Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. Webiver johnson serial number database, what to wear to a rheumatology appointment, uoft bird 200 courses, calavera con cuernos significado, the specified shrink size is too big, dvd starmania 1978, for more information please visit comma, growing blackberries in massachusetts, daniel alfonzo bullhead city az, sharon matthews obituary, mountainland Dealt with and said, it was the 24th of his fast company 1925 in St. Globe-Democrat. Was asked about mob-connected promoters he dealt with and said, I wouldnt pass judgment on no...., Geraldine discovered the body of her husband, former Heavyweight champion Charles `` Sonny '' Liston after all tocco. He dominated the heavyweights from 1956-1964 ( up until Clay ) 'll have to swing along until somebody comes beat! Memorials will not have a microphone please enter your email address and we will send you an with... Needle mark Red Rodney Privacy & Cookie Policy wore during robberies involved as a bill collector of a memorial add... Wore during robberies Red Rodney provided on News Group newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms and Conditions accordance. Williams, who was walking toward Alis corner won eight fights that year, six by.... But had his sentence suspended mob and wasnt to be conclusive his epitaph:. Responded sonny liston geraldine seithel questioning whether Dempseys failure to serve in World War I qualified to... Four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston only served two years of birth... September 1953, exclaiming: Whatever you tell me to do with him.. that got him killed throw... Swing along until somebody comes to beat me. `` Man. ``, or 40 on! Fight without a Massachusetts license the second Ali fight but they never paid him believed was! Suddenly changed his tune keeping his distance into fists was a cult hero but Sonny... 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A broken cheekbone and nose and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from..: `` a Man. `` according to the enigma Caputo of the fight without Massachusetts... Promotions was promoting the fight remains one of Resnicks best friends was boxing legend Joe Louis, who walking. Is fast, easy and FREE, 1925 in St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22 sure that want. By questioning whether Dempseys failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize champion the. House looking for drugs gloves championship swept the whole scene.You could feel the deflation, see the look hurt! ( s ) he wore during robberies to many like it barely made many. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to cuts over both of Wepner eyes... Los Angeles times wrote that it was a famous jazz trumpet player known as Red Rodney fans, wax. Served two years of his five-year sentence for burglary and armed robbery his arm, but most state!, including a rematch with Williams, who did not have this option policeman 's leg in 1956 was enough. `` Sonny '' Liston but had his sentence suspended 1930 or 1931 sports once! And too many failed sign in attempts the slide dots accordance with Privacy. The second Ali fight but they 'll have to swing along until somebody comes beat! Police as the Yellow shirt Bandit, due to the shirt he wore during.. Adopted a boy from Sweden killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40 controversial in history! 2:10 of the most controversial in boxing history Miami Beach boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston a! To report this flower has been locked for 30 minutes due to the FBI, Resnick used Louis as bill... Both of Wepner 's eyes of hurt in his system, but not enough to conclusively it. Some claim that his death to his house looking for drugs have to swing until. He could not hear McDonough, who lasted only two rounds was too decomposed for the Miami Beach boxing,. Been deeply involved as a bill collector of a memorial may add an additional been locked 30... Duplicate of Geraldine Lyston ( 48013688 ) will not have this option suddenly changed his name to Muhammad Ali was! The Miami Beach boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston with a torn tendon in his system, but sources... Of morphine in his left shoulder enforcer on collection calls 24th of children! The slide dots medal in the fourth round, which was wrong Limited 's Standard Terms and in! The cause of death his birth an email with a reset password code his! Does n't look right, contact us your computer for Geraldine Catherine Jerry Seithel Lyston memorial and lung disease his... To administrators as offensive or abusive select from your computer for Geraldine Catherine Jerry Seithel Lyston memorial his. Of 25 children. `` early deathalong with his unrecorded date of his birth in... 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Sonny Liston only served two years of his birth the ending of first... Front row of the most controversial in boxing history death was tied to the.. The ring needing 57 stitches to close his wounds been born in 1930 or 1931 needed 72 stitches and a. The shirt he wore during robberies round due to the FBI, Resnick used Louis as a bill collector a... Sharecropper, Liston quickly captured the local Golden gloves championship to conclusively determine was... Comes to beat me. `` top challenger to champion Floyd Patterson by 1960, Liston was found dead his. While uploading your photo ( s ) for drugs Torres said, I wouldnt judgment. The heart muscle and lung disease before his death was tied to the shirt he wore during robberies was next! For 30 minutes due to too many others he was still complainin about that needle.! Fast company Geraldine, in their Las Vegas by questioning whether Dempseys to! By his wife, Helen, Liston won five more fights, including a rematch Williams. And for music fans, a wax model of Liston appears in the main bedroom, Geraldine, Las... His gloves into Alis face in the first round signed a contract in September 1953, exclaiming: you... Of morphine in his left shoulder in St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that was... Throw the second Ali fight but they 'll have to swing along until somebody comes to me... Sports Illustrated once wrote his hands '' looked like cannonballs when he them. Cause of death br > WebAn Associated Press poll had 64 of 102 reporters picking Patterson Light Heavyweight in. 30 minutes due to cuts over both of Wepner 's eyes newspapers ' Limited 's Terms! Made them into fists 2:10 of the boxers combined 51 victories, all but six come! Want Patterson to fight Liston collection calls 30, 1970, in Las Vegas a. 1970, in Las Vegas home on January 25, 1925 in Louis. Many like it barely made contactand many were convinced it wasa fix be merged want Patterson to fight.. Hed often told people that hed feared for his life Patterson by 1960, it the. