Liston always gave a good account of himself in these longer interviews. He's clearly smarter than he is sold as. Watch my episode about the phantom punch and the controversy around the Ali vs Liston bouts: ua-cam.com/video/MKkq0KFBCQ0/v-deo.html Exclusive Footage on Patreon, cheaper than a cup of coffee. Watch Extreme Rare and requested films try it for free: www.patreon.com/LegendsofBoxing
Business is important, not humanity. Not only was he smart, but he also had the strongest punch of all time. His giant fists pounded like a giant slash hammer. The media and false propaganda destroyed Sonny Liston more than anything else. Muhammad Ali did not beat Liston, but journalists and all other media even in his 47 years of life after numerous victories. Sad, Very sad. His glory.
Sonny Liston was never a Saint, and never claimed to be. He was known to be a respectful gentleman to the people around him and to the public though. He never had a fair chance at being perceived as anything but a thug because of his criminal past and after he beat up the police officer who had drawn a weapon on him he was never going to be. Given the times (early 60's) racial climate the media wasn't going to do anything but tear him down, it didn't help that he intimidated everyone just through his natural presence and his destructive ability in the boxing ring. The general public at that time was already inherently scared of him so the medias job was easy, they just pumped the fear and ran with it. Fear ALWAYS sells so.. ya know. Muhammad Ali was, is and always will be my No. 1, but I hate that Liston still gets glanced over in boxing history, it's a travesty in context. I have always admired and respected Sonny Liston. May his soul rest in peace 🙏.
Heart breaking to watch for me 😔 he had his persona he had to live up to big I think the reality of it was that he was tied to that big underneath he was much more sensitive than people realise. A man who never knew his birthday, how old he was, or how to even read or write… born into abstract poverty with no future or prospects beyond farm labouring and yet he managed to fight his way out of it. RIP champ ❤
@@iseekq Indeed lovers of the sport do recognize his greatness, as they should. My comment was geared more towards casual fans who might not be super familiar with Sonny’s career. After all, it’s been over 50 years since this man boxed. That’s a long time. It’s good he is not forgotten.
And it comes across as a "natural" smile, not something that's forced or phoney. I get the impression that he was a genuinely likeable chap as long as you didn't cross him.
He was always gentle and kind. He just imitated his mentor's persona, the same guy this video is about. Foreman's story is quite interesting as well. He almost had the same fate as Sonny, but he managed to come back before it was too late. He stopped faking being a mean fellow and at the end got what Sonny always yearned: public acceptation, love and admiration in life. @@chocolateface8664
Max Goldberg was very respectful and had some insightful questions. I've seen a lot of footage of Sonny but never with him relaxed and joking and sharing his opinions like this. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing piece of history.
I must agree. I was in the mood for it. sometimes, guys like Max here, stick too close to the actual question on paper, that's why Sonny started laughing, like...he'd already explained himself pretty well on the Louis advice. I suppose he could've said, "I see my fist going thru the heavy bag".he had no interest in talking shit about his opponents, and all that stuff. he respected Patterson for insisting to Cus D'mato that Liston deserved a shot. Floyd twice had the courage to climb thru the ropes to face the Tyson of his day. in fact, being closer in size to Mike, Floyd/Tyson may have made a good match up if they were in the same era. 2 guys w/ fast hands, and power. ALI said Floyd's hands were the fastest ever, including his own. he was fast enough to catch Iron Mike, but he better do it before he GETS caught. then it's 'lights out'.
17:57 - Max Goldberg "Are you happy with the way you're being treated by the press?" Sonny Liston "Yeah - so long as they spell the name right!" This beautiful quip debunks the myth that Sonny Liston wasn't able to read. It is now plain to see that Sonny was the victim of a press smear campaign.
Rest in peace 🕊️ Sonny Liston the most underrated underpreciated boxer of all time he was truly one of the greats and definitely the most intimidating 🐐💯
@@ddollar56 But not only fear. He had the awesome power and solid chin to do the job. The boxing wasn't fancy but he could deliver very effectively with what he had. And did so. One of the best fights I saw was with Eddie Machen, a smaller man who mixed it with Liston and gave him a hard time. very enjoyable fight.
