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 born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. His death was as mysterious as his birth. Joe Louis rated Liston's jab one of the best in boxing history. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. The second was a boy. In Michael Mann's Ali, Liston was portrayed by famous boxer Michael Bentt, with whom he shares a strong resemblance. He quickly learned how to box and within three years was fighting on the amateur circuit. He won in the first round against Don Smith. In the films the good guy always wins, but this is one bad guy who ain't gonna lose. Before Fame He sold pecans from his brother-in-law's tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. 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.". 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. He started boxing in prison and was likely over 30 then. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. While Liston was incarcerated, prison athletic director Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing. Liston would later claim his birth date to be May 8, 1932, but that is off by at least two years. If two unmarried celebrities are seen in public together, they are often described as dating which means they were seen in public together, and it is not clear whether they are merely friends, exploring a more intimate relationship, or are romantically involved. | 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. He knocked out the reigning world champion in the first round. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. Even as a grown up, the physical scars were still visible. Lets check, How Rich is Sonny Liston in 2019-2020? According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Boxer Sonny Listons net worth is $82 Million before He died. He earned the money being a professional Boxer. He is from AR. WebHe was the 12th of 13 children born to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin, and he endured frequent beatings as a child. Aligning himself with the Devil. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 1991. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. 100 Rock Street Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. Thus, cloaking the heavyweight champion of the world--the epitome of masculinity and male supremacy--in a Santa Claus hat was the height of irony at the time. Copyright 2020 ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA, All rights Reserved. WebIn 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 epitaph reads: "A Man.". 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. Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Sonny Liston, Birth Year: 1932, Birth date: May 8, 1932, Birth State: Arkansas, Birth City: St Francis County, Birth Country: United States. Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1990. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings and with virtually no schooling. Best Known For: Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights. 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. aged 38years old. Cruel Beginnings. 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. His dad was an abusive alcoholic and at the age of 13, Sonny left to live with his aunt in Basically, for a guy like Liston, it meant that you either dealt with them, or you didn't deal at all. But there is another side. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Don Smith in a single round in St. Louis. With Cus DAmato as his coach, Liston reigned as champion for seventeen months. Soon caught (his crimes were inept, spur-of-the-moment, strong arm jobs) and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, he was sentenced in 1950 to five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. In prison, encouraged by Catholic chaplains, Liston took up boxing, where he was an immediate and spectacular success. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. Sand Slough, Arkansas, United States of America, Sonny Liston is still regarded as the best heavyweight boxer with a taste of violence. He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. Boxer Charles L. Sonny Liston was bornin St. Francis County, Arkansason May 8, 1932. In 1950, he was convicted of two counts of larceny and two counts of first-degree robbery and spent more than two years in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. Liston continued fighting following the loss of his title, mainly because it was the only legal way he knew how to make a buck. Drinking. The Dowling Family Tree with over half a million relatives, Liston was arrested more than 20 times. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. Appeared in a Santa Claus hat on the cover of the December 1963 edition of Esquire Magazine. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Cox, who was interviewed extensively by Tosches, went as far as to say that Liston would still be alive if he had "spent more time with Father Murphy."). He served brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a prison chaplain. 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. Tosches here betrays an ignorance of boxing that no doubt hurts his credibility with those know know the sport. Dating is to describe a stage in a persons life when he or she is actively pursuing romantic relationships with different people. 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. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as The Bear then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. WebSonny Liston Photo Gallery. Liston was an excellent boxer. Following his release from the workhouse, Liston quickly returned to the ring against Hunter and got his career back on track. At the age of thirteen, he ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, following his mother, who had left earlier. Due to the poverty in the family, Sonny never went to school. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. Robert B. Cochran Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. Read our Privacy Policy. Let's check, How Rich is Ben, All You Need To Know About Tamara Hurwitz. Yet, Tosches postulates that Liston threw his first fight with Cassius Clay in Miami in February of 1964 at the behest of the mob. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. His parents were Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. If you can, provide 1-2 sources of information backing up this correction. