His parents were Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. Charles L. Sonny Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. His father was 30 years older than his mother. Pacific Grove, CA: Park Place Publications, 2012. Liston went down in the first round, felled by a punch few saw. Tosches does a nice piece of reporting on the incident that led to Liston's arrest, objectively revealing all available viewpoints. Outside of the ring, Liston had a charming personality. Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. Least of all, Sonny himself. Liston continued fighting following the loss of his title, mainly because it was the only legal way he knew how to make a buck. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. He got little good press, even from sports columnists, and was routinely subjected to overtly racist slurs in print: in 1964, Look ran a story titled Sonny Liston: King of the Beasts. Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1966 and was found dead there on January 5, 1971, when his wife returned to their Las Vegas home from a Christmas visit with her mother. American professional boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962, Born on May 08, 1932 In June of the following year, Liston won the rematch with another knockout. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Ward, who resides today in Forrest City, Ark. 4 among heavyweights, on Dec. 4, 1961. The match was held in Miami Baech, Florida. Liston emptied his pockets of bills and returned to the car with all of the women's pencils. He had the biggest fist of any heavyweight champion: 15 inches. His mother separated from his father and went to St. Louis in Missouri. Major funding provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. WebThe son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Copyright 2020, ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) Even as a grown up, the physical scars were still visible. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. Sonny Liston was officially born on May 8th 1932, even if no one knows exactly when he was born, that is the date that he set up for all the official records. He was arrested twice in a period of months in Philadelphia in the summer of 1961. He was one of many childrenone account lists twenty-two siblings and half-siblings. He kept fighting and kept winning against a progressively better grade of opponents. Apart from his demeanor, Liston was a charming man with a captivating smile. Sand Slough, Arkansas, United States of America, Sonny Liston is still regarded as the best heavyweight boxer with a taste of violence. Sonny Liston keeps his personal and love life private. Liston penalized two points for low blows. Sonny Liston is a 4 year old colt and has raced in 2022. His best years were 195862 when he destroyed everyone while Patterson shamelessly ducked him. His final record as a professional was 50 wins, 39 by knockout, and four losses. His father physically molested him. Sonny Liston was featured in a novel "Girl Fighter" with a brief reference to his early life, his rise to WBC heavyweight champion and his eventual losses to Clay/Ali. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. Early Life and Family: Before he was famous, He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. His death was as mysterious as his birth. Liston, one of 25 children by his father, is reputed to have been born in May 1932, yet prison records show various birth dates, among them 1928. If you can, provide 1-2 sources of information backing up this correction. WebListon retired on his stool citing an injured shoulder; After this fight Cassius Clay changed his name to Cassius X and then to Muhammad Ali; 1964 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. Please try again. He was officially knocked out by Muhammad Ali in one minute for the fastest KO in heavyweight history up to that time. On the same night at a different location, but on the same closed-circuit broadcast, Patterson defeated unheralded Tom McNeeley in four rounds in what would be the final successful defense of his crown. in Sand Slough, Arkansas, USA , United States, Died on December 30, 1970 Aligning himself with the Devil. It has been rumored that the crime boss John Vitale arranged for his early release. He was accused of stealing an officers gun. Survived by his wife Geraldine and a step-daughter. The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights. His epitaph reads: "A Man.". Geraldine married Sonny Liston in 1950 Charles Sonny Liston was a noted boxer who briefly reigned as Heavyweight Champion after a first-round knockout against Floyd Patterson. He compiled a career record of 50-4, competing against such boxing legends as Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. Assael, Shaun. Introduced to boxing by Father Stevens in the St. Louis City Jail during 1950. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. Charles "Sonny" Liston's life and death began and ended in the same manner: as a mystery. Liston claimed he was born in Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. Check back often as we will continue to update this page with new relationship details. Clay is certainly to be counted among the greatest heavyweights of all time. Tobe was mean to his children, and especially to Sonny. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. Liston relocated to Denver with his wife Geraldine and friend/sparring partner Foneda Cox and underwent extensive counseling with Father Murphy. When he won the heavyweight title in 1962 at age 30, he had a daughter age 25. Liston excelled in his newfound love, boxing, and, after a short amateur career, turned professional. Lets take a look at Sonny Liston past relationships, ex-girlfriends and previous hookups. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his fathers 25 children. He is one of the Richest Boxer who was born in AR. Liston won 13 of his first 14 bouts before trouble with the law cost him his freedom a second time. Gallender, Paul. If there is a flaw in Tosches' book, it's that the author seems bent on carrying the theme of Liston and the mob beyond its logical parameters. He won 11 consecutive fights by knockout in 1968 and added three more wins in 1969 before losing a brutal bout to Leotis Martin. Liston was the youngest heavyweight boxing champion to die (age 38). Official Sites. Carbo was in prison and Palmermo would soon follow. Sonny, who was known by his proper name Charles while growing up, rarely attended school and never learned to read or write, a fact that haunted him as an adult and fed a lifelong problem with insecurity. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. BoxRec On this day in history, Feb. 25, 1964, a young Muhammad Ali With the proceeds he traveled to St. Louis and reunited with his mother and siblings. In September of 1953, he knocked out Don "Toro" Smith in two rounds in St. Louis, setting in motion a career which would span 17 years and bring Sonny to the pinnacle of success in his sport. When Liston died, he was rated 7th in the world heavyweight rankings by Ring Magazine. (There is some speculation about his year of In the end, one can't help feeling some sympathy for Liston. The reader can form his own conclusion based on the reports of those involved. Sonny had to put the proper face forward to the public. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Or it would be history, if boxing historians would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. At the age of 14, he was almost 6 feet tall. His parents were peasant farmers who grew cotton in the south. He married Geraldine Chambers on June 10, 1950. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. The continual conflicts with the police. Lets check, How Rich is Sonny Liston in 2020-2022? Unfortunately, the same dark forces that forged Liston's destructiveness in the ring also fueled a distrust for the police and a bent toward criminal activity that would lead to two stints in the Missouri state prison system. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as The Bear then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. He climbed back into the ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical knockout against Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Don Smith in a single round in St. Louis. In the same interval, he had gotten married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1958, and been questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The subsequent rematch with Clay on May 25, 1965, included the infamous phantom punch. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clays right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. No one knows how Sonny Liston died. She had been away on holiday. He overcame tremendous odds to win the title and earn a measure of fame, but even so he was never embraced by the public. In Michael Mann's Ali, Liston was portrayed by famous boxer Michael Bentt, with whom he shares a strong resemblance. . Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. At the age of thirteen, he ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, following his mother, who had left earlier. A Champion of Something New - by Eli Jones - The Riverside Sonny Liston Biography, Life, Interesting Facts - Famous From the time he was old enough to be useful in the fields, Sonny was a laborer for his tenant farmer father. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Charles "Sonny" Liston was pronounced dead at the scene. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. The official cause of death was lung congestion and heart failure, although Liston had fresh needle marks on his arm and police discovered heroin and a syringe in the house. Maybe Liston was concerned about the death threats that had been made against Ali in the wake of the assassination of Malcolm X and Liston just wanted to get out of the ring that night as quickly as possible. He was friendly with his fans and had a soft spot for children. It was just a matter of semantics, though. Liston continued to box until the time of his death. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. Sonny never really had a Prime. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Ivn Popoca estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. Liston and Geraldine had no children, but Liston loved kids and enjoyed being in their company. Boxer Charles L. Sonny Liston was bornin St. Francis County, Arkansason May 8, 1932. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. (Which isn't to say that Liston took advantage of Father Murphy, or that he had a disregard for what Father Murphy had to say. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. Just three months after Sonny's move to Denver, his license was reinstated. The rematch, in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965, was even more controversial. Yet, Tosches postulates that Liston threw his first fight with Cassius Clay in Miami in February of 1964 at the behest of the mob. The official cause of his death was given as cardiac arrest and lung congestion. | His relationship status is single. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (19321970) FamilySearch His alcoholic and violent father was thirty years older than Sonnys Tired of being exploited as a manual laborer, Sonny Liston turned to crime. His last fight was against Chuck Wepner. Perhaps no keener insight can be gained from those early years, though, than from what Sonny himself was quoted as saying: "The only thing my old man ever gave me was a whipping.". L'arbre The local police classified him as the yellow shirt bandit.. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. Liston was arrested more than 20 times. James Ellroy portrayed Sonny Liston as a fight loser, a heroin addict, a black racist, and a Mafia jawbreaker in his novel "The Cold Six Thousand.". Encyclopedia of Arkansas He only served six. DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. (LogOut/ Liston on his age: "I'm like Jack Benny, I never tell my age.". Won his last fight on June 29, 1970, at the Jersey City Armory, stopping. It was a defense mechanism designed to keep people from getting too close. While Liston was incarcerated, prison athletic director Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing. Hardly. In 1950, Liston was arrested at his apartment at 1006 O'Fallon Street for robbing the Unique Cafe on 1502 Market Street in St. Louis for 37 dollars. His ring style was the essence of simplicity; he displayed little finesse but much raw power, especially in his left hand. In 1957, he was sentenced to nine months in the St. Louis workhouse for assaulting a police officer. WebTogether with his 24 siblings and half siblings, Sonny grew up in the local cotton fields. He compiled a career record of He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Boxer. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The coroner picked December 30, 1970, as the date of death, and Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. He never shied away from street fights. As the top fighter in the world, Liston became an easy target for sports columnists who remarked frequently on not only his menacing demeanor and vicious punching power but also his criminal background. Liston was arrested more than 20 times. During that same period, he got married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, and was questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540, European Exploration and Settlement, 1541 through 1802, Louisiana Purchase through Early Statehood, 1803 through 1860, Civil War through Reconstruction, 1861 through 1874, Post-Reconstruction through the Gilded Age, 1875 through 1900, Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940, World War II through the Faubus Era, 1941 through 1967, Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform, 19682022, World War II through the Faubus Era (1941 - 1967). Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. Heavyweight Boxer Sonny Liston According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Boxer Sonny Listons net worth is $82 Million before He died. He became a professional fighter in 1953. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. Tosches is admirably objective in his presentation of Liston. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. Scroll below and check our most recent updates about Sonny Liston Net Worth, Salary, Biography, Age, We are all related! Sonny Liston lost his title to the little known Cassius Clay in the seventh round in February 1964. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. Sonny Liston His heavyweight title-winning victory on September 25, 1962, was indicative of his powerful style: After a mere two minutes, he knocked out Floyd Patterson, which marked the first time in history that a reigning heavyweight champion was counted out in the first round. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Fighter in Boxing History: Charles 'Sonny' Liston Family (1) Spouse Sonny Liston went from boxing champion and national anti-hero to a Las Vegas thug who drove around in a pink Cadillac and sold drugs. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. 1932-1970 Sonny Liston was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1962 to 1964. Tosches goes to great lengths in his book to convey the ubiquitous presence of the mob in those days and the power that men like Frank "Gray Man" Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo wielded in boxing. After having his license revoked, Liston made a smart decision, as he had when he bought out Barone. Education: Sonny Liston Net Worth: Sonny Liston net worth or net income is estimated to be between $1 Million $5 Million dollars. Liston is another. (LogOut/ He went on to win several amateur matches. The couple had two children; one was a daughter from Chambers previous marriage. Liston, Sonny - Encyclopedia of Arkansas Liston claimed he was born in 1932, yet his rap sheet for his 1950 arrest for armed robbery listed his age as 22, making him born in 1928. All Rights Reserved. He knocked out the reigning world champion in the first round. Is mentioned in the song "Swinging" by Tom Petty. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works likeThe Devil and Sonny Liston(2000)by Nick Tosches. He was trained by Willie Redish and later by Dick Sadler. Reverend Stevens arranged the match for him. He was trained by Charles Hills and has raced for Chelsea Thoroughbreds, and was bred in [Add Data] by [Add Data] . Sonny Liston There were also times when he showed surprising compassion for the less fortunate. All Rights Reserved. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. As a young man in 1949, Liston left Arkansas for good and followed his mother's footsteps to St. Louis. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders. Sonny Liston prefers not to tell the details of marital status & divorce. Very little is known about his birth and his Following his release from the workhouse, Liston quickly returned to the ring against Hunter and got his career back on track. That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. In a short amount of time, those felonious deeds cost Sonny Liston his freedom. Liston had a huge physique. Womanizing. As the top fighter in the world, Liston became an easy target for sports columnists who remarked frequently on not only his menacing demeanor and vicious punching power but also his criminal background. Liston's formative years were spent growing up as a physically and mentally abused child living in a forsaken patch of land known as Sand Slough, Ark. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. Liston lost his rematch to Ali in May 1965. In 1996 when Mike Tyson KO'd Bruce Seldon in one round for the WBA Heavyweight Championship, Tyson had won the WBC Heavyweight Championship six months earlier and was seeking to unify the title. Sonny Liston turned professional in September 1953. WebSonny Liston is 6 feet 0 inches tall. His dad was an abusive alcoholic and at the age of 13, Sonny left to live with his aunt in Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. This enabled him to get hired as a manual laborer in the farms. Sonny Liston Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". Sonny Liston: The mysterious death that haunts boxing He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley, and Eddie Machen (all knockouts except for Machen). Liston's career was interrupted for nine months beginning in December 1956, when he was sent to the St. Louis workhouse for assaulting a policeman and stealing the officer's gun. His wife found his lifeless body in their home on January 5, 1971. A story is told of Liston ordering his driver to stop on a busy highway, so that Liston could go and buy some pencils from an obviously poor, old, white women whom he had observed. That doesn't make sense. in rural St. Francis County. On September 25, 1962, Liston made history by becoming the heavyweight champion. Liston had a short and successful amateur career, following which he turned pro. She was working in a shoe factory when her son Charles unexpectedly came to the city and looked her up. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings and with virtually no schooling. During the years that Liston was champ, the mob was in retreat. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. Primary Income source Boxer (profession). WebSonny Liston Photo Gallery. There, he became a thug, committing various muggings and robbery. aged 38years old. Gambling. First heavyweight title challenger to earn a purse of $1,000,000. In accordance with the legal provisions, you can ask for the removal of your name and the name of your minor children. He quickly learned how to box and within three years was fighting on the amateur circuit. WebParents and Siblings Charles L. "Sonny" Liston 19321970 Geraldine Chamber 19252005 Spouse and Children Charles L. "Sonny" Liston Male19321970 Male Let's check, How Rich is Mario, Ben Villaflor estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. Drinking. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. World heavyweight boxing champion, 1962-1964. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 1991. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. Sonny Liston estimated Net Worth, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below.
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