4:25 That's a great analogy not just for boxing but life in general..."there are no hard feelings. It's just like a guy trying to rob you in the street .There are no hard feelings. You just have something he wants"
LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HIS HANDS!!!!!! Also, as his Wikipedia page says, he was more thoughtful and interesting than his background and reputation might stereotype him. Probably the most feared boxer in history. Finally, he won a bunch of fights in the later 60s still looked just as good (he was never very fast). Could’ve been champ for over a decade if it wasn’t for Ali. Man, him and an old Marciano or young Frazier would’ve been amazing to watch!
@@LegendsofBoxinginColor nah holmes technically was worse he would slap his jab, and when you jab you leave yourself open, so might aswell try to take his head off in the process, and Listons jab was best at that
Great interview. Sonny was wise and modest. Guess he could relax and be himself because Max Goldman treated him respectfully and as a human being rather than a beast. This was a luxury Liston didn't always get.
For soMeone that had been through whatvSonny had been through coming up-and the negative perception the press LOVED to portray Sonny as-he was an extremely thoughtful and articulate and humble champion. Never ever got the credit That this unstoppable champ I. The prime deserved.
What an amazing champion and top human being. So humble, so calm - I admire Sonny and feel sad for the way he was treated especially by the police. RIP Champ.
Sonny was unbelievably humble , smart and a physical marvel. Man that reach is unbelievable for a guy only 6.1 & 1 half inches. R.I.P. Sonny think about you everyday 🙏🏻
Look how big his hands are!!! Holy shit!!! I wish we could have seen an actual fight between him and Cassius Clay when they were both in their prime. Sonny was almost 40 years old when they fought.
Agree. There is no way he was 34 years old in this. I showed my wife a freeze when he was in the corner against Leotis Martin circa 1969 and asked her how old she thought he was, she has no idea on who he was or anything about him. She said 'about fifty'. I believe he was at least 40 here, if not a little older.
The good thing on archived history is that even if people at that time dont see a thi g like it is right now. People that come after will uncover what really happend
This is a superb interview. I especially enjoyed listening to Liston mention Joe Louis and how he learned from him. Wisdom being passed on by extremely skilled athletes who understand each other.
I was very impressed with the aggressions of Dempsey and Burns during their first heavyweight championship fights that would decide from there on who would be the all-time champ. I would have loved if Johnson fought Sam Langford, because Langford sounded dangerous... They did fight but I meant I would have loved a returning match. Johnson did not want it, most notably when he was number one.
It only looks big because of how small the presenter is... And it looks big relative to Liston who was only 6'1 himself.. If you put his hands that are relatively big for his height, next to truly big guys like 6'9 fury etc, his hands would look small.
@@sheldoncooper0 his hands are recorded as being longer than Primo Carnera's, who was 6 ft 6 and 270 lb of solid muscle. Bigger than Lennox Lewis's too. Fury is more like 6 ft 7.5 and would be 240 + if he had less body fat.
@@icelandiccubicle3418 sorry but while I agree that Sonny Liston's hands were big relative to his height, it's silly for anyone to even think that a small 6/6'1 range guy can ever have a bone structure bigger than a 6'5+ guy.. Sonny's hands were not bigger than Lennox Lewi's... If Lennox Lewis or 6'9 Tyson Fury stood next to Sonny Liston, they'd make him look small.
Foreman Said Liston was the only Man He couldnt back Up. Wepner Fought Them both and Said Liston was the Hardest Puncher He Ever Fought . Chuck had to have a LOT if stitches in His Face after fighting Liston ...
What a great interview. I wish the host had followed up with some questions on some subjects, but Sonny himself is relaxed, friendly, and clearly enjoying himself. Most surprising of all...he had a sense of humor! I've watched every fight of his that film exists for and I never in my wildest notions would have imagined Sonny Liston had a sense of humor! What a great video. Thanks for posting this Legends of Boxing in Color! Content like this is what makes youtube great!
biggest Ali fan you can find and I admire and respect Liston to the moon and back as an all-time great and the most misrepresented, underappreciated, and misunderstood boxer of all time. a kind soul who faced unimaginable odds, abuse, and trials from beginning to tragic end. RIP Champion
I hope this KING gets in heaven what he didn’t get while he was alive!!!! LOOK at him!!!! In 1964 he must have been 40 years old!!!!! Imagine him at 22 years old!!!! Imagine!!!! Good luck Ali! And I love Ali!!!
