Sonny Liston vs. Billy Joiner

On the Liston-Joiner fight,
Sonny is wearing Ali type boxing trunks,
White w/black stripe.
Mel Greb, boxing promoter and friend, told him, it made him look more likeable than the black trunks.
He wouldn't wear the white boxing shoes, because he felt he would look *****.

Billy Joiner got to wear the black boxing trunks w/white stripe.

In Rounds;
Round 1; Even or slight edge for Joiner
Round 2; Even
Round 3; Even up to the point that Sonny finally catches Joiner, and floors him
Round 4; Slight edge Liston, as they go toe-to-toe
Round 5; Liston, as they go toe-to-toe
Round 6; Sonny's best round so far, lands heavy left jabs on a fleeing Joiner
Round 7; A tired Liston tries to club a tired Joiner

Referee, John Thomas goes to Joiners corner, and askes for a stoppage.

 

On Sonny Liston,

In late-1967, he applied for and finally got a license to fight in;
Massachusetts
Nevada
California (Granted him a license in the winter of 1967)

The WBA had removed any suspension, and would give him approval also.
But would not allow him to participate in any tournament box-off.

 

No doubt, between 1958 and 1963, the best, when looking at his ledger.

Never recovered mentally from the 1964 fiasco.
Way too much behind the scene stuff going on.
Alot more money issues and contract dealings than anyone could imagine.

Outside of the boxing genre', Sonny was unmarketable, where some of the big money could be generated.

 

M-g-M,

In 1968, his first fight was in Reno, Nevada.
$15.00 for ringside tickets,,,,,,,OUCH!

vs. Bill 'Fred' McMurray

After the Billy Joiner fight, Sonny trained at the Silver Slipper Casino.
They charged a $1.00 to enter the training area, to watch Liston work-out.
Maybe 60 to 70 people a day, tops.
The money went to the sparring partners.

 

Also, on the fight-card at The Olympic in Los Angeles, 5/23/68.

Joey Orbillo, the hot California Heavyweight was on the undercard.
Most people were there to see him.
Joey and his group wanted a fight with Sonny Liston in the fall.
He was only 21, and 6' 0" 193 lbs.

He was 11-2-1 (7 KO's) and fought and beat Cookie Wallace on the undercard.
Trying to come back after decision losses to Eddie Machen and Jerry Quarry.

Another young heavyweight, who got thrown in too soon.

 

Beep,

Sonny Liston sparred with jerry Quarry in Los Angeles, about a week or so
before this fight.

Sonny Liston did say he discussed having a fight with Quarry while in Los Angeles.
Jerry Quarry had lost to Jimmy Ellis in April, and wanted one-comeback fight
before taking on Sonny Liston.

But Quarry got injured in a water skiing accident in June 1968.
Liston fought Henry Clark in July, and was hoping for a Quarry fight in September.
Everything got re-shuffled.