Sonny Liston one of the greatest

[JAB5239]

sonny 3.webp We know about Sonny's disappointment when he arrived in his then hometown of Philadelphia after winning the title from Floyd.
Wiki: Upon winning the world heavyweight title, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. His eyes swept the whole scene. ... You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes. ... He had been deliberately snubbed. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him."

Liston must have felt relief during his trips to Europe, where he escaped his bad reputation. I remember reading a biography in which the author described “the best day of Liston’s life” when Sonny rode a white horse in front of a cheering crowd. I looked it up now, and found that the story with the horse took place in the UK 1963.

Boxing News: Liston arrived in the North East city on the night before the [exhibition] show, and was mobbed by fans when he left the train at Newcastle’s Central Station. Next morning, after a bacon and egg breakfast in his suite at the Royal Station Hotel, he took a stroll around the city. Soon recognised, an entourage of several hundred curious admirers followed him back to his hotel. Later that day, a huge throng gathered outside the hotel to see Sonny depart on a white horse, which he rode to the afternoon weigh-in.

The North of England and Newcastle were pretty harsh areas at the time, so one can guess that the citizens felt some kind of kinship with this boxer who, like them, had never had anything served on a silver platter.

sonny 1.webp

Great stuff. Not sure I've ever seen a picture of Liston the that big and genuine of a smile before.

[BKM-]

Very interesting. The story of Sonny's heart breaking from being snubbed at the airport is quite well known, and in those pictures above he is quite happy with the love he's shown in Europe. It would appear that he really wanted adoration from people for what he accomplished in the sport which paints a different picture of the man.

He would have fit in well in this era with his bad boy image. If I look at all the people who love Mike Tyson despite his wrong doings in life(having done things much worse than Sonny).

[max baer]

Great stuff. Not sure I've ever seen a picture of Liston the that big and genuine of a smile before.

That was brilliant!! I never knew that.
Here in the UK the northern people are known for their down to earth friendliness and hospitality. Thanks for posting that it has made my day I never heard of that.

[max baer]

sonny 3.webp We know about Sonny's disappointment when he arrived in his then hometown of Philadelphia after winning the title from Floyd.
Wiki: Upon winning the world heavyweight title, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. His eyes swept the whole scene. ... You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes. ... He had been deliberately snubbed. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him."

Liston must have felt relief during his trips to Europe, where he escaped his bad reputation. I remember reading a biography in which the author described “the best day of Liston’s life” when Sonny rode a white horse in front of a cheering crowd. I looked it up now, and found that the story with the horse took place in the UK 1963.

Boxing News: Liston arrived in the North East city on the night before the [exhibition] show, and was mobbed by fans when he left the train at Newcastle’s Central Station. Next morning, after a bacon and egg breakfast in his suite at the Royal Station Hotel, he took a stroll around the city. Soon recognised, an entourage of several hundred curious admirers followed him back to his hotel. Later that day, a huge throng gathered outside the hotel to see Sonny depart on a white horse, which he rode to the afternoon weigh-in.

The North of England and Newcastle were pretty harsh areas at the time, so one can guess that the citizens felt some kind of kinship with this boxer who, like them, had never had anything served on a silver platter.

sonny 1.webp

Absolutely brilliant!! I never ever saw that or knew of it before! Thanks for posting it has made my day!
Northern people here in the UK are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Thanks!

[Anomalocaris]

He was loved in the North of England, at times a very tough but a fair place (I am from East Hull).

If you want to know anything about the true character of the man watch a little English girl kiss him on the cheek whilst he carries her - his face lit up so much it almost had me in tears.

Yet the vastly overrated scumbag rapist cannibal is worshipped as a God.

Go figure.

[solidman]

Liston was a good man. He was just misunderstood.

[JAB5239]

Liston was a good man. He was just misunderstood.

I'm not calling him a bad person. But being a "good: mam and having a good heart are different in my opinion. Definitely misunderstood though.

[max baer]

I'm not calling him a bad person. But being a "good: mam and having a good heart are different in my opinion. Definitely misunderstood though.

I never knew he was a mam too!!! Ha ha jab that is what they call mothers up north!!!

[JAB5239]

I never knew he was a mam too!!! Ha ha jab that is what they call mothers up north!!!

Zip it. That's ENOUGH from the peanut gallery!!!!

[BKM-]

I'm not calling him a bad person. But being a "good: mam and having a good heart are different in my opinion. Definitely misunderstood though.

Good point. it's pretty hard to form an accurate opinion on his character though. So many of the stories about Liston can't be verified. I mean we know the stuff about him getting drunk and getting into fights with the police several times, and getting into bar fights, public intoxication etc. That stuff is on record. he clearly had a drinking problem.

But then there's the side of him that was supposedly mobbed up. As the mob had a heavy influence on boxing in that era, they say Sonny couldn't avoid it if he wanted to climb on top of the sport. I get that. But then there's the stories that after he was past his prime and hard up for money he was involved even deeper in that life. The worst thing I know of that Liston is accused of is being involved with loan sharks where he allegedly was a collector. Now I don't know if that's false but I gotta say it sounds like folklore. Liston was still one of the most famous athletes in the country back then, and he's just showing up at people's houses as a leg breaker? I don't know, sounds far fetched.