@@active.7universal If Liston and Ali were both 22, then “maybe” Ali would have avoided him. Only maybe!!! Flip a coin. We can only speculate on Liston’s reflexes at age 22. But if BOTH Liston and Ali were age 40; less likely Ali would have triumphed. We DO KNOW how both fighters fought at age 40. Liston aged better.
@@mariaorsic9763 Tru//Ali boxed many heavy hitters//I'm not saying Liston would've ended up like Ali or joe frazier at 40 but Liston never boxed a full on all out slug fest with guys like foreman/shavers/Ron Lyle/joe frazier could throw bombs
@@DW-nb2zc agree//boxing a trilogy proves the better boxer,,,Ali was able to change his style and OUTBOX top competition when Ali himself wasn't prime///point is good luck adjusting to Ali style even 1 time when Ali was prime 💯 maybe get him once but no mas than that ..
I watched a documentary about Sonny & i couldnt stop sobbing crying. Someone i never knew. But i cant help it. My heart just hurts hearing his story. Rest In Peace Sonny Liston 🥺🤍🤍🤍 Ill always remember you & ill always talk about you
@@SurendranNambiath I can understand that and it makes sense. His title reign would have been longer if he wasn't avoided by everyone along with then fighting another goat in Ali. Not to mention that Liston was an advanced heavyweight with an 84 reach, 15.5 inch fists and skills that could have made him a champ in every single era... His age is unknown, but just imagine if he had learned to box at a young age instead of in prison when he was around 27 years old. He would have been twice as good.
@@alcottdevalte7440 No doubt! Fact is, nobody COULD have stood up to him! Foreman says that Liston was the only one who could make him retreat in the ring - imagine what a prime Liston would have done to Frazier, who was obliterated by prime Foreman in his prime! Cleveland Williams was fair meat for Liston, but was erased - twice - by Liston! And, that was a fighting-fit Williams, not the one recovering from a serious stomach injury that faced Ali! Why, Liston smashed Chuck Wepner to pulp 3 months before his death! Wepner's statement is available on UA-cam, saying that whenever Liston hit him, he broke something, leaving him requiring 72 stitches at the end of the match! But Ali was indeed the greatest - he could ADAPT, he could STRATEGISE, like no other! (He could also trash talk like no other! 😄 Liston's two losses were against (1) Marty Marshall, which he avenged quickly and (2) Leotis Martin, when Sonny was probably 50! The very next fight though, Liston damages Chuck Wepner... I have as much respect for Liston as I have for Ali - actually a tad more, because of the curse Liston lived under all his life. In comparison, Ali had a blessed life!!
He'd have whooped any of the modern heavyweights. Usyk got KOED by a body shot. Liston's body shots would murder him. Wilder is a swinger with no defense, Liston would chop him down. Joshua has no chin or will but good fundamentals, size disadvantage is massive but Ruiz who is fat and same height as Liston finished him. Fury would be the only problem cus he is massive, has a good chin,good fundamentals. Size disadvantage is pretty massive on that one.
Interesting, thoughtful answers. Pleasant smile. Compare that with the baleful glare he gave opponents in the ring at the start of matches. Scary, scary guy in the ring.
Now I know how world war started, everyone jst followed the crowd, because the media didn't like Liston which led to the public not liking Liston everyone was jst following everyone... Amongst all Liston was composed an example of a real man.
In 1964 i was born , so Mister Liston is way before my time , but it is such a shame that Sonny Liston had such a rough tough Life , because in this interview he gives the impression that he was in fact a fine warm person , not the mean criminal the Press called him back in the day .
Liston was nothing like the media portrayed him. Life repeatedly hit this man with low blows and he kept trying to overcome them. Even Ali himself seemed to regret the way he had treated Mr. Liston. Ali, greatas he was as a fighter, often fell short in the character department. Examples of which include the way he mistreated fellow pugilists Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier and others. Also, the way he routinely was unfaithful to his wives, some of these encounters taking place with reporters VERY close by. The way Ali treated Liston and Frazier was despicable. I don’t know how he lived with himself at times. Growing up I was a HUGE Ali fan and I still think he was a GREAT champion but as a MAN, he fell woefully short.
I’ll tell yea after watching everybody and their mother trash talking each other in the fight game and everybody yelling their the greatest it is a breath of fresh air to see a real champion who can destroy them all talking down to earth and honest.
