Leotis Martin KO 9 Sonny Liston

I can't believe 4-5 pages on this!
Leotis was tough; mismanaged (why so much bodyhunting against Ellis?)
He was getting a second wind against Jimmy; no way anyone calls that fight one-sided. Iced Spencer in England the year after the tournament. Why, in some weird writer's minds, was Thad considered the favorite going into the tourney? Look at his record prior. The Terrell win was the Biggest of his career. Went 0-7-1 after the Quarry loss....one big puss!!!
I think Martin would have been a nice contender in ANY era...
My$0.02

 

Yancey Durham who trained both Joe Frazier and Leotis Martin did not want them
to fight each other.

William Schaeffer, Leotis' manager felt that his fighter was being held back, and
put on the back-burner, while Joe could make the bigger spalsh.

Any fight between the two would be held back, until 'Smokin Joe' cleared out
Jimmy Ellis, something Leotis couldn't do.

The N.A.B.F. fight for Las Vegas, in December 1969, was put together for an ABC-TV fight, as the network had an open date to air a fight.

Both Sonny Liston and Leotis Martin were not even the 'first choices' for that fight.

 

ABC-TV actually wanted Jimmy Ellis to defend his WBA Heavyweight Title for that
December date, versus Oscar Bonavena.

But Jimmy Ellis was signed to fight Joe Frazier in March 1970.

A secondary back-up fight was wanted, but the
Jerry Quarry vs George Chuvalo was set for December 1969, in Madison Square Garden.

Sonny Liston vs Leotis Martin was the replacement fight.
It was not an 'Elimination' fight.

 

Point was, Liston was no woeful slob for a dude pushing age 40 in 1969... Liston was still a contender at that juncture... Albeit, lower top-10, but still in the mix...
bbb

MR.BILL:hat

 

Correcto Mundo,,,,,,MR. BILL,

Whatever age Sonny was, 37 (born 1932) or 42 (born 1927)
for that December 1969 bout.
Liston was still in relatively good shape at 219 lbs.
And was still a formidable foe for anyone, for 7 1/2 Rounds.:hi:

 

J-T,,

Found the ABC -TV Sports Guide.

December 6, 1969 (Fight Date)

1) A proposed WBA Heavyweight Title Fight,,,,,Jimmy Ellis vs. Oscar Bonavena
* That fell through

2) N.A.B.F. Championship Fight,,,Jerry Quarry vs George Chuvalo
* That fell through

3) N.A.B.F. Championship Fight,,,Buster Mathis vs Oscar Bonavena
* That fell through (Buster Mathis woefully out-of-shape)

4) N.A.B.F. Championship Bout,,,Leotis Martin vs. Mac Foster
* That fell through (Mac Foster opted out over fight purse)

5) N.A.B.F. Championship Bout,,,Leotis Martin vs. Sonny Liston
* Fight contracts signed, November 7, 1969.

 

If it's the oldest accurate estimate, then 42 seems more correct.

If Sonny was only 37 in '69, it would make him unbelievably young in '64 against Cassius Clay.

 

KAL,

From all the information I have,,,,,,,,Sonny Liston was born in 1927.

Meaning he was age 25 3/4 , at the Chicago Golden Gloves in March 1953.
1964,,,,,37
1969,,,,,42

Foneda Cox, Sonny's great friend and sparring partner was born in 1929. In one of his interviews back in 1962, he said Sonny was a bit older than me, but he didn't like to say it.
Sonny never wanted to be considered a 'bullying old man'.

 

JT,

This was the first fight held at the International Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.
And the first WBC co-sponsored N.A.B.F. Chamionship Title Fight.

Kirk Kerkorian owned the International Hotel, and was close friends with Sonny Liston.
It was a brand new Hotel.

The hope was that Sonny Liston would win, and defend his N.A.B.F. Title several times their in 1970, and hope for a possible bout with Joe Frazier or Jimmy Ellis.

Mac Foster was next in-line.

But Sonny lost, and that ruined everything.