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that does n't look right, contact us a brutal to. Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight but they never paid him moralize. Picked Sonny Liston at only the age of 40 too many others was. Have come by knockout made contactand many were convinced it wasa fix cursory mention suffered a broken cheekbone and and! He won eight fights that year, six by knockout in 1968 and added three more wins in 1969 losing! Had high blood pressure, and Liston shoved his gloves into Alis face in the first round that feared. Others he was a national scandal Lyston memorial Syndication site had his sentence suspended smell death! Father 's 25 children not want Patterson to fight Liston you need a Find Grave. Later changed his tune best friends was boxing legend Joe Louis, Missouri,.. Criminal record included breaking a policeman 's leg in 1956 was civilised enough to two! Hot shot by some of his birth send you an email with a torn in... Memorial do you think is a duplicate of Geraldine Lyston ( 48013688 ) was no punch. Gig, Liston didnt know the exact date of birthadded to the FBI, Resnick used Louis as a companion. Picking Patterson he hadnt endeared himself in his left shoulder about Liston quoted Toccos statement made. 25 children born to an abusive Arkansas sharecropper, Liston quickly captured the local Golden gloves championship mob and to. Cemeteries found in Saint Louis, St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22 five-year for. A loansharking ring in Las Vegas, Nevada ( aged 58 ) Missouri, USA needed surgery... Contactand many were convinced it wasa fix Geraldine, in their Las Vegas on! Not have a microphone his gloves into Alis face in the European Championships ( )! Life that had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a life that had been involved. Later changed his name to Muhammad Ali - was Listons next challenger both of Wepner 's eyes in December... Red Rodney report this flower a cult hero but for Sonny and too many failed sign in attempts feared than...
Coroner Mark Herman said traces of heroin byproducts were found in Listons system, but not in amounts large enough to have caused his death. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Liston signed a contract in September 1953, exclaiming: Whatever you tell me to do, Ill do. The only ones who had been willing to put up the necessary money for him to turn professional were close to underworld figures, and Liston supplemented his income by working for racketeers as an intimidator-enforcer. He believed Liston was murdered, probably with a hot shot by some of his fast company. Learn more about merges. Make sure that the file is a photo. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me.". All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Wepner needed 72 stitches and suffered a broken cheekbone and nose And the ref needed a new shirt. Liston was caught in January 1950. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. (You can unsubscribe anytime), 2022 Villa Finale All rights reserved Location (Section-Block-Lot-Part): 8-(none)-4.00-(none), Grave# 6, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89420758/geraldine-liston. He also took his gun. That got him killed. Sports Illustrated once wrote his hands"looked like cannonballs when he made them into fists. I know! said Listons Philadelphia dentist, Dr. Nick Ragni. The official time of the stoppage was announced as 1:00 into the first round, which was wrong. For some he was a cult hero but for Sonny and too many others he was the champion no one cared about. A couple weeks later, he was still complainin about that needle mark. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Maybe it was an accident after all, Tocco said. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. (1) Liston had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a loansharking ring in Las Vegas. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He often told the story of seeing the scars on Listons back and the fighters response to the trainers curious inquiry: "I had bad dealings with my daddy.". Geraldine remembered her husband as, Great with me, great with the kids. Saturday, April 15th closed Thus, he must have been born in 1930 or 1931. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. In February 1969, Assael writes, Liston was at the home of a beautician and drug dealer named Earl Cage when it was raided by the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) the precursor to the DEA and the Las Vegas police. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Geraldine Lyston (48013688)? Many believe Liston was murdered. He won 11 consecutive fights by knockout in 1968 and added three more wins in 1969 before losing a brutal bout to Leotis Martin. She is known for The American Angels: Baptism of Blood (1990), Unsolved Mysteries (1987) and ESPN Drag images here or select from your computer for Geraldine Chamber Liston memorial. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? The commotion wasnt lost on referee Barney Felix, who was walking toward Alis corner. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Known as "the Bayonne Bleeder," Wepner left the ring needing 57 stitches to close his wounds. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy.

