Anyone have any stories or accounts regarding it? I know he had two wars with prime Cleveland Williams, who's an ATG HW power wise, at least. He was never off his feet against him. Broken jaw didn't keep him down either. Lets ignore the diasters that were both Ali fights for now at least. Did he take any other monster shots over the course of his career? I know Martin iced him when he was pushing about 40...
I will go against the grain and say it was over rated while still being verry good. He was knocked cold in sparring by Mac Foster in the opening stages of a sesion. He was as you know knocked out by Leotis Martin with a single punch while way past his prime. Something that nobody was able to do to Joe Louis at any stage of his career. Neither of these incidents suggest that he had a breakable chin at his peak but they do suggest that it might not be the iron structure some suggest.
I think Liston at his prime had a terrific amount of duarability.The Martin Kayo came when Liston was exhuasted,it wasn't a one punch ko.Martin hammered him,Liston stunned,totally unable to defend against the next following shot.Went down for a few minutes.I have painfully watched that ko several times,it reminds me of Foreman's loss to Ali.The man of greater endurance waiting until his opponent is played out,before mixing it up.Sonny did pick up his head and turn it during the count,I think he was just exhuasted.The Foster ko in sparring,that is Foster's story,Liston's camp denied this,and when Sonny was asked about it on a talk show,he said he put Foster down,when it got out to the media,it was twisted around.
Liston was only down 3 times that I am aware of in a long career. Marshall, Ali and Martin did the trick. However, the Ali knockdown might have been part of a dive, and the Martin knock down / out happened when Sonny was well past his best. I have both Liston fights vs Williams. Liston was hit a few times flush with no ill effects. I say Liston had a very good chin. Liston main problem was he was semi cut prone. A few fighters managed to mark up and cut Liston, most notably Ali and Williams in short fights.