Sonny Liston TKO 1 Wayne Bethea 1958

Some scribes claimed and repeated from other scribes that Sonny floored Bethea in one with the jab alone, but the footage makes it clear that it was a long hook which dropped his man. Much of the legend of Liston's jab stemmed from these published reports. It was also said that Louis could knock a man out with his jab, but the closest I've seen any heavyweight come to actually doing this against world class competition was when Holmes floored Ocasio for a nine count with the first knockdown. (Jaws had to really struggle to beat the toll after that one, and was able to reach his feet faster after subsequent floorings.)

It's too bad he didn't have an opponent who could last longer here so we could study this more, but there was little in the history of either man to suggest such a quick ending. Bethea had never been stopped, and Liston had not halted anybody in the opening round since his professional debut (and that against somebody he outweighed by over 20 pounds). Maybe it's something of a surprise that Sonny had gone the distance in eight of his previous 18 wins, and went into the final scheduled round during his fourth outing. Far better than a string of first round knockouts, going these longer distances had to be a tremendous developmental experience.

Liston's footwork was very good in the opening seconds, stepping in and out quickly, not at all plodding, especially stepping back to his right. His peak performance though? I don't buy that. He would go ten rounds with Whitehurst a second time after this, and the mediocre Ernie Cab would take him through seven complete rounds before being stopped on cuts, having remained upright throughout.

As far as I'm concerned, Sonny Liston came of age 51 years ago today, when he stopped Cleveland Williams in their first battle. The Big Cat was a huge leap up in class, and the win was a stunner. The 43(35)-2-0 Williams had not been defeated since Satterfield knocked him out in 1954, he was on a hot dozen winning streak, and had twice as many fights under his belt. That first stoppage of Williams is what really made him the primary threat to Patterson. At 204, he looks sleeker and quicker, but getting his weight over 210 may have provided necessary heavyweight strength for weathering the early onslaught from Williams. For the dozen fights from Williams I to Patterson II, Sonny was on another level, a level he had yet to achieve when he faced Bethea. When below 212, he did not seem to be at full strength to me.

 

Liston knocking down an opponent with a leaping jab:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tgv5rzKMn4[/ame]

6:55

George Foreman knocked out Bob Hazelton with a jab.

 

Not a heavyweight, but didn't Terry Norris staggered and knocked down by a jab?

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjnQhJSfODk[/ame]

0:15

 

As did Benitez the first time SRL decked him. Wilfred wasn't in any kind of trouble, but it was still a solid shot.

Dempsey dropped Gunboat Smith with what he called a left jolt, just a minute into the first round.

 

Well done. You have won the award of 'dullest poster' for the fourth year running.

 

Liston would still have been ready for Floyd Patterson at this time. He'd have ruled the division until Muhammad Ali came along. Liston was a formidable fighter,and it took someone as great as Ali to beat him.

 

:goodhe was a wrecking ball

 

Liston and George Foreman made Tyson look like a kindergarten kid !