How do you think his life would have panned out ? Would the Chuck Wepner bout have been Sonny's last ?
Everyone dies sometime. He was scheduled to fight George Chuvalo. He probably beats Chuvalo, even on his death bed. Chuvalo was made to order.
if he beat Chuvalo and Martin in a rematch he'd have definitely got a shot at someone and would likely have been murdered by Frazier.
Beyond a certain point a fighters decline sets in rapidly, and they start loosing to progressively weaker opponents. Liston had started on this trajectory, and would have slipped down it very rapidly if he had fought on. He honestly might have lost to Chuvalo.
Sonny Liston was supposed to meet George Chuvalo in March 1971, and scheduled for Pittsburg. But, many of the proposed bouts with Charles 'Sonny' Liston fell through. Before he 'died', he was also supposed to go to Japan to be a 'Celebrity Referee' for the World Championship bout in February 1971 - between WBA Featherweight Champion Shozo Saijo vs. Frankie Crawford, at a fee of $5000, including airline tickets and expenses. Japanese Newspapers also printed that the former Heavyweight Champion would engage in a 10-Round Heavyweight bout versus a California Heavyweight, which may have been Joey Orbillo.
Upon hearing of Liston's death, Floyd Patterson said "No! No! We were supposed to fight again." This statement hints that the bout was in the works, and probably would have happened sometime in the 1971-72 time frame. I could also see a Liston-Quarry bout taking place at this time also. After scoring a TKO over Henry Clark in 1968, Liston wanted to fight Quarry then. By 1971, Quarry was fighting his way back up from his losses to Frazier, Chuvalo, and Ali.
Sonny Liston versus Mac Foster in 1971 would have been a good one. Mac was after Sonny since August 1968, and wanted him bad. A great style match-up.
If you havnt read 'Night Train- The Sonny Liston Story' yet, then I honestly suggest you do. It's a seriously good book.
No,,,, Sonny Liston was supposed to go to Japan in January 1971 - He was going to be paid a nice fee for being a 'Celebrity Referee' in a World Championship bout, and also was in talks of fighting in Japan for 'two bouts'. Sonny wouldn't have taken any more difficult bouts, unless it was for the World Heavyweight Championship 'only'. The George Chuvalo bout was set for March 1971, and in Pittsburg, but it may be the bout that was going to get switched to Japan.
He wouldn't have had a rematch with Martin. Martin retired after the Liston fight with a detached retina.
Liston was at least 40 years old when he died. He wouldn't have kept fighting unless he was dead broke, which I don't think he was. He was still getting money from the Clay fixes.
Sonny Had Money,,,,,,,,, He could have easily become a Professional Boxing Referee. He did Referee several bouts, and did quite well. Despite his nasty behavior at times, he was well liked, and did command respect from other boxers.