When Liston beat Ali

[Ben Bolt]

It finished #11 on Billboard's “The 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time” – The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
To the left, Sonny Liston.

The album was released in 1967. Ali had been the World champion for three years … so why Liston pictured and not Ali? (not that I mind) …

[Anthony342]

Because the Beatles are bigger fans of Liston than Ali? Was it released during Ali's exile?

[Ben Bolt]

Because the Beatles are bigger fans of Liston than Ali?

I doubt that. Beatles and Ali were part in the young generation’s revolution against the authoritative society at the time.

It struck my mind Liston was portrayed as a ‘lonely heart’ going along with the album title – ‘cause in a sense, he was lonely and despised. But that theory doesn’t fit to other people on the cover.

So I’m still puzzled …

[*TonyMontana*]

Album photo took 3years before perhaps
Fxck the beatles

[Ray Corso]

The cover was depicting nostalgia characters. Fatty Arbuckle, Marlon Brando etc...............

Another thing Liston was NOT despised, he was actually well liked in the boxing community it's the media that portrayed him as the "bad guy".

Ray

[Weltschmerz]

The cover was depicting nostalgia characters. Fatty Arbuckle, Marlon Brando etc...............

Another thing Liston was NOT despised, he was actually well liked in the boxing community it's the media that portrayed him as the "bad guy".

Ray

Wasn't Ali more so despised in the media, actually? He was hardly a media darling in the beginning at least.

[Ray Corso]

Very true most were routing for Liston to whip him.

[Weltschmerz]

Very true most were routing for Liston to whip him.

That's what I remember reading too, somewhere.

[Ben Bolt]

From the site encyclopedia.com - Liston had just won the title from Floyd in Chicago.

This is also the story his wife Geraldine told in a Liston TV-documentary.

Heavyweight belt in hand, Sonny Liston thought that at last his turn would come for a little respect, or even affection. He hoped for a ticker tape parade when he flew back to his adopted hometown of Philadelphia. Instead, when he stepped off the plane, all he found were his usual tormentors, a few reporters, a few cops. As his friend Jack McKinney told Sports Illustrated reporter William Nack, "What happened in Philadelphia that day was a turning point in his life. He was still the bad guy. He was the personification of evil. And that's the way it was going to remain. He was devastated."

[club fighter]

http://www.boxing.com/sonny_listons_...club_band.html

From what I've read, it stems from Ali (at the time, Cassius Clay) doing his usual talking trash and rubbing people wrong way. Funny, it seems Sonny didn't have much love for the Beatles beat either.