These apparently were some of listons best fights and best knockouts, yet they are not on film. anyone have a fight report on these fights they could share? whats your opinion on listons destructions of these contenders?
Nick Tosches "Night Train" is a good way of getting a hold of the more obscure details of Liston's life: De John- "In February 1959, when he knocked out Mike De John in Miami Beach, the Miami Herald described it as 'one of the most brutal outpourings of punishments in recent heavyweight history'. The odds that night were with Liston, at eight to five." ^ There were 5,000 people at the fight. De John got the bigger share of the gate because he was the bigger draw. Valdes- "He was now one of the ranking contenders. His August 1959, Chicago defeat of Nino Valdes was covered in Time magazine. ('The massive-shouldered Negro looked like just another pug until he stung his man with a left to the belly in the third round.')" ^ Liston was a five to one favourite. Patterson was considered to be avoiding Valdes. No mention of anything to do with the Folley fight that you couldn't find on boxrec, sadly.
liston was a 22 to 1 underdog vs summerlin, which are quite drastic odds for a man who tooled on olympic gold medalist 6'4 220lb ed sanders
Summerlin was the michigan state heavyweight champion fighting on his home turf, and at 20-1 he was a highly touted prospect who the papers considered high talent. I think liston going into this hometown had something to do with it. summerlin was top 10 throughout the mid 1950s.
Still. To draw a comparison, Holyfield was 22-1 against Tyson. Tyson was conceived to be ****ing immortal at that point. Summerlin was not even ranked in the top10 when he fought Liston, yet a 20-1 favorite over Liston who had only one twice avenged defeat?