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. At 13, he escaped from his father's control and hitchhiked to George Foreman was his sparring partner from 1969 to 1970. Sonny never really had a Prime. Official Sites. When Sonny KO'd Floyd Patterson in 1962 for The World Heavyweight Championship,he became the only challenger to win that title by a first round KO. in Sand Slough, Arkansas, USA , United States, Died on December 30, 1970 Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. Liston and Geraldine had no children, but Liston loved kids and enjoyed being in their company. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. During his two-plus years in the state penitentiary, Liston attained a new nickname, "Sonny," and a new vocation, boxing. Clay was no debtor to the mob. WebHalf-siblings. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up in rural St. Francis County. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works like The Devil and Sonny Liston (2000) by Nick Tosches. He supported many in his life. As with the date of Liston's birth, no one knows for sure. Helen Liston There were rumors of drug peddling, heroin use, and murder, but no answers. He was one of many He was trained by Willie Redish and later by Dick Sadler. . Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. Sonny Liston, hard-luck son of Arkansas sharecroppers, was champion of the world. Tired of being exploited as a manual laborer, Sonny Liston turned to crime. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Major support provided through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. Very little is known about his birth and his contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. He became a professional fighter in 1953. 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. The official date of Charles L. Liston is given as May 8, 1932. Foes like the murderous-punching Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn and Nino Valdez succumbed to Liston's heavy fists. Touring the local hospital in a grey tweed overcoat with a black velvet collar, the intimidating, burly, 6-foot-tall, 215 lb. Nous sommes tous Deceased persons are not concerned by this provision. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. Sonny Liston: His Life, Strife, and the Phantom Punch. gnalogique Dowling avec plus d'un demi-million de parents, Geraldine married Sonny Liston in 1950 He quickly destroyed all the leading heavyweight contenders--Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Cleveland Williams--to earn a title shot against Floyd Patterson. WebTogether with his 24 siblings and half siblings, Sonny grew up in the local cotton fields. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. contains thousands of pictures and GeneaStars. London: Aurum Press, 2008. Username and password are case sensitive. Charles Sonny Liston was a noted boxer who briefly reigned as Heavyweight Champion after a first-round knockout against Floyd Patterson. He had his first competitive match in prison. Liston on his age: "I'm like Jack Benny, I never tell my age.". Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. All Rights Reserved. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. He was arrested twice in a period of months in Philadelphia in the summer of 1961. He cleared out his opponents to become the topmost contender. Liston turned professional in September 1953, earning his first paycheck in St. Louis with a first-round knockout of Don Smith. 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. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. We are all related! What advantage would there be to having the brash young boxer from Louisville installed as heavyweight champ in place of Liston? He was officially knocked out by Muhammad Ali in one minute for the fastest KO in heavyweight history up to that time. His sporting agility was electrifying to watch. 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.. The tactic worked. For more information, contact 501-918-3025 orcalsfoundation@cals.org. Outside of the ring, Liston had a charming personality. Sanders was the reigning Olympic heavyweight champion. Jack Dempsey and Roberto Duran are two cases in point. He won 11 consecutive fights by knockout in 1968 and added three more wins in 1969 before losing a brutal bout to Leotis Martin. Even Sonny's mother, who was called Big Hela, didn't know, though she believed him to be born during the month of January. The map below shows the places where the ancestors of the famous person lived. 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 had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. Sonny had to put the proper face forward to the public. This is how Tosches describes Liston's birth place: "It was in the sector of Morledge Plantation that lay in Johnson Township, St. Francis County, that Tobe Liston and his family came to live and farm, on a low patch where a rill of muddy water, a mile and a half or so long, dribbled dead to its end in a slough of sandy dirt where nothing could grow. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. Sonny Liston turned professional in September 1953. . Hungry fighters eager to break free from the shackles of their own environment bring an element of savage desperation into their ring encounters. He was caught and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, and was sentenced in 1950 to 5 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. Family American professional boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962, Born on May 08, 1932 After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Owing to his bold physique and strict upbringing, Liston loved training. He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. Liston, who was viewed as nearly invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay (soon to take the nameMuhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25, 1964. In 1950, he was arrested by the police. He was sired by Lawman out of the Galileo mare Stars In Your Eyes. (LogOut/ He climbed back into the ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical knockout against "Bayonne Bleeder" Chuck Wepner. For all his womanizing, Liston had a respect for his wife Geraldine and was faithful to her in his own way. His mother separated from his father and went to St. Louis in Missouri. In the end, one can't help feeling some sympathy for Liston. Early Life. 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. 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. Liston was inducted into the international Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born circa 1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. The dark side is evident. