Phantom punch my ****!

Lots of people grasping at straws trying to say it was a full-bodied power punch. That's exactly what some people at the time did too, either trying to be clever or trying to save the reputation of the sport.

Ali clearly didn't think it was much of a punch, and in the post-fight interview he wasn't sure whether it was a right or a left.

Also, he can be seen expressing disappointment and seems to be telling his brother and other members of his crew that Liston laid down. By the time they got to the interview he was shouting at his people "don't say nothing ! don't say nothing!" (ie. don't say anything).
This is all on the broadcast.

A day or two later they cooked up the "anchor punch" story, and Ali dealt with the thing with his usual spin and humour.

 

Rumor from old mobsters is not viable evidence of anything.

The SI article from ringside observers who chronicled the response of those around him regarding what they saw is viable evidence. Read it well.

 

It's a hard decision to make.
Should we believe a respected former FBI agent or the troll Perry?
I'll have to think about that.

 

:deal

 

Conspiracy theories are for the simple minded.

Close examination of the film shows Liston was solidly hit. This confirms the astute observation of those at ringside who saw the punch as illustrated in that SI article you did not believe existed.

 

A dive would not necessarily have been a conspiracy. Liston could have done it on his own. A conspiracy would simply mean that as few as 2 people were in on it. Big deal.

The SI article is absurd and has absolutely no credibility.
Look at this:

"for all those who had a good view of the punch—and, unfortunately, there could not have been more than 1,200—there was never any doubt as to the stunning power of the blow. it was perfectly delivered against an opponent who was moving toward it, so that the effect was of a head-on collision."

This alone warrants hitting the x button on the article.

How could the author have known what the 1,200 people thought who "had a good view of the punch"? Did he interview all of them? You know he didn't.

 

There was a punch.

Just not a punch hard enough to knock out Liston.

I'm gonna rewatch the fight, just for ****s and giggles.

 

Bill your a lost and sorry soul. The SI article is from a reputable source and is a first hand account. Sorry as typical you lose.

 

Anybody who knows boxing knows it wasn't a fix but I guess people would rather Liston be a chinny bum who threw fights rather than Ali be an ATG. Smh, it's so sad how many haters there are on this forum.

 

Answer my question:

How could the author have known what the 1,200 people thought who "had a good view of the punch"? Did he interview all of them? You know he didn't.

 

He heard the vast crowd crying FIX. Those that cried FIX did not see the punch or were not in position to see it clearly. Knit picking a very well written first hand ringside account is pitiful buddy. Learn to read first then begin better understanding the sport you try to post about.

 

I love how people who were not at the fight know definitively what those who were there saw or didn't see...

 

I forgot how competitive the first fight was.

Both show good defence, Liston clearly the ring general apart from the first and final rounds. Ali more accurate with his punching but Liston more affective with his aggression. Quite an even fight till the quit job.

The rematch is a farce. Even if you think the punch was hard enough to knock Liston out for a ten count, there was no ten count. Jersey allowed it to continue and then abruptly called it off. No wonder Liston couldn't pick up the bloody count

I suppose the people who believe this was a legit ko, also believe Dempsey beat Tunney and Douglas beat Tyson? Those two respectively had the victor on the floor for more than 10 seconds.

 

The crowd was crying FIX and he was able to discern that none of a select 1,200 people weren't yelling.
If you really believe that, you are a fool.

Bear in mind, that some people don't yell, no matter what they think.
I doubt if Marciano and Tunney yelled. They were there and thought it was a dive.

 

There was no fix. Liston got to his feet and continued fighting. That doesn't typically happen when a fighter takes a dive.