Liston's cornerman on the KO loss to Ali

I've seen it on film where Ali's sitting with Fetchit talking about being able to go "25 rounds". I think it's on the AKA Cassius Clay one. Probably pre-fight. Afterwards he claimed that Stepin taught him that punch. Although he did predict a 1st round KO in Sports Illustrated in early 1965.

 

He could catch a bullet between his teeth too. :yep

 

I've read in books and articles now claim that the "force of Ali's punch lifted Liston's foot off the canvas!" ..... and guys like Dundee and Pacheco are talking like that too, obviously.

Ali had okay power, and it is true that he could throw some decent punches while backing up - eg. against Cleveland Williams, but there wasn't much on that punch against Liston, maybe Ali was shifting SOME weight into it on impact, but it really wasn't good to fell Liston. Certainly wasn't good to send him rolling about the canvas.

 

Don Dunphy's reaction in that debate with Dundee says it all.

 

You're jogging my memory. My recollection now is that he run around pre fight saying he had a secret weapon, possibly said it would shock the world. After the fight he announced the anchor/corkscrew punch i think.

 

They say that in sparring for Way of the Dragon Bruce caught the legendary Chuck Norris' kick in the eye of his "dragon" before proceeding to counter kick Chuck's unprotected jewels for a spectacular KD.

 

I liked it when he ripped off Chuck's chest hair and blew it away. :yep

 

.... would love to have seen Bruce Lee box! He would have wiped the smile off Mayweathers face!

 

..... yeah a hard punch can knock you senseless but so can a suprise one! I remember school all too well!

 

Whether or not the knockdown was legit, Muhammad Ali would have always defeated Sonny Liston. Ali was to fast, and would have been pumping that jab in Sonny's face all night every night.

Legit win for the greatest. :good

 

Well, maybe he didn't ask for smelling salts.

 

Fetchit is supposed to have learned it from Kid McCoy,the right hand looke about the same as the one Ali used to drop Folley.Ali standing over Sonny and saying something like"get up you bum no one will beleive this" ,doesnt fill me with confidence that the punch was a ko shot,maybe Liston was psyched out ,maybe he just thought F**K it.

 

And Jim Murray, an equally noted sportswriter, thought the ko was legit. Murray mentioned how unsteady Liston was on his feet in his corner after it was over.

One thing I know for certain---no way Liston could hope to defeat Ali that night. He was way too slow. If it was a fix, it was a very unnessary one. I think Liston realized he had no shot and gave up.

 

Jim Murray....was that the writer that had a lot of eye trouble later on in life?