Why is there so much mystery about Lewiston when Sonny Liston tells exactly what happened?

"I can tell you what happened there. Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. I was down but not hurt, but
saw Ali standing over me. Now there is no way to get up from the canvas without being exposed to a great shot. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. I have to put one knee and one glove on the canvas to get up. You know Ali is a nut. You can tell what a normal man is going to do, but you can't tell what a nut is going to do , and Ali is a nut."

-Sonny Liston

Taschen , A Tribute To Muhammad Ali, Page 222.

 

Mystique and conspiracy unfortunately are more interesting than reality.

 

No, just no. First it wasn't a great shot, Jimmy Lennon at ringside said it wouldn't have busted a grape, second after he got to one knee with his glove on the canvas he rolled onto his back like he'd been shot. Worst acting job in boxing history.

 

I guess I'd offer "what was he supposed to say?" to the discussion

 

I believe him. It was a sharp counter that Liston ran into. Legit knockdown imo, but I dont think it was enough to keep Liston down.

 

Precisely how I see it.

 

I think it was a legitimate hit, especially in the spot where it connected, Sonny went down and decided “Frick this merde.” The end.

 

There is certain irony in Ali shouting "Get up!" while preventing the fallen bear from getting up. I don't think Sonny wanted it anyway tho.

 

Probably because Sonny Liston was heavily mob-affiliated and is therefore an unreliable source?

 

This is it, it's the apparent acting once down for me. I can't be 100% certain, but the 2nd fall/roll onto the canvas after his 1st apparent attempt to rise, looks seriously suspicious to me. Not only does it appear to be an enactment of being hurt, it looks like a really poor impersonation to me.

 

he also shouted ,"ain't nobody gonna believe this S#%t " He'd heard the fix rumors too.

 

That's where the story falls apart. Anyone can get hit with a shot they don't see. It was the odd way he got and took a knee and then rolled back down and laid there on his back with his arms up. It was very forced.

 

For lack of any real evidence of a fix, I tend to believe Liston's version. The way he lay flat on his back makes sense if, as he says, he was afraid Ali was going to hit him while he was down and so he was staying out of Ali's reach. You notice that as soon as Walcott hustled Ali away, Liston started climbing up onto one knee, but then when Ali came running up behind him he rolled over onto his back again.

 

Wouldn't Ali be disqualified if he punched Liston while Sonny was on his knees? Wouldn't Liston know that?

 

Yeah I think it was a good shot, but Walcott than lost control of the fight. And we know what happen after that.