Documents reveal Ali vs Liston was fixed

[Larry the boss]

So this is why we have so much crime over here...the FBI is to busy investigating **** that happened 50 years ago in ****ing boxing

[The Gambler1981]

Ali was like a 7 to 1 dog in the first fight, so it is possible but considering it would be the mob that fixed the fight the mob would also be running most of the gambling on the fight they wouldn't need to bet they would just need to set the odds in a way that would heavily favor money coming in on Liston. 7 to 1 is a pretty big dog but Ali was very disliked and unknown at that point, so while 7 to 1 is pretty enticing considering where both men were at it does seem a bit low but probably high enough to not make it too obvious.


That is a big conspiracy though which makes it tough to believe, but 60 mobsters were a secretive group heavily involved in boxing and gambling so it is possible.

[PeterinMI]

Stupid A55 overhyped title.

The FBI suspected it was fixed and had some interviews that show both outcomes. No conclusion possible at this point except Boxing was a cesspool than. Some things never change. Just the scumbags swimming in the cesspool. Here is looking at you today Sanctioning bodies.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/box...ts-reveal.html

[Ham Porter]

Later people ‘in the know’ in Las Vegas told Magids that Resnick and Liston both reportedly made over $1 million betting against Liston on the fight and that the magazine article was a cover for this.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...by-mob/?page=1



And who are these "people in the know"? Friends of Liston? His domestic household cleaner? His dog walker?


Gimme a ****ing break.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I'm not saying it was fixed, but it's a fight that always had that suspicion over it. The "phantom" punch was truly phantom, and everyone who studies boxing knows of the mob ties Liston had.

That's undeniable. I think it's very plausible, Liston was a monster back then and to get KO'd with a shot like that raised a lot of questions.

The "phantom punch" landed, it was just terrifically fast. I've seen super slo-mo footage that shows it clearly enough. There's always been only one angle, with Liston's back to the camera, but you see Ali throw the punch and Sonny's head shake slightly. In my opinion, the punch just wasn't very likely to have been forceful enough to take a guy like Liston out.

Ali once joked that the reason why no one saw the punch land was because it landed in the blink of an eye...and that everyone watching the fight blinked at the same time. lol

[CubanGuyNYC]

Ali was like a 7 to 1 dog in the first fight, so it is possible but considering it would be the mob that fixed the fight the mob would also be running most of the gambling on the fight they wouldn't need to bet they would just need to set the odds in a way that would heavily favor money coming in on Liston. 7 to 1 is a pretty big dog but Ali was very disliked and unknown at that point, so while 7 to 1 is pretty enticing considering where both men were at it does seem a bit low but probably high enough to not make it too obvious.


That is a big conspiracy though which makes it tough to believe, but 60 mobsters were a secretive group heavily involved in boxing and gambling so it is possible.

I've mused before about what machinations would've been necessary to effectively pull off a fix (or two) in a heavyweight championship fight. Since I don't move in those circles, it's difficult for me to imagine what it would take. I'm not a big believer in conspiracy theories, but one thing I can say is that I don't see terrible difficulty in some mobsters keeping their little game a secret.

I always felt Liston took a dive in the second fight. And, while the first fight didn't look nearly so bad, you have to view it with some suspicion if you think the rematch was dirty.

[tangalog2200]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/box...ts-reveal.html

there's really nothing in the thread to support this claim...

[tangalog2200]

If you lived through that era, then you saw something I didn't. Everything I've ever seen or read indicates that Liston was preferred over the "loudmouthed", young Ali.

and it does not make sense for the mob to have liston their golden boy lose to clay/ali...

unless one can show cases where ali took dives to benefit the mob...

[CubanGuyNYC]

and it does not make sense for the mob to have liston their golden boy lose to clay/ali...

unless one can show cases where ali took dives to benefit the mob...

Sure it does. It's not like Liston was paying "tribute" to the mob with every one of his purses. A fixed fight with Sonny as a big favorite would've made mobsters a lot of money, while Liston simply winning would've done little if anything for them.