At heart, Sonny Liston was a humble guy, unless you pushed him or tried to embarrass him. In this interview, he was asked some dumb questions, in my opinion (like being asked to "expand his chest," but he shows himself to be nothing less than a man of class. It was his misfortune to come up against the greatest heavyweight of them all just as he was entering his prime.
Crazy thing is we didn’t get to see a prime Liston. He didn’t know his birthday but was believed to have been in his mid to late 30s before he became champion.
Liston always gave a good account of himself in these longer interviews. He's clearly smarter than he is sold as.
Watch my episode about the phantom punch and the controversy around the Ali vs Liston bouts: ua-cam.com/video/MKkq0KFBCQ0/v-deo.html
Exclusive Footage on Patreon, cheaper than a cup of coffee. Watch Extreme Rare and requested films try it for free: www.patreon.com/LegendsofBoxing
To be a champion 🏆 you got to have certain amount of intelligence
Business is important, not humanity. Not only was he smart, but he also had the strongest punch of all time. His giant fists pounded like a giant slash hammer. The media and false propaganda destroyed Sonny Liston more than anything else. Muhammad Ali did not beat Liston, but journalists and all other media even in his 47 years of life after numerous victories. Sad, Very sad. His glory.
This is fab, thx
Sonny is more humble and likeable than about 95% of prizefighters in history.
More like 99%
Couldn't agree more
Such a nice man. Feeling so sad for him.
Right
People in general, you mean
can’t believe how humble and likeable he is compared to most boxers in interviews. Especially considering how he has been perceived.
Sonny Liston was never a Saint, and never claimed to be. He was known to be a respectful gentleman to the people around him and to the public though. He never had a fair chance at being perceived as anything but a thug because of his criminal past and after he beat up the police officer who had drawn a weapon on him he was never going to be. Given the times (early 60's) racial climate the media wasn't going to do anything but tear him down, it didn't help that he intimidated everyone just through his natural presence and his destructive ability in the boxing ring. The general public at that time was already inherently scared of him so the medias job was easy, they just pumped the fear and ran with it. Fear ALWAYS sells so.. ya know. Muhammad Ali was, is and always will be my No. 1, but I hate that Liston still gets glanced over in boxing history, it's a travesty in context. I have always admired and respected Sonny Liston. May his soul rest in peace 🙏.
@@charlesbr7684 I agree 100%. Superbly written.
Heart breaking to watch for me 😔 he had his persona he had to live up to big I think the reality of it was that he was tied to that big underneath he was much more sensitive than people realise.
A man who never knew his birthday, how old he was, or how to even read or write… born into abstract poverty with no future or prospects beyond farm labouring and yet he managed to fight his way out of it.
RIP champ ❤
@@cornellkirk8946 *abject poverty, not abstract
👍
Sonny Liston is easily one of the greatest boxers who ever lived. Glad he is finally getting some recognition.
Getting recognition? Lovers of the sport all know how great he was.
@@iseekq Indeed lovers of the sport do recognize his greatness, as they should. My comment was geared more towards casual fans who might not be super familiar with Sonny’s career. After all, it’s been over 50 years since this man boxed. That’s a long time. It’s good he is not forgotten.
@@countryboyred I see what you mean, brother. It’s a good point that you make.
sonny's hands almost looked unrealistic
I'm high right now and it looks insane 😂😂
You got to hand it to him....that dive in the Ali rematch !
his hands are only a couple inches bigger than mine and his look massive here!
Holy crap .. your right !!
Funny how the most intimidating boxer of them all also had the nicest smile
And it comes across as a "natural" smile, not something that's forced or phoney.
I get the impression that he was a genuinely likeable chap as long as you didn't cross him.
Same with Foreman. The man went from intimidating mean to gentle and kind
He was always gentle and kind. He just imitated his mentor's persona, the same guy this video is about.
Foreman's story is quite interesting as well. He almost had the same fate as Sonny, but he managed to come back before it was too late.
He stopped faking being a mean fellow and at the end got what Sonny always yearned: public acceptation, love and admiration in life. @@chocolateface8664
His name deserves to be up there with the greatest heavyweights in history. History owes him that.
It is.
Sunny Liston... He was one misunderstood fighter, I'm 28 years old living in the UK and this man is an inspiration to me.
2023
He was scared to death of Sonny.
In many ways,he is an inspiration,his low key nobility is such a contrast to the vulgar times we live in...T
Me too i would like to talk to u sir
I wish he had gotten to live long enough to see how much he was respected and loved.Thank you for posting
He comes across as witty and considerate, unlike the invented stereotype of him.
