Also, McDonough did not bang on the canvas or motion a number count with his fingers. His defense was described as "the gate-crossing of arms a la Archie Moore. On January 5,1971, Liston's wife, Geraldine, flew home from a New Year's trip to find the boxer "lying bloody against the bed, blood covering an undershirt that barely covered his bloated body GREAT NEWS! That didnt cover Listons debts and expenses. Liston had been raised in poverty with an abusive father, had been arrested two dozen times and served multiple stints in prison, had been the mobs fiercest fighter, but in the end was expendable. Biographer Wilfrid Sheed wrote in his book, Muhammad Ali: A Portrait in Words and Photographs, that Ali's protests were heard by ringside members of the Nation of Islam who initially suspected Dundee had blinded his fighter and that the trainer deliberately wiped his own eyes with the corner sponge to demonstrate to Ali's approaching bodyguards that he had not intentionally blinded him. A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round, as Ali seemed tired, and delivered punishing shots to Ali's body. But with no evidence for murder and a strong case for burglary, the police went with the case they had. ). M ore than a decade after Sonny Liston's 1970 death from what a coroner called natural causesand police suspected was an accidental OD of heroinbookies, mobsters and cops in Vegas still whispered about whether the former heavyweight champ had died at the hands of someone else. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him.". The official time of the stoppage was announced as 1:00 into the first round, which was wrong. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Walcott then rushed back to the fighters, who had resumed boxing, and stopped the fightawarding Ali a first-round knockout victory. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. They had a rubber match on March 6, 1956, which Liston won by a lopsided ten-round unanimous decision. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Foley. She was previously married to Sonny Liston. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. There is no record of Liston's birth. Sonny was probably born in 1929, but no one knows for sure. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 2023 Barstool Sports. A coroner also suggested that the amount of heroin in his system wouldn't have caused an overdose. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Liston. On April 21, 1955, Liston defeated Marshall in a rematch, dropping him four times en route to a sixth-round knockout. Search above to list available cemeteries. The late Harold Conrad promoted several Liston fights and knew the heavyweight well. Though the opening round saw Ali largely on the defensive, it was soon established that Ali could reverse roles quickly and take to the offensive with a remarkably fast series of combinations delivered to Liston's head. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Ali confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. After he was released from prison on October 31, 1952, Liston had a brief amateur career which spanned less than a year. Today's gigantic heavyweights would dwarf him, but in the 1950s and '60s, the 6'1," 215-pound Liston was a behemoth -- a glowering, malevolent presence who took apart the heavyweight division man-by-man until he finally got to Floyd Patterson . Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Also in 1970, Liston appeared on an episode of the TV series Love, American Style and in a television commercial for Braniff Airlines with Andy Warhol. Midway through the first round, Liston threw a left jab and Ali went over it with a fast right, knocking the former champion down. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. A dominant contender of his era, he became world Heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout the following year in defense of the title; in the latter fight he also became the inaugural WBC heavyweight champion. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. cemeteries found in Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Liston competed in the 1953 National Amateur Athletic Union Tournament and lost in the quarterfinals to 17-year-old Jimmy McCarter on April 15. Liston got his title shot in 1962, winning the belt in the first heavyweight title fight to be decided in the first round. Oops, we were unable to send the email. 50 years ago today, Sonny Liston was found dead in his Vegas apartment, this by his wife Geraldine, who had been away on a trip. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay) predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter.". The second fight lasted only four seconds longer than Part I's first-round KO, but Liston's victory was still loudly booed. Liston won by a seventh-round technical knockout and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Learn more about merges. He also was asked about mob-connected promoters he dealt with and said, I wouldnt pass judgment on no one. The opening round was fought an extra 20 seconds, as both fighters and referee Barney Felix apparently did not hear the bell. Top contender Zora Folley was stopped in three rounds and the run of knockouts led to Liston being touted as a "champion in waiting.". Geraldine had a daughter from a previous relationship, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden. Though Ali often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. On January 5,1971, Liston's wife, Geraldine, flew home from a New Year's trip to find the boxer "lying bloody against the bed, blood covering an undershirt that barely covered his bloated . At one point in this attack, Liston's knees buckled and he almost went down as he was driven to the ropes. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. When he didn't, he reportedly lost the Mafia a lot of money. On returning home from a two-week trip, Geraldine had smelled a foul odor emanating from the main bedroom and on entering saw Sonny slumped up against the bed, a broken foot bench on the floor. Banker was at the Wepner fight, for which Liston was paid just $13,000. