Liston was 218 when he was 18

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Glass City Cobra, Oct 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM.


  1. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    "When I first started boxing, I was 13. I went to the gym and I got a shellacking and I said, 'That's not for me.' I waited until I got 18 and I was big, I weighed 218 [pounds]. I figured, 'I'm a man now, I can take it on my own.' I never did see [the fighter who gave me a shellacking]. Matter of fact, I wasn't looking for him either."

    - Heavyweight champ Sonny Liston



    In his pro debut, Liston was allegedly 23 years old and 200 lbs. If he was 218 lbs 5 years prior in the amateurs, then that would suggest that as a professional he was cutting weight to get in shape.

    The same rings true for several boxers in the 60's and 70's. So **** it, why not: let's discuss for the 20th time if Liston would be too small if he competed today. The man's orangutan arms at 84' with 15' inch fists sure would come in handy when dealing with taller opponents. And the thought of Liston bulking up with modern equipment and diets is a scary thought.

    While we're at it, what defines a "super heavyweight"? It can't just be height because we've had tall guys in the past who were relatively light such as Fred Fulton. It can't just be weigh because you have boxers such as Galento who weighed a lot but were short. Does this mean Andy Ruiz is disqualified as a SHW because he's not tall enough? What's the cutoff?
     
  2. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    So, he was 218 when sparring Sam McVea. If only that were filmed.
     
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  3. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    … he was probably just a chubbier sort of guy? Liston was never cut up, all HW’s with some sense cut to a weight that’s comfortable to fight at just because you can weigh 218lbs doesn’t mean you should, Ali felt his best at 212lbs but he held 220 fine enough. James Toney was a teenage 210-220lbs footballer but he fought his best at 190lbs. Lennox Lewis could likely hold up to 270lbs without ever looking like a pig… he’d probably move like one doe. Liston at his best was a cruiser weight, a 215lbs-ish fighter, yes he would be too small for the likes of Wlad, Lewis, Vitali etc Ali was too much of physical specimen for him - Liston “bulking up” and still moving well is a complete unknown… If he was 230-240lbs it’s a high probability he’d be sluggish and he was already so slow… regardless of how the weight got there PED’s aren’t going to let a flyweight bulk to 140lbs without losing a few ticks of speed and fluidity.
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2025 at 1:26 AM
  4. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    Tell that to Manny Pacquiao.
     
  5. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    The myth of Manny Pac is that he was ever small this is not a flyweight in the ring, it’s also post “day of” weigh ins. In the “day of” he’d be a 135lber or around there… my 0.2$ anyway.
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    Last edited: Oct 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
  6. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    Excellent points Cobe.

    Possible that Sonny did cut weight without him having been unduly heavier in the first place.

    Liston was known for his assiduous, spartan like training.

    Until much later, Sonny always carried a discernible six pack - I remember reading the claim that he did a huge number of sit ups per day.

    Here’s Liston in a Golden Gloves match in ‘52 for possible visual estimates.

    Now per his birth certificate, you can take Liston as being about 20 yo as at the time - or you can tack on a few more years if you suspect that Liston was that much older.

    My God, his reach looks ridiculous - like Stretch Armstrong’s. :lol:

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    Last edited: Oct 17, 2025 at 12:25 AM
  7. newurban99

    newurban99 Active Member Full Member

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    Journeyman, where does this quote of Liston come from? I never heard this before.
     
  8. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    Are you referring to the quote of Liston being 218lbs as a teen? He actually told it during a filmed interview from memory, that’s where I heard it or similar at least, I actually recall him saying 200lbs not 218lbs with some slight alteration from OP’s quote but it was a while ago.
     
  9. newurban99

    newurban99 Active Member Full Member

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    Glass City. where did you find this quote of Liston saying he was 218 pounds at age 18?
     
  10. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    A Facebook page that posts quotes from famous boxers, but I can't find the post. I'm not sure of the exact source.
     
  11. SouthpawsRule

    SouthpawsRule Active Member Full Member

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    Usyk roughly matches Ali in dimensions so you do the math.
     
  12. MixedMartialLaw

    MixedMartialLaw Combat sports enthusiast Full Member

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    Isn't Liston generally seen as the first of the modern era type boxers that emerged post Marciano and Patterson?

    When it was becoming evident someone under 200 lbs could no longer compete successfully at HW.
     
  13. newurban99

    newurban99 Active Member Full Member

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    Okay. I wondered because I think I've seen almost everything that's been written about him. And since he was so uncomfortable with the press, there aren't many quotes out there that were attributed to him. Of this one I'm skeptical. There's a lot of BS about him now, including from questionable authors who invent quotes and elevate wild suspicions to "facts".
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2025 at 9:43 AM
  14. Rico Spadafora

    Rico Spadafora Master of Chins Full Member

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    Liston wasn't a big guy. A little over 6 feet and in his prime around 213 pounds give or take 2. The were a lot of myths around Liston and the whole coming out to the ring with 6 towels wrapped all around him under his robe contributed to that. Ali was bigger than him. So was Max Baer. Angelo Dundee couldn't believe how small Liston looked compared to Ali in first fight at stare down. He had big shoulders and long arms. That's it. He would look like a midget next to someone like Lennox Lewis for example.
     
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  15. RockyValdez

    RockyValdez Active Member Full Member

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    This quote is suspect. If youve ever been to the part of Arkansas that Liston was living in when he was 13 there are no gyms and never have been. That area is dirt poor flat flood plains planted with Cotton for miles and miles. Liston would have been lucky to find a cotton plant big enough to hang a speed bag from.

    Everything Ive read on Liston, including interviews with him said he didnt start boxing until he got into the sport at Jefferson City while in prison there. Unless you believe that he was boxing in the 1920s like Paul Gallender says. I dont, because the Liston that Gallender thinks was Sonny Liston in the 1920s was actually a white guy.

    However, I dont have any problem believing Liston weighed more as an amateur than as a pro. Thats not really that uncommon with better, and more consistent training