With great power comes great affability.
Its funny how this man is supposed to be an illiterate simpleton yet he is more articulate and well spoken than 99% of fighters today.
Smarter than he looks indeed
Max Goldberg was very respectful and had some insightful questions. I've seen a lot of footage of Sonny but never with him relaxed and joking and sharing his opinions like this. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing piece of history.
I must agree. I was in the mood for it. sometimes, guys like Max here, stick too close to the actual question on paper, that's why Sonny started laughing, like...he'd already explained himself pretty well on the Louis advice. I suppose he could've said, "I see my fist going thru the heavy bag".he had no interest in talking shit about his opponents, and all that stuff. he respected Patterson for insisting to Cus D'mato that Liston deserved a shot. Floyd twice had the courage to climb thru the ropes to face the Tyson of his day. in fact, being closer in size to Mike, Floyd/Tyson may have made a good match up if they were in the same era. 2 guys w/ fast hands, and power. ALI said Floyd's hands were the fastest ever, including his own. he was fast enough to catch Iron Mike, but he better do it before he GETS caught. then it's 'lights out'.
17:57 -
Max Goldberg
"Are you happy with the way you're being treated by the press?"
Sonny Liston
"Yeah - so long as they spell the name right!"
This beautiful quip debunks the myth that Sonny Liston wasn't able to read. It is now plain to see that Sonny was the victim of a press smear campaign.
Far more likeable and humble than I thought he would be.
Absolute gold! Sonny was very thoughtful and funny. Very enjoyable
Rest in peace 🕊️
Sonny Liston the most underrated underpreciated boxer of all time he was truly one of the greats and definitely the most intimidating 🐐💯
Sonny Liston was never underrated, his name's still pops up when you talk about feared boxers!
@@ddollar56 But not only fear. He had the awesome power and solid chin to do the job. The boxing wasn't fancy but he could deliver very effectively with what he had. And did so. One of the best fights I saw was with Eddie Machen, a smaller man who mixed it with Liston and gave him a hard time.
very enjoyable fight.
4:25 That's a great analogy not just for boxing but life in general..."there are no hard feelings. It's just like a guy trying to rob you in the street .There are no hard feelings. You just have something he wants"
Sadly Sonny had a prison record so that is not unrealistic to him!🤔😡
LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HIS HANDS!!!!!! Also, as his Wikipedia page says, he was more thoughtful and interesting than his background and reputation might stereotype him. Probably the most feared boxer in history. Finally, he won a bunch of fights in the later 60s still looked just as good (he was never very fast). Could’ve been champ for over a decade if it wasn’t for Ali. Man, him and an old Marciano or young Frazier would’ve been amazing to watch!
longest reach in boxing@manchujw22
THOSE aren't hands; they're HAMS!
@manchujw22No They weren't 😅😅
Those aren’t hands they’re HAMHOCKS!!!
@manchujw2285 inch reach almost freakish
Best jab in boxing history
Holmes has a technically better one
@@LegendsofBoxinginColor I agree 100% but Liston's jab was a lot harder.
@@LegendsofBoxinginColor nah holmes technically was worse he would slap his jab, and when you jab you leave yourself open, so might aswell try to take his head off in the process, and Listons jab was best at that
@@LegendsofBoxinginColor Yes agreed, but Liston could knock you out with one jab.
@@soleknight3212 yes. He would hurt you with it. But i think he has less variations of it
Massive paws
Look how big Sonny's hands are!! Wow! Liston was one of the scariest dudes to ever get into the ring!!
Size of shovels! His reach was longer than Wilder's too!
@@soleknight3212 Like Fury's reach and that man is tall
Great interview. Sonny was wise and modest. Guess he could relax and be himself because Max Goldman treated him respectfully and as a human being rather than a beast. This was a luxury Liston didn't always get.
Sonny Liston is like a humble Lion 🦁
Wow talk about a gentle giant. Sonny was simply amazing inside and outside of the ring. Thank you for this video!
For soMeone that had been through whatvSonny had been through coming up-and the negative perception the press LOVED to portray Sonny as-he was an extremely thoughtful and articulate and humble champion. Never ever got the credit
That this unstoppable champ I. The prime deserved.
What an amazing champion and top human being. So humble, so calm - I admire Sonny and feel sad for the way he was treated especially by the police. RIP Champ.
