WHEN LUNCH TIME. BOOM PERFECT TIMING
17:31 you can see it in his eyes! The initial feeling of appreciation!! That warm feeling of acceptance!!! He's never experienced such a thing. Sad but true.
This was in the 1970 fight between him and Chuck Wepner (his last match), not the Floyd Patterson fight. EDIT: Realized this was from the Patterson fight. Apologies
Right Man
Damn man it hurts to see... The man deserves a movie, his story seems straight out from one and it's real
Unbelievable/fantastic life! So much pain that some people goes through. Liston was an excellent fighter. Rip champ
I feel bad because of the way others viewed and denied you. I wish it was different but we can’t change what happened in the past. You were a great boxer Liston, rest easy champ. 😢😢😢
I remember the fights of Liston and Clay.I was about 13 or 14. Liston lived a terrible life from the day he was born. His story is a sad story. Thank you for clearing up some things I couldn't remember as I am fixing to be 70 years old. Just last night I was trying to tell my girlfriend about Sonny and how the mob decided who won and who lost. She is younger than me and couldn't imagine it was that way. I saved this on my phone and will let her watch it. You told it like it was. RIP Sonny.
How much younger? By 35 years? My man
I was 11 when I heard about it on my transistor radio! I lived in Philadelphia area but did not know about Liston or how the City ignored him.
Damn a girlfriend at 70 is wild😂😂
I remember that Cassius Clay was a 6 to 1 underdog to Liston in their first fight and everyone in my neighborhood thought that Liston was just going to beat him very badly.
Be calming down
At this point I am nearly living for the Solid Snake death sound.
The Lamar Jackson video was the best one!!!😂😂😂
that was an emotional final sequence with a cherry of a top song...this one had me in tears and thank you for putting this together.
This was a really good documentary on Sonny Liston, the man was the very definition of what true perseverance look like, when the entire world felt like it was against him, Sonny continued to go forward, there's no wonder why when Ali was ask, if there was one person that you could talk to, that gone now, who would it be, and Ali said Sonny, I wish I could talk to Sonny.
Three things happened today: 1) My neighbor said he didn’t like Joe Vincent doc’s 2) My neighbor got hit by a car 3) I lost my license
All coincidences, not related at all.
I'll give 10.000$ to anyone who does the same thing that you did
so, how'd that all work out?
I'm so happy that Sonny finally got a chance to be on this channel. There was this quote about Sonny Liston that really stuck with me. "His life was a tragedy with nothing but sadness and pain. Nobody knows when he was born, and nobody knows when he died."
Imagine if he started boxing early and stared fighting in his early 20s. I think he would have been the greatest ever. Hell, he still might be.
Sonny has the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen. Looking at him makes me cry.
He was a pretty awful guy to be honest
I don't know why but the quote about the physician saying "he would hit me in my entire face" cracked me up!
Imagine him bitch slapping someone 😶😂
@@pizzulo81 that person don't have a face anymore lol
Liston was definitely in his 40s for the first Ali fight. Which makes it even more remarkable that he was champion in his 40s and quite comfortably
Tbh he look more in his late 30s more then his in early 40s
@@zaipollizamabdulmalek5822 either way he was in good shape
@@richarda3514 he really was in good shape. But people always say he very old. I don't think his physic really changed during his early boxing career until the finale. Liston was an alcoholic which is probably the reason he look older then what he claim.(which is true)
@@zaipollizamabdulmalek5822 that's a really good point he didn't actually age that much. Over the years
Sorry 1964 minus 1930(2) is not 40, see wikipedia
This hurts me so much...his story...shed a tear
Just the sheer amount of stones it took to be taking on the cops in the 50s and 60s. 🤯 Icon.
My man Joseph get's me every time with the "BOOM PERFECT TIMING" in every video