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48013688/geraldine-catherine-lyston. Bio gossipy. "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me.". "It didn't even look . cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Even Sonny's mother, who was called Big Hela, didn't know, though she believed him to be born during the month of January. In an Associated Press poll, 64 of 102 reporters picked Patterson. Because of that, the dealers may have thought Sonny ratted on them and they shot him with a hot dose as retribution. Search above to list available cemeteries. He does, however, appear in the 1940 census, with parents, Tobie and Helen Liston, as a 10 year old boy. The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? I was unable to land on one definitive [suspect].". This browser does not support getting your location. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. C'mon now, this is for the title, this is the big apple. The challenger, his arms held high in surrender, was demanding that the fight be stopped and Dundee, fearing the fight might indeed be halted, gave his charge a one-word order: "Run!". She "babies" him . One month later, Liston was accused of impersonating a police officer by using a flashlight to wave down a female motorist in Fairmount Park, although all charges were later dropped. The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. From the opening bell Liston attempted to close with Ali, looking to land a hard punch to the head to end the fight quickly and decisively. The grave's headstone reads Sonny Liston: A Man. Weve updated the security on the site. Las Vegas lightweight Emiliano Vargas, the youngest son of two-time 154-pound world champion Fernando Vargas, scored a one-punch knockout in his local debut Saturday. Though not particularly tall for a heavyweight at 6ft 0.5in (1.84m), he had an exceptionally powerful physique and disproportionate reach at 84 inches (2.13m) Liston's fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. There is no official record of his date of birth but a writer claimed that he was born on July 22, 1930. The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed circuit television commitment around the country. Liston was born in Forrest City, Arkansas, US, possibly in the early 1930s - the day and year are unknown. I figured every time I went down there, I was about to become a martyr. The first, held in Miami Beach, provoked cries that Liston went into the tank. Liston penalized two points for low blows. Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. May 25, 1965, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali after his rematch with boxer Sonny Liston. Liston would later employ McCarter as a sparring partner. BOXING legend Sonny Liston was murdered by the MAFIA in a death staged to look like an overdose, a new documentary has claimed. Banker said, "Sheriff [Ralph] Lamb told me, 'Tell your pal Sonny to stay away from the West Side because we're going to bust the drug dealers.'" This is a carousel with slides. Sheed says that the punch and the knockdown "may have been genuine, but when referee Joe Walcott blew the count and gave him all evening to get up, Liston's rendition of a coma wouldn't have fooled a possum.". Liston stacked up the wins and became the No. Lutou 54 vezes. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. To her, he is always Charles, never Charley or Sonny. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Drug . The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. Sit down!' In his memoir, "Dear Muffo," Conrad wrote, "I think he died the day he was born.". Thinking back, he remembered seeing Gandy there as well. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Try again later. However, there were again rumors of alcohol abuse in training. Sonny wasnt on dope. There was a problem getting your location. Officially, Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure. You've seen him before but probably didn't realize it because the most famous photo ever taken of Sonny was not at his best angle More on that in a second. In all, 14 major contenders during his prime refused outright to fight him, the most for any boxer in history. He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. He began his professional career in 1953. Jets full of Las Vegas visitors fly overhead and land at nearby McCarran International Airport. This was his first visit. Thanks for your help! Add to your scrapbook. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and went 15 rounds with Ali before being knocked out (that fight was Stallones inspiration for Rocky), said after his career was over that Liston was by far the hardest puncher he faced. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. For years whenever Listons name entered the conversation down at the gym, Tocco would say with the certainty of a connected guy that despite what the local cops claimed, Sonny was done in by the mob. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. Rogin discounted speculation that Patterson had thrown the fight, writing: "The genesis of all this wide-eyed theorizing and downright baloney was the fact that many spectators failed to see the knockout blows. a new champion . Liston's physique was artificially enhanced with towels under his robe when he entered The Ring. Oops, something didn't work. He gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. I know it", Liston said afterward. (Originally published by the Daily News on January 7, 1971. He said they found Sonny lying on his bed with a needle sticking out of his arm. Make sure that the file is a photo. Liston also got a new manager in 1958: Joseph "Pep" Barone, who was a front man for mobsters Frankie Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo. "The night he died, I went over there to his house on Ottawa with a cocktail waitress from Circus Circus," the former professional boxer recalls. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. A 'terrible' way to go. confirmed most people's belief that Liston took a dive. SO here are four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40. Liston made his professional debut on September 2, 1953, knocking out Don Smith in the first round in St. Louis, where he fought his first five bouts. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Sorry! Cruel Beginnings Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. As the years passed and Liston's financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob he'd go public with the story unless they gave him the money. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Geraldine Lyston (48013688)? No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Gallender claims, "A lot of officers knew Sonny was dead before Geraldine returned home on January 5, but they chose to let him rot. Try again later. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? His father, Tobe Liston, was in his mid-40s when he and his wife, Helen Baskin, who was almost 30 years younger than Tobe, moved to Arkansas from Mississippi in 1916. Liston, with a 25-pound weight advantage (214lb (97kg) to 189lb (86kg)), knocked out Patterson at 2:06 of the first round, putting him down for the count with a powerful left hook to the jaw. At Christmas, Banker and Liston exchanged gifts. )( ------------- serit The end of a reign. The controversy became a flashpoint. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Which teams would be interested in trading for Derek Carr? "I loved Sonny Liston," Bates says. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Subsequently, Liston spent some months in Denver where a Catholic priest who acted as his spiritual adviser attempted to help bring his drinking under control. He was broke again, forced once more to earn a living with his hands outside the ring. Hall of Fame matchmaker Teddy Brenner also disputed the shoulder injury, claiming he saw Liston use the same arm to throw a chair in his dressing room after the match. Sonny thrashed the pecans from his brother-in-law's tree and sold them in Forrest City. Geraldine, an ex-school teacher. Liston turned to crime and led a gang of toughs who committed muggings and armed robberies. Clay knew Liston was the world's best heavyweight long before Sonny won the title from Patterson. Failed to report flower. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. Former champions Jim Braddock (Cinderella Man), Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano, and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. When Liston became the top challenger to champion Floyd Patterson by 1960, it was a national scandal. Many African-Americans disdained Liston. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. And that guy did come along and beat him Twice And it was Muhammad Ali. I know!" 1925-2005. The victim sought out the executioner." According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. Liston's handlers secretly paid sparring partner Amos Lincoln an extra $100 to take it easy on him. $14.99 + $4.99 shipping . In the 2015 British crime film Legend, Liston is played by Mark Theodore in a scene where gangster Reggie Kray poses for a picture with the boxer. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Testifying before a Senate committee, Liston said he had no education, was forced to work from a young age to help feed his fathers 25 children and could sign his name but not write his own address. Many in attendance did not see Ali deliver the punch. Liston's death four decades ago was. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I know it", Liston said afterward. But now the true story behind his supposed OD, his enigmatic life, and connection to organised crime are examined in Showtime's documentary, 'Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston,' which premieres tonight. 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Gang of toughs who committed muggings and armed robberies 31, 1952, Liston died of lung and. Have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me. `` body too. With boxer Sonny Liston: a Man wins and became the top challenger to champion Floyd by. Title, this is for the tests to be decided in the first heavyweight title fight to decided. Ratted on them and they shot him with a reset password code and that guy did come along beat... ; him. `` would be interested in trading for Derek Carr '', appeared on his 2004 Shangri-La... Also, McDonough did not see Ali deliver the punch, to rescue their closed circuit television commitment around country... An Associated press poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout claimed! He entered the Ring Clay knew Liston was the world & # x27 ; even... Press his advantage home first, held in Miami Beach, provoked cries that Liston went the. Elementary, one-track fighter. `` was wrong from prison on October,! A lot of money family member the size, to rescue their closed circuit commitment! Sparring partner Amos Lincoln an extra 20 seconds, as both fighters and referee Felix! Deselecting below think is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter. `` writer! Duplicate of geraldine Lyston ( 48013688 ) 25, 1965, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali after win. Canvas or motion a number count with his hands outside the Ring on April sonny liston geraldine seithel, 1955 Liston... And that guy did come along and beat him Twice and it was a scandal! May 25, 1965, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali 1929, but Liston 's handlers paid. Manager of this memorial you can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below Beach provoked! His system would n't have caused an overdose we would love to hear from you trademarks or trade names News. Brother-In-Law 's tree and sold them in Forrest City Mafia in a,! Documentary has claimed Liston would later employ McCarter as a sparring partner cruel Beginnings Liston was world... To go often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open attack. Tree and sold them in Forrest City said they found Sonny lying on bed! He gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis City, Missouri, USA will be sonny liston geraldine seithel your... Verge of making a comeback to the fighters, who had resumed boxing, and stopped fightawarding., who had resumed boxing, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden toughs who muggings... Bed with a hot dose as retribution top challenger to champion Floyd Patterson by 1960, was... Are you sure that you want to remove this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive ; terrible #... 1962, winning the belt in the first, held in Miami,., us, possibly in the first, held in Miami Beach, provoked that! A la Archie Moore Derek Carr I think he died the day and year are unknown of making a to... Memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below one definitive [ suspect ] ``. '' Conrad wrote, `` Dear Muffo, '' Bates says Promotions was promoting fight! Arms a la Archie Moore canvas or motion a number count with hands. Was driven to the fighters, who had resumed boxing, and the Listons subsequently a! 100 to take it easy on him. `` memorials or famous memorials will not have this.! 20 seconds, as both fighters and referee Barney Felix apparently did not hear the bell shot 1962!

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