His father treated him bad also
He has massive hands. This guy was definitely terrifying.
Sonny was unbelievably humble , smart and a physical marvel. Man that reach is unbelievable for a guy only 6.1 & 1 half inches. R.I.P. Sonny think about you everyday 🙏🏻
look at his fists tho omg
What a great man very genuine
I feel so sorry for him because of how the media misconstrued who he was. 🕊️
OUTSTANDING,, MATE HUGE THNKS FROM THE U.K
Sonny outclassed this whole interview with his humility.
Look how big his hands are!!! Holy shit!!! I wish we could have seen an actual fight between him and Cassius Clay when they were both in their prime. Sonny was almost 40 years old when they fought.
Liston needed custom made boxing gloves because his hands were huge
He was born around 1930 so in 1964 He was 34 years old.
Agree. There is no way he was 34 years old in this. I showed my wife a freeze when he was in the corner against Leotis Martin circa 1969 and asked her how old she thought he was, she has no idea on who he was or anything about him. She said 'about fifty'. I believe he was at least 40 here, if not a little older.
@@marknorris1381 Not even he knew exactly.
@@TheNelster72 yes, Liston was a complete enigma.
One of best heavyweight champions ever and one of the saddest story’s in boxing how he was used
This is gold great upload
This is incredible video. Ive never seen it, I thank you and tip my hat to you sir for putting in the work to post this video.
Nice to hear
Wow Sonny was a cool guy and one of the greatest Heavyweights ever! I'm glad he's getting recognized now for his greatness now
The good thing on archived history is that even if people at that time dont see a thi g like it is right now. People that come after will uncover what really happend
Sonny , you were a great guy , rest in peace xxx
Reputation for being intimidating an mean an rightly so . But what a gentleman .
This is a superb interview. I especially enjoyed listening to Liston mention Joe Louis and how he learned from him. Wisdom being passed on by extremely skilled athletes who understand each other.
I love sonny Liston. Next to Joe Louis and Mike Tyson my all time favorite heavyweight. A magic but tragic life. RIP
I was very impressed with the aggressions of Dempsey and Burns during their first heavyweight championship fights that would decide from there on who would be the all-time champ. I would have loved if Johnson fought Sam Langford, because Langford sounded dangerous... They did fight but I meant I would have loved a returning match. Johnson did not want it, most notably when he was number one.
By far the most enigmatic boxing world champion.
Sonny life breaks my heart 😢
Great Find Dude! Respect!
This man was never treated and respected the way he deserved to be. RIP. Legend for
0:22 look at his hands size 😱😱
Man had bricks for fists.
People always talk about it but to actually see them in proportion to his body. 😳
It only looks big because of how small the presenter is... And it looks big relative to Liston who was only 6'1 himself.. If you put his hands that are relatively big for his height, next to truly big guys like 6'9 fury etc, his hands would look small.
@@sheldoncooper0 his hands are recorded as being longer than Primo Carnera's, who was 6 ft 6 and 270 lb of solid muscle. Bigger than Lennox Lewis's too. Fury is more like 6 ft 7.5 and would be 240 + if he had less body fat.
@@icelandiccubicle3418 sorry but while I agree that Sonny Liston's hands were big relative to his height, it's silly for anyone to even think that a small 6/6'1 range guy can ever have a bone structure bigger than a 6'5+ guy.. Sonny's hands were not bigger than Lennox Lewi's... If Lennox Lewis or 6'9 Tyson Fury stood next to Sonny Liston, they'd make him look small.
Damn shame there isn't more video footage of Liston. Would love to see those sparring sessions with Liston and Foreman.
I dont think a young foreman would be able to do much with liston. I bet they were very one sided.
Foreman Said Liston was the only Man He couldnt back Up. Wepner Fought Them both and Said Liston was the Hardest Puncher He Ever Fought . Chuck had to have a LOT if stitches in His Face after fighting Liston ...
Fascinating.
Thank you so much for posting this.
I love Sonny Liston. He had a great sense of humour. His jab wasn't too bad either ;)
Massive respect great content
Probably the most misunderstood athlete of all ,obviously not the ogre that was portrayed by press.
What a great interview. I wish the host had followed up with some questions on some subjects, but Sonny himself is relaxed, friendly, and clearly enjoying himself. Most surprising of all...he had a sense of humor! I've watched every fight of his that film exists for and I never in my wildest notions would have imagined Sonny Liston had a sense of humor!
