Marciano and Liston story!!

Well Rocky was still alive. Liston was also at the funeral. And said Something among the lines, that he did not belive he could lose, and thus no one beat him. I know I got the words wrong.

 

Interesting story, thanks for sharing.

I read a quote by Marciano where he stated that Liston was just a big bully, and that if you could get him in the later rounds, he'd quit.

 

I read Howard Cosell talking about the first time he really met Liston.Sonny was training for the first Patterson fight at some brokendown race track called Aurora Downs?Cosell said the place was ramshackle beyond belief.Cosell,Marciano and Oscar Fraley,went to Jack Nilon and asked to interview Liston.Nilon said Sonny was in a violent mood,and they better go away.They insisted.Cosell said to Marciano,champ since you were the greatest,why don't you do the interview?Marciano croaked to Cosell,your the professional,I am just an outa shape fighter.Cosell said, Marciano did stammer {uh Sonny just a couple of words}Liston yelled goddamit I ain't takin to no one.Cosell the took the mike.There was no mention of Rocky challenging Liston at that meeting.I know Marciano,Cosell and Fraley are gone,I don't know about Nilon or if there is anyone left in Liston's camp to verify this story.But Cosell has it in his first book.

 

Great, so you're trying to say that Liston was afraid of Rocky?

 

Lou Duva also recounts this story in a little segment he wrote in "Undefeated."

And Frazier was every bit the class act he sounds like there when I met him.

 

:rofl :yep

 

I'm sure there is something more to this story. No doubt about it. I'm very skeptical that Liston would be afraid of Rocky at his best - let alone a retired one! For example, when Lewis & Tyson got in a brawl - I don't think Lewis was afraid of Tyson but he still said at the end of it, "I will reconsider my options of going with this fight". It wasn't out of fear, it was for other considers. Obviously it is ridiculous to compare the behavior of Marciano & Tyson - but maybe you see what I'm saying. Maybe it could have created a white man vs black man war, cause riots, have the public sympathize for a beaten old man, etc and so Liston wouldn't want to make it too much of a deal. None of my solutions are really connecting at all - even for me - but I do think there's more to this story.

Liston certainly had his off nights - but he was much more than a bully - he was a true fighter and I definitely think he'd be one of the worst fighters for the Rock to face. Liston certainly win.

 

Yeah pity they never meet in the ring,liston would have got sheer ****ing hell of the rock,old man or not,ali proved he was just what people said he was,a big damn bully (a ****ing great one at that though)

 

No, I don't think the story as described right there necessarily indicates that Liston was afraid of Rocky. It could be interpreted that way, but it doesn't force that viewpoint.

Liston is in a lose-lose situation here. If he beats the snot out of Marciano, he gets bad press for smacking around a poor little old man, and if he so happens to get clocked or doesn't get the better of their little impromptu boxing session, he gets bad press for having been beaten up by a little old man. Moreover, even if they were sure Liston would tear Marciano a few new orifices in the ring, his management probably didn't want him taking pointless punishment, particularly in a situation like that.

 

It doesn;t involve Ali, so he's not going to read it.

 

Funny but that is what you 2 guys would have done, but not Rocky, Rocky knew Sonny was a BIg Bear but he was right Sonny quit when he was in the ring with a guy with Balls, but you guys are a case of the pot calling the kettle black