Sonny Liston 'The Stockholm Comeback'

Friday Night - July 1, 1966

"SONNY LISTON, HIS 'STOCK'-HOLM IS UP"

The former Heavyweight Champion returned to the ring at
Johanesshov Stadium, in front of 12,000 - Sweden fans.

The stadium erupted, as the Champion entered the ring, with
a new attitude and new moniker 'The Denver Dynamo'.

Sonny, at a 'slightly' heavy 221 lbs., brought with him a
question of whether he could make a succesful return to
the Heavyweight throne. At age (34, 36 or 39), depending
on who you ask - Sonny still brings with him a shield of
mystery.

How did Sonny Liston get here. Just ask former Heavyweight
Champion - Ingemar 'Ingo' Johansson and Scandanavia's foremost
fight promoter - Edwin Ahlquist. The 'team' signed Sonny to a '3-fight'
promotional contract for $150,000 ($50,000 per bout).

All they ask, is for the former Champion (from Denver) to partake in
open session work-outs, make public appearances and be available
for television interviews.

This content is protected

 

Sonny 'The Denver Dynamo' Liston

His first 'comeback opponent'

'The Great' Gerhard Zech

German Heavyweight Champion, a 28 year-old 6' 5" southpaw,
with a decent right jab, and good straight left-hand counter-punch.

The 226 lb. German, with a record of 32-5-1 (20 KO's) can punch, as
he has a 'hefty' left hand smash. Gerhard relies on his hand speed
of steady one-two's - which can present a problem for slower Heavyweights.

Gerhard is not afraid to 'slug-it-out', and is willing to trade with his opponent
by throwing wide right hooks and straight left-hands. Despite his size,
the German has decent footwork, and when he does box-and-move, he's
suprisingly good.

The draw-back, Gerhard leaves himself open when attempting to slug-it-out.
Despite the 6' 5" height, his chin can be reached, and his ability to absorb
hard-punches is not his strength, as he has been floored numerous times, and
stopped by 'knockout' 3-times.

Gerhard reached the #8 Heavyweight position in March 1964 with a record of
27-1-1 (19 KO's), but has gone 5-4-0 in his last '9-bouts'.

In Gerhard's previous bout (April 15, 1966), he stopped (KO 5) Albert Westphal
in a bout for the German Heavyweight Championship.


[url]

This content is protected

[/url]

 

Thanks,,,,,,,Super Philly-Tough

The bout in Stockholm, Sweden was a 'Friday Night Bout',,,

And the Scandanavian's gave Sonny a 'warm reception'. Former
Heavyweight Champion - Ingemar Johansson convinced Sonny to
make his comeback run in Sweden. And the 12,000 + attendance
was better than expected.

Gerhard Zech was not an easy guy to comeback against, as he was
a bit tall and sometimes awkward, and the southpaw stance didn't help.

When Sonny went to Sweden he was accompanied by his wife Geraldine,
friend Foneda Cox, former Manager-Advisor Jack Nilon and Trainer Joe Pollino.

Before walking in the ring, Sonny at 221 lbs. was fit, but a bit too 'bulky'.
With a record of 35-3-0 (25 KO's), he was no longer ranked by the
WBA or Ring Magazine. And this was his first ring appearance since
May 25, 1965 (in 13-months).

In preperation for this bout, Sonny did have American Heavyweights -
Amos Johnson, Dave Bailey and Ray Patterson (Floyd Patterson's brother)
as sparring partners.

 

The Fight

Round 1

Immediately, Sonny tried to go after his opponent, but he was missing
badly as he found '3-problems'.

1) His timing was off
2) Gerhard Zech was more elusive than he thought
3) Sonny didn't know how to fight a southpaw

Sonny tried winging left-hooks, but as he missed badly, the 6' 5" Gerhard
would counter with sharp left hands on Sonny's jaw, snapping his head sideways
several times in the 'opening round'.

Zech, punched nicley with several left-hand leads, as Sonny was trying to hard
to end matters early in the 1st-Round. The former Champion was the aggressor
as he kept his opponent backed up into the ropes, but it was Gerhard Zech who
was landing with the sharper punches, and Sonny who was missing with wild hooks.

Round 1 for Gerhard Zech.

 

Round 2

Gerhard Zech, found that by laying back, and countering, he could
nail Sonny coming in with his hard left cross.

Each time that Sonny would wind-up to unload his left hook, he would
drop his right hand. That's when Gerhard would whip his 'hefty-left' to
smash Sonny's jaw, again snapping it sideways.

Gerhard's problem, was though he had a good punch, he was 'not' a
knockout puncher. And despite landing good left hands, Sonny kept
charging like a 'hard-breathing bull'.

By the Rounds End, Sonny was still missing, though he was pushing
Zech back into the ropes. But, his 'heavy' punches were getting closer
to Gerhard's chin.

Round 2 for Gerhard Zech.

This content is protected

Round 3

Sonny changed his approach, and instead of winging punches from long range,
Liston charged in with right hands, and then with Zech backed into the ropes
Sonny would fire away.

A good left hand caught Zech, which made him pause, and then Sonny followed
up with a sharp left hook which cut Zech over his right eye, which started to bleed.

Sonny then started to rattle good punches off Zech's chin, making the big German
shake, but Zech would not back down. By late in the round, Gerhard got brave,
and ripped away with several good flurries, which caused a big bruise under Sonny's
left eye.

Round 3 for Sonny Liston.

