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

It was a flash knockdown. Ali actually did land a perfect right cross counter over the jab and Liston didn't see it coming (you can clearly see his head snap and it going straight to his legs). It happens. He was more surprised than hurt and the punch caught him completely off guard (I don't think more than 1-2 other boxers in that entire era knew how to land a fast cross counter and I don't think it ever happened to Liston before). There was no "fix" as far as Ali producing a knockdown, that's just basic sweet science on display.

Now as far as Liston staying down, that's a different conversation. What he says is absolutely true, Ali was being a nut and breaking the rules yelling and threatening him. Even Ali did not expect to drop the fearsome Liston so early and he was fully aware that there were rumors about the fight being surrounded by corruption and didn't want his reputation sullied. Likewise, the ref Walcott was trying hard to control Ali and do his job to wait till he was in a corner to begin the count so no funny business there. The only things suspicious is Walcott being incompetent and listening to Fleischer (who has ZERO authority) declaring a bizarre "KO" and the very real possibility Liston chose to stay down because he just didn't want to make the effort anymore (he'd be starting the 1st round off 10-8 against a younger, much faster, hungrier champion and would be playing catch-up the whole time and would likely need a KO to win given the pace and momentum) or who knows what other reasons.

But it's entirely possible Liston didn't throw anything, suffered from horrible officiating, and lost deflated with no more real passion for the sport. It could be that simple.

 

It wasn't a one punch knockout tho...?

Scoring a sudden flash knockdown with a sharp counter the opponent didn't see coming is completely normal in boxing.

 

Boxers get up from flash knockdowns. That's why they are called flash knockdowns.

This was for the heavyweight championship of the world. If Liston had wanted to get up, he would of. I dont believe for a second that a man like Liston who got regular beatings his entire life, from his Father to the police, was scared of Ali hitting him on his way up. Less than a single round of punches from Ali was not enough to floor Liston.

Too many things don't add up for me.

Liston never in his entire career experienced another one. Not one other flash knockdown. Odd dont you think?

If it truly was some devastating "anchor punch" as Ali claimed, why did he never use it again? If it was just a flash knockdown, why the B.S. about an anchor punch?

Police reports stated they couldn't knock Liston down. Foreman said he never hurt Liston when they were sparring partners. I could go on but I won't.

You believe what you want to and I'll do the same.

 

He did get up. And then chose to stay down per his own words because of Ali's threatening and standing over him. No one is saying he was severely hurt and couldn't get up, even Ali's biggest fans don't claim that. You need to read carefully before reaching a conclusion.

As for the anchor punch, he actually did use it in other fights such as against Folley. Dundee stated in an interview he taught other boxers in the gym the technique.

 

Accepting the punch to be legitimate enough to have put Liston down for a flash KD - then of course Liston would be wary of being hit on the way up by a guy who had just hurt him sufficiently to put him down.

Natural to be concerned that Ali could lay even more hurt on him with Liston in an even more vulnerable position than he was when hit by the anchor punch.

What Ali did after Liston went to down was not normal or legal and it was threatening - its impact and effect on Liston’s actions after hitting the deck cannot be divorced from the equation.

When Ali put Bonavena down, Ali didn’t retreat to a neutral corner and the ref could barely keep Ali away from the rising Oscar - Ali even went so far as to slap down the ref’s outstretched, restraining arm to get at Oscar asap. A lot of rules broken there.

 

He also used it against Cleveland Williams.