How Realistic are these "facts" about Liston?

Correct. The 1950 census lists him as 27. Liston-1950-highlight hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB (ibb.co)

 

Im thoroughly confused about his age.
The last census seems to suggest that he was born in the early 1930's.
Was this one a recent say rediscovery?
Besides the other contradictory suggestions from family, why do we know which census to privilige?

He would also have more years unaccounted for if he was that old. Possible, but I just do not know.
His wingspan is also a mystery-early 80s is plausible, but 84"? It's near the outside limit of what we find re: discrepencies beltween height & weight (barring the world's tallest twins, both with pituitary disorders...But he did have a very broad chest, long arms & the especially sizeable hands more like a very large clawed NBA player...

Besides my "research" insisting that Liston was the first Homo Sapien at now (assuming not really dead), 337,643 years old...
Can we really say with any confidence what his age or ape factor was?

 

It’s funny Swag when we recall that just prior to fighting Sonny, Ali said to Liston:-

“You’re 40 years old, if you’re a day, and you do not belong in the ring, with Cassius Clay”.

Either by ball park estimate or by way of even more accurate inside information, Ali’s call on Sonny’s age married up very nicely with the age given in the 1950 census. Lol.

Too bad the 1930, 1940 and 1950 censuses do not corroborate one another re Liston’s age.

 

I believe you've found the right information on Liston. I've never seen a boxing picture of SL where he looks to be early-mid 20s. This would make him around 35-37 in the years people consider him "prime" 1958-60, and from the pictures I've seen, that looks about right IMO.

 

I wouldn't call the 1950 census a rediscovery. For privacy concerns, census information such as household names, ages, etc are only released 72 years later. It was only released last year.

I'm very confident, his year of birth falls somewhere in the 20s. I've been doing some research and found something I believe to be very telling.

Regarding Liston's injury in the first Ali bout, the doctor who treated Liston stated his condition was "particularly prevalent in older athletes"

Even more relevant to the subject the doctor "estimated Liston's actual age as between "38 and 41"

Source: https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer/98505474/

This would put his year of birth anywhere between 1922-1923 (which the 1950 census lines up with perfectly) and 1926.

 

Liston was no more than 40 years old when he died. The 1950 mugshot photos of Liston as the “yellow shirted bandit” show him looking like the big teenager he was. Case closed.

 

Sonny lived a hard life. He was as big as a full grown man as a child. Worked and was treat like a man from a young age. Even so, There is no disputing how much of a boy he really is in the 1950 mugshot. Take a look.

 

I did https://preview.redd.it/fjpyb38lzca...ed&s=1df06a267fd65a4b3a11c553070b39804a4cc284 He can easily pass as 28-29 or even early 30s. He certainly doesn't look like a boy.

 

I'd say 22 is realistic, which marks him around 1928.

 

That’s the later photo from when he was arrested for hospitalising a policeman when he likely was 27 in 1956. That’s not the 1950 one for street robberies as the yellow shirt bandit where he looks like a boy. As you know, the 1950 photo of the teenaged Liston shows him with the number 63723. And yellow shirt.

 

Check out the 1950 one. Google it. Swag has posted the 1956 one.

 

I stand corrected. I'll look for the other one. Do you have a link?

 

Personally I can agree with anything in the 20s. I'd lean towards the 1950 census as it's the only thing corroborated by an actual medical professional.

 

THANKS Swag, I did not know that some sensus info is not revealed for 72 years!
Which is ironic, I worked for the delayed until 2021 due to Covid census here in Midtown NYC.
So you believe what is alleged re: the previous census is wrong?

I heard about the age issues, but did not find an injury more common among older athletes at all convincing.
It could happen to anyone, especially when aggravated OR caused by punchin' air- Vitali was not at all aged when he got a similar injury fighting an elusive Byrd.

The estimation of his age? Well it may have some weight-but not much, since he was a drinker & hard liver & I do not know the Dr. had any inside info on his age or special diagnostic techniques.

BUT the census means a lot.

 

Swag - here’s a link to search results for the 1950 arrest. I think either the police report and/or newspapers listed Liston’s age as 20 yo as at the time of the 1950 arrest.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...AQ&biw=375&bih=548&dpr=2#imgrc=bnHO1a3_nbaR7M