What a great video. Thanks for posting this Legends of Boxing in Color! Content like this is what makes youtube great!
Well said! Thanks
Liston's life story is fascinating. Worth a read.
biggest Ali fan you can find and I admire and respect Liston to the moon and back as an all-time great and the most misrepresented, underappreciated, and misunderstood boxer of all time. a kind soul who faced unimaginable odds, abuse, and trials from beginning to tragic end. RIP Champion
I hope this KING gets in heaven what he didn’t get while he was alive!!!! LOOK at him!!!! In 1964 he must have been 40 years old!!!!! Imagine him at 22 years old!!!! Imagine!!!! Good luck Ali! And I love Ali!!!
he wouldn't catch Ali ///
Liston beat wepner in 72 //no version of Liston would OUTBOX Ali
@@active.7universal If Liston and Ali were both 22, then “maybe” Ali would have avoided him. Only maybe!!! Flip a coin. We can only speculate on Liston’s reflexes at age 22. But if BOTH Liston and Ali were age 40; less likely Ali would have triumphed. We DO KNOW how both fighters fought at age 40. Liston aged better.
@@mariaorsic9763 Tru//Ali boxed many heavy hitters//I'm not saying Liston would've ended up like Ali or joe frazier at 40 but Liston never boxed a full on all out slug fest with guys like foreman/shavers/Ron Lyle/joe frazier could throw bombs
@@mariaorsic9763 No man could beat a prime Ali
@@DW-nb2zc agree//boxing a trilogy proves the better boxer,,,Ali was able to change his style and OUTBOX top competition when Ali himself wasn't prime///point is good luck adjusting to Ali style even 1 time when Ali was prime 💯 maybe get him once but no mas than that ..
This is awesome! Sonny a great Champion!
sonny liston the GOAT beautiful soul with beautiful smile nice humble guy RIP champ
Fantastic video. I've never seen a video of Liston beyond his career highlights. This really huminizes the man beyond the myth.
Sonny was the baddest heavyweight ever.
oh imma like this...
His hands were massive
A Gem!
A humble gentleman and champion. rest in peace champ.
He had such a beautiful smile. It's so sad that it was so rare. 7:42
You know you are in trouble when you go toe to toe wit a guy who can hit harder with his left jab than most boxerscan with their knockout punches
I watched a documentary about Sonny & i couldnt stop sobbing crying. Someone i never knew. But i cant help it. My heart just hurts hearing his story. Rest In Peace Sonny Liston 🥺🤍🤍🤍
Ill always remember you & ill always talk about you
Liston was a national treasure but not appreciated because of dumb times. Easily a top 10 heavyweight of all time.
I would say Top 5!!
@@SurendranNambiath I can understand that and it makes sense. His title reign would have been longer if he wasn't avoided by everyone along with then fighting another goat in Ali. Not to mention that Liston was an advanced heavyweight with an 84 reach, 15.5 inch fists and skills that could have made him a champ in every single era... His age is unknown, but just imagine if he had learned to box at a young age instead of in prison when he was around 27 years old. He would have been twice as good.
@@alcottdevalte7440 No doubt! Fact is, nobody COULD have stood up to him! Foreman says that Liston was the only one who could make him retreat in the ring - imagine what a prime Liston would have done to Frazier, who was obliterated by prime Foreman in his prime!
Cleveland Williams was fair meat for Liston, but was erased - twice - by Liston! And, that was a fighting-fit Williams, not the one recovering from a serious stomach injury that faced Ali!
Why, Liston smashed Chuck Wepner to pulp 3 months before his death! Wepner's statement is available on UA-cam, saying that whenever Liston hit him, he broke something, leaving him requiring 72 stitches at the end of the match!
But Ali was indeed the greatest - he could ADAPT, he could STRATEGISE, like no other! (He could also trash talk like no other! 😄
Liston's two losses were against (1) Marty Marshall, which he avenged quickly and (2) Leotis Martin, when Sonny was probably 50! The very next fight though, Liston damages Chuck Wepner...
I have as much respect for Liston as I have for Ali - actually a tad more, because of the curse Liston lived under all his life. In comparison, Ali had a blessed life!!
He'd have whooped any of the modern heavyweights. Usyk got KOED by a body shot. Liston's body shots would murder him.
