Paul Gallender lays Ali-Liston II at the doors of the Nation of Islam

http://www.boxing.com/phantom_punch_mystery_solved.html

Two days before the fight, two Muslims visited Sonny and threatened to kill him if he didn’t lose the bout. Things were getting worse for the ex-champ, but the worst was yet to come.

...

The onetime toughest man in the world crumbled to the canvas as if he were giving a safety demonstration on how to fall without hurting oneself. “Get up, you yellow bum. Nobody will believe this!” screamed Ali. When boxers land a crushing blow, they know it. Ali experienced no such feeling. When he walked back to his corner, the first thing he said was, “He laid down.”

At that moment, everyone in boxing knew that the indestructible Sonny Liston had taken a dive.

Joe Louis compared the punch to “throwing cornflakes at a battleship.” Former champ Jack Sharkey said the punch couldn’t have cracked an egg. Veteran trainer Eddie Futch simply said, “Give me a break!”

...

Until now, the reason why Liston threw that fight has been boxing’s greatest unsolved mystery. In truth, it was an act of courage. Sonny swallowed his immense pride and chose life over death. Not for himself, but for his family.

Las Vegas casino executive Ash Resnick was in Lewiston with his wife Marilyn. The Resnicks were dear friends of Sonny and his wife Geraldine and Joe and Martha Louis. When Marilyn was unable to contact Geraldine on the day of the fight, she told Martha she was worried. “Don’t you know why you haven’t seen her, Marilyn?” said Joe’s wife. “It’s the Black Muslims. They have her and the boy. Sonny won’t see them again if he doesn’t lie down.”



I'm not comfortable with this, at all, for a number of reasons, not least that the only source provided is Marilyn Resnick, which is just the tip of the iceberg, but, Gallender is the guy to have done the legwork on the fight most recently.

And it's a definite where we deal in the main with cloudy suggestions.

Thoughts?

 

Well he doesn't have NO evidence.

 

I understand, but it's not about Ali's legacy, it never has been for me - it's about what happened in that fight.

We'll never know - but I get a kick out of someone reasonably serious saying he knows exactly.

 

Both. Either. That's the point, isn't it? You can find people that vehemently believe he was forced to dive by the mob, vehemently believe he was knocked out, vehemently believe that he was flashed and decided to quit dog, and vehemently believe that he was forced to quit by the NOI.

 

Well people don't tend to tell the truth about fights they've thrown. There are really only a tiny handful of examples. But i'm sure we can agree that there are fights where the diving fighter hasn't admitted to it. Liston did, anyway, privately, supposedly say it was fixed, at least once.

In the end, the only way this remark would be relevant here was if NOI had become powerless before Liston died...that would be interesting becasue he wouldn't have a reason to keep it a secret in those circumstances.

 

I agree (it's often the case) and what Paul has written is too controversial for it to be considered the definitive book (there isn't one, Steen's bland effort is probably best). Paul's is the first of two "pro Sonny" book to become available just recently, unbeknownst to me there is apparently a new one out this year.

Still, no dismissing it without reading it! And also, if a guy puts the effort in, he deserves the nod.