Plausible Reasons for Sonny Liston's Tank Job

Something a lot of people have been saying that I disagree with : the 'mobsters' bailed out of boxing when Liston was succeeded by Clay.
This is actually untrue.
In fact, investigators of the time were concerned in '65 and '66 that the mobsters had gained a firmer grip on boxing and were emboldened, (they has been on the defensive a few years earlier).

Terrell was linked to the Chicago mob.
Ali-Patterson in 'Vegas had mafia written all over it. The promotional group "Intercontinental" was thought to be a cover for a mobster interests.

There's a misconception that the mobsters left boxing alone around the 60s. I seriously doubt that.
Hell, Don King's career as an 'independent' promoter had to be bankrolled by the Cleveland mob. King was no saint himself, killed two men in his street days. Killing a man, that's no small thing.

 

Ali against Spinks had been considered past his best for 11 years, he had been struggling with every worthwhile contender for the last 3 years. Liston just came off of destroying Patterson a second time. It's not even close.

 

Jones just came off of the best win in his career. He seemed to hit his absolute peak around this time and Clay seemed a bit off that night. These things happen... Schmeling-Louis, Douglas-Tyson, Bert Cooper-Holyfield, Mercer-Lewis etc, etc.

 

Yes I do believe that the Manilla version of Ali would have beaten a 24 year old Liston. Ali was in the throes of his last bit of ring greatness,albeit passed his prime,while the 1956 Liston was nowhere near his own peak. I think Marty Marshall beat him at this time.

 

Cassius,as was,matured very quickly,indeed,between the Cooper fight and the first go with Liston.

 

No,but it was still a well timed punch.

 

B,the cold facts are this. Ali at 34 [Listons age in 1965 ]fought Joe Frazer in Manilla,Ken Norton, Jimmy Young etc. My point is Liston was aged by that time at 34 years old. There is no denying that. My question is fair.Would the
24 year old Liston,who was the ogre of the heavyweights in 1956, have beaten the Ali of Manilla in 1975,when he at the age of 33 years old ,struggled to beat an aging slower Joe Frazer.?Both Ali and Frazer were not the fighters I saw at MSG in 1971. Not at all. Age takes it's toll.Liston at 24 kos the 34 year old Ali...Both at 24,in their peaks I take Liston, IMO...

 

Cassius Clay really grew in the year or so leading up to the Liston fight. He was still maturing physically. From the Moore fight on, he was quite big and strong, and growing into his frame.

Personally, I don't think he made any huge leap in fighting ability for the Liston fight. Because I still see the same holes in his game in the subsequent fights (the Henry Cooper rematch, to me, shows clearly he's not improved by much), but he was improving a bit due to his physicality, and that would give him confidence against Liston, surely.

 

I just looked that up ...
Funnily enough, there were two movies in that year, 1965, called "Harlow", both biopics of Jean Harlow.
One starred Carol Lynley in the title role (Liston was in that one), the other had Caroll Baker.

 

I think the younger, faster Ali, though not as strong as the post layoff ban,would have a better chance than the older Ali. Strength was never going to beat Liston when he was 24 years old. Speed afoot and agility might have done the trick.Therefore a younger Ali of Cooper time.But if ol'Enry almost kod this faster version of Ali,what would happen if this Ali, met the 24 year old Sonny ? The plot thickens !