Wilder is a swinger with no defense, Liston would chop him down.
Joshua has no chin or will but good fundamentals, size disadvantage is massive but Ruiz who is fat and same height as Liston finished him.
Fury would be the only problem cus he is massive, has a good chin,good fundamentals. Size disadvantage is pretty massive on that one.
❤❤❤They never gave him a chance. Could never win enough.
The interviewer was spot on
Sonny was no “monster” in the way they made him to be
No man could have defeated Sonny except Ali. Liston is LEGEND for ever.
The ridiculous size of his hand... little wonder guys felt like they ran in into a telephone poll when he caught them with the jab
Good guy who never had a break. Born Under a Bad Sign could have been written for him.
Sonny was Beast..look @ those Scary hands...RIP
sonny will always be my fav boxer. so misunderstood by the public, men just wanted to be respect for his achievements and his change of heart
Imagine getting hit by them hands 😬
Wow I’ve never heard of any interviews on TV of Liston
Thanks for the upload 👍
First thing I noticed... the size of his hands!
that smile sunny did at the beginning got me
Interesting, thoughtful answers. Pleasant smile. Compare that with the baleful glare he gave opponents in the ring at the start of matches. Scary, scary guy in the ring.
Sonnys hands are so unbelievably big!
Canned hams
84"Inch Reach incredible For a man his size at 6"1 1/2 His Hands are boxing gloves already. The Legendary Charles Sonny Liston
2:42 Here Sonny says that Ali's teach is "about the same", and "a little longer"... He clearly does not want to be made out as a freak.
100%. It definitely made him uncomfortable when people asked him to do stuff like demonstrate his hands / reach.
Now I know how world war started, everyone jst followed the crowd, because the media didn't like Liston which led to the public not liking Liston everyone was jst following everyone... Amongst all Liston was composed an example of a real man.
ohhhh god,
look at the size of his hands...
Look at his hands!! Holy shit they are huge!
A good heart man!
In 1964 i was born , so Mister Liston is way before my time , but it is such a shame that Sonny Liston had such a rough tough Life , because in this interview he gives the impression that he was in fact a fine warm person , not the mean criminal the Press called him back in the day .
My favorite fighter of all time
Are you serious I have never heard anyone say that
@@charlesgibbs2709then you never communicated with boxing fans
@@Bo-Ali313exactly
@@charlesgibbs2709yes 100% he is !!!! Sonny Liston and Joe Louis
Wow those hands !!!
Liston was nothing like the media portrayed him. Life repeatedly hit this man with low blows and he kept trying to overcome them.
Even Ali himself seemed to regret the way he had treated Mr. Liston.
Ali, greatas he was as a fighter, often fell short in the character department. Examples of which include the way he mistreated fellow pugilists Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier and others. Also, the way he routinely was unfaithful to his wives, some of these encounters taking place with reporters VERY close by.
The way Ali treated Liston and Frazier was despicable. I don’t know how he lived with himself at times.
Growing up I was a HUGE Ali fan and I still think he was a GREAT champion but as a MAN, he fell woefully short.
He sounds very much like Joe Louis
People did not give him a chance. He was the bad guy but really he was quite a nice humble man but had a rough and tough past
Sonny's wearing the Giannis Antetokoumpo mitts for this interview... I bet a million dollars Sonny could dunk a basketball easily also
Was sonny Listons hands bigger than wilt?
Liston had 15.5 inch fists. The police used double handcuffs on him.
I’ll tell yea after watching everybody and their mother trash talking each other in the fight game and everybody yelling their the greatest it is a breath of fresh air to see a real champion who can destroy them all talking down to earth and honest.
Absolute gentleman and legend 🥊🥊🥊🥊🇬🇧🏴🇷🇺💙📿🙌
First Thing I Noticed Was The Size Of His Hands Now I See What All The Ol Timers Were Talking About!
At heart, Sonny Liston was a humble guy, unless you pushed him or tried to embarrass him. In this interview, he was asked some dumb questions, in my opinion (like being asked to "expand his chest," but he shows himself to be nothing less than a man of class. It was his misfortune to come up against the greatest heavyweight of them all just as he was entering his prime.
Something damned compelling and even tragic about this man. He deserved better.
Crazy thing is we didn’t get to see a prime Liston. He didn’t know his birthday but was believed to have been in his mid to late 30s before he became champion.
RIP Sonny Liston. Champion forever