Liston's Mysterious Middle Name?

I watched the Louis-Marciano and Marciano-Moore fights again last night. What was quite striking was how much Marciano had aged in four years. In 1951 he had perfect muscle tone and incredible energy. His punches were crisp and sharp. He packed phenomal strength and power in 184 pounds. Rocky in 1955 was sloppy by comparison. He looked old and tired by the fifth round. He had enough in reserve to stop 42-year-old Archie but had he continued boxing and faced someone young, fast and worthy (Patterson) in 1956, there was an excellent chance of an upset. Had the odds been, say, 9-5 Rocky, I'd take Floyd. The Rock retired at the right time. Have a fresh look at those two fights back-to-back and see if you agree.

 

I will pal. Been ages since watched em tbh.

 

Yes, I don't know who originally pinned the name on him, but he picked it up at some point while he was in jail, and used it from the very beginning of his amateur career back in 53.

 

Also all the speculation involving whether or not he was in fixed fights. Many believe the Ali rematch was fixed and some even think their first match was too. He may have also refused to throw the Wepner fight which cost him his life.

 

Thanks again for the info, very much appreciated.

 

I doubt that.

 

So much mystery around Sonny.

Always found it strange that Geraldine was away when Liston passed. It was over or just past Xmas, right? I believe the story is that Geraldine was visiting relatives - relatives that Sonny had no interest in visiting himself. If I'm wrong there, please feel to correct me.

Now I don't know if it reflected her general conduct with other men, but Geraldine was an incorrigible flirt in the presence of Muhammad Ali who was clearly uncomfortable with Gerladine's "forward" nature. I've never heard anyone out talk Ali, but Geraldine had him absolutely beat. Such displays as the one below, (example being post Liston's death), must've made Sonny awfully angry. Interesting to find out that Geraldine's pet name for Liston was "Killer" - how romantic.

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He should have claimed the L stood for Lollipop.

Lollipop Liston would have been a great name and would have helped reform him as a fun-loving, misunderstood guy.

Plus, by the time of the first Patterson fight he could have been walking to the ring to this:

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What little I know about her is this: Her family's name is Crawford. They met in St. Louis, early 1950s. I think she already had a child. Liston called her Gerry. Both of them dressed well after they moved to Philadelphia and he started earning decent money. One photo shows her wearing a mink stole. She approved of the mob guys who managed him. She said they were "great guys" and that they helped the Listons buy their first home. She was a strong woman who I gather was pretty domineering in the home. She may have nicknamed him Killer but that's the first time I've heard that. Usually she addressed him as Charles. She was a great wife to Sonny. She was fiercely protective until she died, chastising any friend of his who talked about him to the press. She appeared to tolerate his philandering. After his death, and maybe for a couple of years before that, when money had become short, she worked in the gift shop at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Vegas. I tried to dig up information on Liston while I was living in Denver. Many years after Sonny died I visited their home at 3395 Monaco Parkway. It was a modest brick home in a formerly black neighborhood near the old Stapleton Airport. Years later a Miss Colorado pageant winner lived in that house. I also saw their very nice split-level golf course home in Vegas which they had bought from Kirk Kerkorian. Sonny died in that house.

 

Judging by the rumors about his nighttime behavior in Las Vegas, " Lollipop" would have been an appropriate nickname. Who can blame him? He was the Heavyweight Champion of the world.

 

Good info. Thanks New.

The nickname "Killer" was a joke. It wasn't related to the actual Liston. "Killer" was the ex-boyfriend of Flip Wilson's character, "Geraldine"', as mentioned in the clip I linked.

 

I see what you did there.

 

Geraldine dated Jerry Lee Lewis?

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Goodness gracious, ……..Geraldine was far too old for that Jerry Lewis…