Sonny Listons height and reach

UniversalPart,

They were big enough that he needed special gloves. (Not joking.)

 

I used to buy the 84" but not anymore. Ali's wingspan was only 78-79" Liston may be 79-80" at the most which is still very freakish for his height, roughly equal to Big Cat or a lil shorter.

This content is protected

What an 84 inch wing span on a 6'1-6'2 man really looks like:


Jerry "Arms to his Damn Knees" West. Wore the same sleeve size as 7'2" team mate Wilt Chamberlain. Big hands and broad shoulders too. Totally freakish even in basketball.

This content is protected

 

Sonny Liston Facts;

Height; 6' 1/2"

Height:
An exact measurement of Sonny took place just before his bout with Leotis Martin, at a
Las Vegas 'press confernce', and on local television. Sonny was under 6' 1".

Age:
In Eastern Arkansas, where Charles Liston grew up. A local resident (Patricia Wise) who
knew Charles from her childhood days in Sand Slough (St. Francis County), said Charles Liston was
about 5 years old when she knew him 1932.

Reach:
In the movie 'Moonfire', (released in 1970) you can see Sonny in full view walking around
with 'super long arms'. He was 'freakish looking' with those long sticks.

 

Mongoose, don't deny facts. Liston had an 84" reach. His arms against Wayne Bethea look freakishly long, like one jab takes up half the ring.


Liston had an 84" reach, he was a stud.

 

There are no facts in boxing, Holyfield's height has flucuated so much he must have a spin of rubber.

No kidding he was a stud, but I don't buy the 84" wingspan.

An 82" wing span on a 6 footer. And these basketball players got broad shoulders and freakish long hands too. Arms to his god damn knees.

This content is protected

Big wingspan but over 80"? Nah.

This content is protected

 

Sonny could.......... 'Fly Like An Eagle'

This content is protected

 

That is an impressive leap!

Wasn't he pushing 50 at the time of this pic!

 

I am going with facts. They tested him many times, always came in at 84". He looks it too, watch his jab against Bert Whitehurst, looks like it stretches across the ring

 

Can you believe this guy 'legitimately' lost to "Slappy Clay".

NO....:hi:

This content is protected

 

That's fair enough, but I think they spotted him 4 or 5 inches.

This content is protected

Big Cat was listed 78-80" but clearly had longer arms when he faced Liston and was also a very broad big boned guy. Liston carried lots of muscle but still his wingspan looks more consistent with freakish 6'3" type guys Wiliams and Ali than legit 7 foot wingspan basketball players like Jerry West or Vince Carter.

84 inch wingspan on 6'7" man. Even with his huge shoulders, no way Liston has this wingspan.

This content is protected

This content is protected

 

In the movie 'Moonfire'

You can get a 'perfect' glimpse of the length of Sonny's arms, when he
walks with those 'sticks' by his side.

The longest arms ever for a boxer.

Surprisingly, he wasn't quite as 'muscular' as he looked when in the ring.

[url]

This content is protected

[/url]

 

I spoke with director Mike Parkhurst and lead actor Charles Napier at length about their time working with Sonny on this film. Both told me that he had been dissipating for quite a while at this point. A big time drinker and who knows what else, but definitely not keeping his once muscular frame in shape.

 

Except for Cleveland Williams. Big Cat's reach was actually 88 inches and he had quicker hands than Floyd Patterson with the punching power of George Foreman. I swear Sonny Liston walked him down like he was an unranked fringe contender who got blasted out by Satterfield in his only big fight at the time. Fascinating.

 

The 'Big Cat' did not carry a (Double 8 Inch) arm length.

This content is protected