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law (fourteen arrests between 1953 and 1958 and a conviction in 1956 for assaulting a police officer), Liston finally fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. Sonny Liston: The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. Gallender, Paul. 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. Tosches insists that films of Liston losing to Clay reveal that Liston was missing punches intentionally. That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. Served time in prison for robbery and later for assaulting a police officer. Owing to his many siblings and a brutal, hardscrabble Arkansas childhood with an abusive father (excruciatingly detailed in the movie and book), Liston had an affinity for needy children. Sonny Liston Wife According to our records, Sonny Liston married to Geraldine Seithel. His opponent abandoned the match midway. They called it Sand Slough. His final record as a professional was fifty wins, thirty-nine by knockout, and four losses. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. He became a professional fighter in 1953. For those interested in knowing more about the life and times of one of the most enigmatic and troubled heavyweight champs, the book "The Devil and Sonny Liston," by Nick Tosches (Copyright 2000, published by Little, Brown and Company), is a wealth of knowledge. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. In 1956, he found himself on the wrong side of the law again. In October 1952, Liston was released on parole. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. Sonny was probably born in 1929, but no one knows for sure. Pressure resulting from appearing before the committee, and from the diatribes of Patterson's manager Cus D'Amato, caused Liston to buy out the contract of his manager, Pep Barone, who was considered to be an undesirable, and name old-time Philadelphia political hack George Katz as his manager. First World Heavyweight Boxing Champion banned from fighting in New York State by the New York Boxing Commission. Because of his arrest and prison term, Liston didn't have a fight between March of 1956, when he decisioned Marty Marshall in Pittsburgh, to January of 1958, when he knocked out Bill Hunter in two rounds in Chicago. The local police classified him as the yellow shirt bandit.. The Devil and Sonny Liston. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Boxer. In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Liston's dead body. Sonny Liston keeps his personal and love life private. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. This enabled him to get hired as a manual laborer in the farms. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Sonny Liston is a 4 year old colt and has raced in 2022. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works likeThe Devil and Sonny Liston(2000)by Nick Tosches. Liston continued to box until the time of his death. Copyright 2020, ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA. 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. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Boxer Sonny Listons net worth is $82 Million before He died. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings and with virtually no schooling. It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". As for the rematch between the two fighters in an ice rink in Lewiston, Maine, in May of 1965, there are a lot of possible explanations for Liston's bizarre actions that night. Encyclopedia of Arkansas Apart from his demeanor, Liston was a charming man with a captivating smile. Or it would be history, if boxing historians would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. lis! Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1966 and was found dead there on Jan. 5, 1971, when his wife returned to their home from a Christmas visit with her mother. Sonny was probably born in 1929, but no one knows for sure. If it was truly a fix, then Liston would have found a way to avoid taking the punishment that he received at Clay's hands before retiring on his stool after the sixth round. New York: Skyhorse, 2011. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. Education: Sonny Liston Net Worth: Sonny Liston net worth or net income is estimated to be between $1 Million $5 Million dollars. All Rights Reserved. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Liston, who was viewed as nearly invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay (soon to take the name .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Muhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25, 1964. (There is some speculation about his year of DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. Tosches does a nice piece of reporting on the incident that led to Liston's arrest, objectively revealing all available viewpoints. The match was held in Miami Baech, Florida. All Rights Reserved. Steen, Rob. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Relationship with Timothy Michael Dowling (Sosa/Ahnentafel #1), Relationship with Geraldine Clark (spouse), Browse using this individual as Sosa/Ahnentafel #1, , born in1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased, , born inApril1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased, Sources: Dowling Family Tree - Tim Dowling - rootsweb, 2001-2015 - - electronic - I435533, Marriage (with Geraldine Clark) - St. Louis, MO, List of all individuals in the family tree, {{ 'gw_downgraded_access_back_to_max'|translate }}, Born 8May1932 - Sand Lough, St. Francis Co., AR, Deceased 30December1970 - Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV, He maintained a winning streak in eight matches. Let's check, How Rich is Ivn P, Mario Daser estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. The most noticeable being his win over Ed Sanders. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. 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. in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Sonny LISTON (1932), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. Armed robbery. Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. It was scandal on top of scandal; Listons reputation, already tainted by prison time, allegations of mob connections, and charges of sexual assault, never recovered. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. (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.
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