What They Said About Sonny...

He must have messed with Sonny's Cadillac, scotch and women before both fights between them.

 

Excellent response..........


July 1961

Father Alois Stevens,

'Boxing has done nothing for Sonny Liston,,,,,,,,other than introduce him to a lot of high-class hoods'.

 

Ezzard Charles, pure class.

 

Awesome thread.

Thanks.

This puts into perspective for me in a way that nothing before every did to exactly how Sonny -- and Sonny as champion -- was perceived at the time.

I knew he had a thuggish background, I know he wasn't regarded fondly, but I had no idea that so many important and prominent boxing people looked at him as being so bad for the fight game.

 

:thumbsup

 

:deal He sure was! Both as a man and as a fighter.

 

This is the thing with boxing if you are good enough you can be champ doesn't matter who you are.

 

Floyd Patterson, 1961 before fighting Sonny Liston,

"He's had a pretty rough life. I think Liston will realize the responsibility he has
to the boys of America if he wins the Championship."


Tom McNeeley, Heavyweight Boxer, 1961

"Sonny is like a 'hot potato', he's way too hot to handle. He has every right to
fight for the Championship, but don't get too close or you'll get burned."

 

Don't mess with this car, or Sonny will bust your ass!!!!

1962 Cadillac 6200 Series, Six-Window Sedan

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Why was Sonny and his criminal past seen as such a threat ?

His contemporary contenders Eddie Machen and Cleveland Williams had similar backgrounds or unpredictable behaviours.
Champs like Rocky Graziano and even Archie Moore had started out as criminal delinquents.

Is it because Sonny was good enough to be champion ? Or because his criminal acitivities and associations were thought to be ongoing ?
Or was it just an unfortunate journalistic angle that was in-step with the times ?

 

dumb statement from Jack dempsey

 

1961

Joe Louis

'What boxing needs is another Harry Wills. In Sonny, I see that talent.'

'Look, everybody has a Black Cat or two in their closet. I know Sonny has a couple,
but I don't want to open that door and find a whole cluster of them in there.'

 

Pretty high on his pulpit for a slacker and a pimp.

 

Yeah, Dempsey's showing some of that 'reformed bad guy syndrome'.

Looks like he was making a little bit too much effort to pin his colours on the 'good guys' mast, and make some distance between himself and the new 'bad guy' of boxing.