Johansson offered Liston $125,000 to fight him in '61 (a career high payday for Liston at that time), which Liston turned down.
My mistake, it was Cooper who wanted no part of Liston. Could you give me a link to the Johanson offer as I had never heard that before?
Take your head out of your ass. Johansson turned down a huge payday to fight Liston in 1963. Over 1 million dollars to fight in AMERICA. Liston would have flattened Johannson in about 1-2 rounds had they met. "Johansson says it would be suicide to fight Liston" http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes...WOULD+BE+SUICIDE+TO+FIGHT+LISTON&pqatl=google "I wouldn't have a chance" says Ingemar http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicago...ldn't+Have+Chance,'+Says+Ingemar&pqatl=google
Liston also offered to fight Floyd Patterson and Ingemar Johansson in the same night. I doubt both would have lasted more than 5 rounds total.
I dont have access to those full articles. BUT they are dated about 2 months after Ingemar Johansson officially confirmed he was retiring. "I quit, and I won't change my mind" he said at the end of May 1963. Then, right after Liston beats Patterson the 2nd time, he starts making offers to Johansson - who knew he was done after the Brian London fight and was firmly retired.
It is. I can't help it if the FACTS contradict your childish agendas. You mean after Johansson was already RETIRED? So according to YOU, the fact that Liston declined a big money offer is irrelevant? :deal Congratulations on shooting yourself in the foot. :good
Typical my2sense bias and homerism....trying to claim johannson had the upperhand on liston, when the complete opposite is true. Why should Liston go all the way to sweden to fight Johansson in 1961? The fight was suposed to take place in Montario, Canada but the ontario athletic commision wouldn't honor liston a liscense because the pennsylvania athletic commision had liston under suspencion. Also Listons manager claimed the 1961 offer in sweden appeared more like a publicity stunt than anything else. Where is your source for Liston simply refusing to fight johansson? Pep Barone was completey unfraid of Johannson, He says "We would fight Johansson and Patterson on the same night if that could be arranged" http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...95849&dq=sonny+liston+ingemar+johansson&hl=en Heres Johansson bypassing Liston for softies http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...58451&dq=sonny+liston+ingemar+johansson&hl=en Seems Johansson isn't so tiger like to get in the ring with Liston, the champ in 1962 You mean your extremely selective favoritism you show when spewing the facts. That's very childish my friend. You also seem to have a horrible eye in judging talent on film.
Liston was offered 125K, which was a publicity stunt. The fight wasn't going to happen. The original place for it to happen was Montreal, but Liston couldn't get a liscense. What about Johansson turning down 1 million to fight Liston, a lot more than the measly 125k.
You had no problem with trying to claim Godfrey had the upper hand on Tunney, when the complete opposite was true. Blatant double standard, as usual. As much as any reason Tunney had for making a fight with Godfrey in 1925. So when a fighter's manager comes up with a reason for turning down another fighter's offer, it should be accepted as a legit reason for turning down the offer. Nice to know. :good You mean just like there are quotes of Tunney's manager Gibson saying he was unafraid of anyone? :deal It says right in the bottom paragraph, "Johansson said he would like to fight the champion." The facts don't show "favoritism". Facts are facts. You acknowledged that yourself: :deal So now "spewing facts" is childish in your view? :rofl And what "examples" do you have of this?
So according to YOU now, fight offers are unreliable and shouldn't be taken at face value. That's basically the final nail in the coffin of everything you've tried to argue in this thread.
No it wasn't. Johansson made his offer in March of '61. Fugazi tried to work out a Montreal (or Toronto) deal in August of '61.