Did Liston Get Exposed By Ali

I don't know. I would have to go back and watch a bunch of his fights and I have no interest in that.

 

B-but he is a hybrid of Foreman and Joe Louis the prophets told me so, Samson come again.

 

I think that Sonny Liston was exposed in talent and his speculation of his age by the media as well as his heart in the ring. Many in the boxing circle assumed that Liston would seek and destroy a young Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) based on his performance against Sonny Banks, Doug Jones and Henry Cooper. But as boxing goes, styles make fights, anything can happen. The final outcome was suspect, especially the claim of foul on the part by Liston during the later rounds of the bout. Ali brought a new style to the fight game in the plodding heavyweight division, using a bit of psychological warfare and boastfulness. Liston was powerless to overcome Clay, became frustrated, his physical conditioning also came into question.

 

Exposed means ever present weaknesses being revealed for the first time.

By 1964, Liston was subject to age onset deteriorations and inactivity - that was the so called “Exposure” that was seen in Miami. An exposure everyone suffers in later life.

You’re as old as the woman you feel anyway and Liston’s wife Geraldine was mid forties herself as at Sonny’s death. The ages of the younger tail that Sonny might’ve nailed doesn’t count.

 

He wasn’t

 

I don't usually agree with White Bomber but it's very possible. According to doctors' who treated him, and the most recent census we have available to us, it's very likely he was somewhere in his 40s.

 

Ok, I have edited to read “much past 40” based on your correction.

 

It’s very likely he was “about” 40 only when he died.

it’s unlikely Sonny Liston was in his 40s as a world champion.

He looked like a teenager in 1950 in that first mugshot making him Maybe 39-41 when he died in 1970.

 

Yes he was. Testimony from those close to him the Census, and the coroner's report attest to that.

 

When do you think Sonny Liston was in his 40s?

 

A lot of people don't know what I'm about to tell you. But, from someone who has had more than a little inside information on this: The ultimate fluke here happened, twice in a row, just as flukishly as the way Liston shut Patterson down, if not far more so. In both fights, Liston was winning until he saw one of at-some-point sparring partner George Foreman's friends rooting for Ali, and it caused him to lose all spirit for the fight and concentration, leading to Ali putting it on him, where he was completely defenseless, because of the hurt and shock he felt over someone else's friend not cheering for him but for this other guy. Anyway, it was really sad and caused both losses, just in different ways. But the same reason. Crazy how stuff like that will happen but THAT'S BOXING!

 

Liston wasn't tough mentally! Clay got into Sonny's head mentally in 1964...Watch the Liston-Leotis Martin fight in December 1969. Saw it live on Wide World Of Sports. Liston was doing well...knocked Martin down. Martin cut Liston and Sonny tasted his own blood. Howard Cosell saying how the fight has "changed"...Sonny is tasting his own blood!"...

 

Hey McGrain love your avatar, I remember those days.

 

I saw that bout as well in Dec 1969 on ABC's Wide World Of Sports. Liston did look good in the early going until Sonny started to bleed, then the bout took a turn for the worst for Liston. It was around the same time that I met the great Archie Moore in person at the local Junior High after he had a Boys Club built for us in our neighborhood.