 

Round 4

Sonny started to loosen up, and was 'firiing away', and was now
landing with more regularity.

But Gerhard was still countering well, and landed some nice hard
left hands. Each time Sonny landed a good left hook, Zech would
come back with a short right and a hard left cross.

But, neither of the punches seemed to faze Sonny, as he continued
to bull forward, with no regard for avoiding the punches. Late in
the round, Sonny put together some stiff left hands, that bloodied
Gerhard's nose, causing a stream to flow.

Round 4 for Sonny Liston.

Round 5

Gerhard, with a thought of taking Sonny out, tossed caution-to-the-wind,
and unloaded with several double left-hand crosses. As the punches bounced
off of Sonnys chin, Liston came back with a body attack.

But again, the German fired off a 'flurry' despite getting hit with brutal punches
from Sonny. The Scandanavian 12,000+ fans in attendance roared in
approval of both combatants banging away, in an exciting brawl.

Liston backed Zech up, and banged with a '5-punch flurry' that rocked
Gerhard, forcing him to try and hold.

As the round closed, Sonny was now dominating, as the heavier punches were
taking their toll on the German, who for the first time in the bout looked weary
and hurt.

Round 5 for Sonny Liston.

 

Round 6

Realizing Gerhard was fading, Sonny opened up with a steady force
of left hands to the 6' 5" German's nose, causing a stream of blood to
cover Gerhard's shoulder's and chest.

By mid-round, Zech gave it one more attempt, by whipping in a hard right
and left hook to Sonny's left eye, causing it swell underneath.

But from there, Sonny took over, by rattling hard punches through Zech's
guard, driving hard punches to his face. Blood was now coming out of
Gerhard's mouth, nose and right eye, and his upper-body was a
crimson-mask. As the round ended, Sonny backed off, as he could
see his opponent was hurting.

Round 6 for Sonny Liston.

Round 7

Sonny came out ripping away with his 'ham-like fists', and moments into the
round, he staggered Zech with a right hand. From there Sonny stalked and
then dropped Zech on the seat of his pants with a left-right.

Gerhard got up at the '4-Count', but was apparently hurt. Sonny then
moved in with deliberate attack, backing Zech up. With an opening, Sonny
landed a lead right that stunned Zech, forcing him backwards.

Then Sonny moved in fast with a lead right-hand to the chin, and then
a quick follow-up short left hook to the side of Zechs head, at the 0:59 Mark.

Gerhard fell forward, and onto his hands and knees, while dropping his head
to the canvas. Gerhard struggled to get up at the '8-Count', but the
Referee - Stig Range waved it off, as Gerhard Zech was in 'no shape' to continue,
despite complaining that he wanted to resume fighting.

Sonny Liston by KO 7 at 1:11. 'The New Denver Dynamo'

This content is protected

 

General Accounting

A record attendance turned out at Johanneshov Ice Stadium (12,000 +) for this bout.

The 'live gate' was $125,000 (U.S. Dollars)

Sonny Liston received $50,000 (40% of the Live Gate)

Gerhard Zech (German Heavyweight Champion) was the 'only' European fighter who was willing to fight Sonny Liston.

Gerhard Zech (sporting a badly swollen and cut right eye) congratulating Sonny Liston

This content is protected

After this bout, which dropped Gerhard Zech to 32-6-1.

Over the next 5-years, Gerhard posted a 3-5-2 (3 KO's) record, including;

Defending his German Heavyweight Championship '3-times', by battling Jurgen Blin to
back-to-back 12-Round Draws, and stopping (KO 7) Peter Weiland.

On December 30, 1967 - Gerhard lost a 15-Round Decision to countryman Karl Mildenberger
in his attempt to win the European Heavyweight Championship.

On May 11, 1968 - Gerhard lost his German Heavyweight Championship to Jurgen Blin,
by 15-Round Decision.

From there, he went on to finish his career out, losing his last bout by 'knockout' {L KO 8}
to Gregorio Peralata on December 3, 1971.

Final career record; 35-11-3 (22 KO's).

 

Following the KO victory over Gerhard Zech,,,,

The question was put to Joe Pollino (Sonny's Trainer) if they would
fight Cleveland Williams next.

As the Promoter was willing to pay Cleveland to come to Sweden.

Joe Pollino, 'Sonny has already knocked out that 'Big Cat' twice, doing
it again will prove nothing. We have to move forward, not backwards.
We would like to get Karl Mildenberger next, but he won't come near Sonny.'

Asked, How could Sonny fall down from a light right hand from Cassius Clay,
yet take Gerhard Zech's hard left hands flush without flinching. Joe Pollino
responded, 'That was a different situation, if you know what I mean. Sonny
was suprised, I was suprised, we all were suprised. It was almost make-believe
if you know what I mean.'

 

R/T

July 1966

There were no 'European Heavyweights' clammoring to go to Sweden to
fight Sonny, so he took on sparring partner 'Atom Amos' Johnson next.

Amos Johnson battling England's Brian London in his previous bout, before facing
Sonny. Amos and Brian got involved in a 'foul-filled' fight.

This content is protected

 

Before Sonny head to Sweden in June 1966,,,,,,,,

He trained in Las Vegas in April and May, running the Golf Course at the Stardust
Country Club.

He had gotten into the 235+ lb. range, bulky and bloated. And in sparring, the rumor
was that he had lost his 'one-punch' knockdown power. He couldn't drop anybody.