Did Liston really throw the 2nd Ali because he was afraid of the black muslims?

Maybe early in 1966? other challengers were waiting. Muhammad Ali got stripped of his WBA title for giving Liston a rematch. Trilogies sometimes prevent great matches, kind of like watching reruns, you know already what might happen, never been a fan of these. Ali had in all of his contracts after the rematch with Liston, No Return Bout Clauses during his first title reign, 1964-1967. He said that if he had lost, he would retire.

 

It was fix and that’s just completely obvious. The reasons for the fix haven’t been revealed so here’s no way to know fs

 

Either a troll (just love those 3 post new members) or a below average sixth grader at work here.

 

That is so true of your post, Muhammad Ali was a genuine phenomena, he had that footwork speed, stamina, confidence, sometimes too much as in the Sonny Banks fight in 1962 and June 1963. He used pro wrestler Gorgeous George's gimmick, also poetry to play with an opponents head, living there. He was incredibly fast in his peak years.

 

Stop talking crap. Liston was not intimidated one bit, he simply took a dive.

 

A true one off.

 

My first wish is that the people involved should have let fight 2 play out. Walcott & any commissioner should have said, "Whether he was down 10 seconds or not was irrelevant, Mr. Fleischer. Liston did not get a count from the referee. The fight continues."

My compromise wish is that fight 2 is declared "no contest" and they meet again sooner than later.

 

I've read some quote where Liston claims he just didn't want to be involved due to the Black Muslims and I read a YouTube comment (So take it with a pinch of salt) Where a guy who claims he arrested Liston for assault told him personally that the Muslims scared him out of the fight. Personally I just think Liston didn't really want it as Ali was just too good, he had distractions outside the ring and just thought "Oh well I'm still getting paid"

 

For what its worth...people were still scared of Ali's connections with the NOI into the eighties. Take Harold Smith for one example, he was checking his car for bombs and was worried about being gunned down for years because he'd defrauded banks using Ali's name and not provided Ali his cut from promotions. God only knows how many deaths Louis Farrakhan has ordered, and he's still free and pulling political strings today, but hey, I've seen Goodfella's and the Godfather so you know, the mafia and all that?!

Looks like Classic is ready for a peak Mafia vs absolute peak Yakuza thread.

 

Michael Franzese, a bona Fide ex mafia captain, has said several times (on video) that absolutely Liston took a dive. And Franzese and his father Sonny were involved in boxing through partial ownership of many boxers management teams.