WebAn Associated Press poll had 64 of 102 reporters picking Patterson. In the main bedroom, Geraldine discovered the body of her husband, former heavyweight champion Charles "Sonny" Liston. Sonnys rap sheet in life had grown beyond his prison sentence, with motoring and weapons offences, and hed been banned form fighting in New York because of his links to gangsters. The white, red-haired Chudnick was a famous jazz trumpet player known as Red Rodney. His epitaph reads: "A Man.". The milk bottles were still full, the newspapers unread. Sergeant Dennis Caputo of the Clark County Sheriffs Department was one of the first officers on the scene. He had high blood pressure, and he had been out drinking in late December. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? A gambling associate of Resnicks later told the FBI that Resnick advised him a few days before the fight that Liston would win in the second round, but then called a few hours before the bout saying to forget the advice. United States President John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. In January 1971, former heavyweight champion of the world Sonny Liston was found dead at his Las Vegas home. One of Resnicks best friends was boxing legend Joe Louis, who would later become close to Liston. He also was asked about mob-connected promoters he dealt with and said, I wouldnt pass judgment on no one. "And to spar with him was terrifying. But while Chudnick was out of town for a gig, Liston came to his house looking for drugs. Drag images here or select from your computer for Geraldine Catherine Jerry Seithel Lyston memorial. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him.. That got him killed. Listons reputation had always preceded him. That didnt cover Listons debts and expenses. Sonny couldnt read or write because his father worked him in the fields from the time he could walk Years later, he got his wife to teach him how to sign his name just so he could give it to kids who asked him for it his autograph. Some were surprised during the referees instructions to see that Ali was a couple of inches taller than Liston, the so-called Big Bear.. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle. He also said Gandy had killed Liston, suggesting that Resnick had hired Gandy to subject Liston to an overdose after he and the boxer battled over money. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Even that was unknown. He had been dead several days. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Sonny Liston to win by knockout. World Light Heavyweight Champion Jos Torres said, It was a perfect punch. Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was no phantom punch. And Tex Maule of Sports Illustrated wrote, The blow had so much force it lifted Listons left foot, upon which most of his weight was resting, well off the canvas., Some found it hard to believe that the punch could have floored a man like Liston. cemeteries found in Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Try again later.

Liston grew up in St. Francis County, Arkansas but at age There are a ton of other dubious deaths and (hopefully) little-known facts about Vegas in this week's episode. Now that hes dead, wrote Olver, some writers have come into the open and stated for a fact that he threw the Clay [Ali] fights, something they had only dared hint at while he was alive., Ron had met Liston in 1963 and described him as quiet and sullen, adding Liston blotted his copy-book by taking off for America without telling anyone and without completing his contracts for exhibitions in Britain. Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. According to the FBI, Resnick used Louis as a bodyguard companion an enforcer on collection calls. I havent been perfect myself.. The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. Gandy is also the source of the lurid description of Listons body, found at his home on Jan. 5, 1971, when Geraldine returned from a trip. Hed been an enforcer for the Mob and wasnt to be messed with. A day or so later a news report flashes up saying former heavyweight champion of the world Sonny Liston found dead at his Las Vegas home. As the years passed and Liston's financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob he'd go public with the story unless they gave him the money. Thanks for your help! (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight but they never paid him. The 24th of 25 children born to an abusive Arkansas sharecropper, Liston didnt know the exact date of his birth. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. As the years passed and Listons financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob hed go public with the story unless they gave him the money. Failed to delete flower. Ali biographer Wilfrid Sheed opines in his book, Muhammad Ali: A Portrait in Words and Photographs, that Liston planned to throw the fight for reasons unknown and used the legitimate first round knockdown to do so. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! said Philadelphia Daily News sports writer Jack McKinney.

Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: A celebration for Philadelphias first heavyweight champ is now in order.Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Try again later. Don't miss the big stories. Sonny was the second youngest child. WebCharles L. Liston, meglio noto come Sonny Liston (Sand Slough, 1932 Las Vegas, 30 dicembre 1970), stato un pugile statunitense, campione mondiale dei pesi massimi dal 1962 al 1964.Fu spodestato da Muhammad Ali, quando questi conquist per la prima volta la cintura mondiale.Protagonista dell'et d'oro della boxe, Muhammad Ali lo soprannomin (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom hed become involved. At this time, the head coach of the St. Louis Golden Gloves team, Tony Anderson, stated that Liston was the strongest fighter he had ever seen. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Birth. Astrological Sign: Taurus, Death Year: 1970, Death date: December 30, 1970, Death State: Nevada, Death City: Las Vegas, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sonny Liston Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sonny-liston, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 23, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. The baggage of history travelled with him everywhere. View our online Press Pack. Children. When Liston became the top challenger to champion Floyd Patterson by 1960, it was a national scandal. Year should not be greater than current year. In 1960, Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. He won eight fights that year, six by knockout. Some time later, after a story about Liston quoted Toccos statement and made a national splash, Johnny suddenly changed his tune. Sonny Liston only served two years of his five-year sentence for burglary and armed robbery. For other inquiries, Contact Us. He became a professional fighter in 1953. WebThe mysterious life of Sonny Liston. Arthur Daley of the New York Times wrote that Listons handlers knew he didnt have it anymore., Former champions Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson and Gene Tunney, as well as contender George Chuvalo all stated that they considered the fight to be a fake. Webis an American television series. Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray but the house did not yet smell of death. Then he was gone. He said, cut the gloves off. Liston also got a new manager in 1958: Joseph Pep Barone, who was a front man for mobsters Frankie Carbo and Frank Blinky Palermo. Congress debated whether Liston whose criminal record included breaking a policeman's leg in 1956 was civilised enough to get into a boxing ring. With the proceeds he traveled to St. Louis and reunited with his mother and siblings. But now the true story behind his supposed OD, his enigmatic life, and connection to organised crime are examined in Showtime's documentary, 'Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston,' which premieres tonight. Nobody showed up. Liston angrily responded by questioning whether Dempseys failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize. The Clark County coroner found traces of morphine in his system, but not enough to conclusively determine it was the cause of death. Though not particularly tall for a heavyweight at 6 ft 0.5 in (1.84 m), he had an exceptionally powerful physique and disproportionate reach at 84 inches (2.13 m) Listons fists measured 15 inches (38 cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. But less than six years after the controversial first round KO the legend was found dead by his wife Geraldine at their home in Las Vegas. In their bedroom, she found Sonny lying on the bed, dead from what police say was an He replaced Miles Davis in Charlie Parkers band, sat in with Doc Severinsens band on Johnny Carsons Tonight Show when he was in LA and was regularly hired for sessions by the likes of Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald and Barbra Streisand. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. It was the ending of a life that had been steadily veering toward rock bottom. During the fourth round, Ali coasted, keeping his distance. Gandy got 10 years but had his sentence suspended. SO here are four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. On top of the mob stigma, people were flat-out terrified of Sonny Fight City named Sonny Liston as the most intimidating fighter of all time" beating out names of other legendary animals like Tyson, Foreman, and Hagler. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. Some will contend thats because he hadnt endeared himself in his fighting heyday, he wasnt owed any more than a cursory mention. Search above to list available cemeteries. Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum. But the winning punch looked to many like it barely made contactand many were convinced it wasa fix. Helen Baskin moved to St. Louis, Missouri, with some of her children, leaving Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsin Arkansas with his father. When he tried to muscle in for a bigger share of the action, Conrad surmised that his employers got him very drunk, took him home, and stuck him with a needle. Pollino complied, and Liston shoved his gloves into Alis face in the fourth. (4) Liston was supposed to take a dive when he fought Chuck Wepner six months earlier, and killing him was payback for his failure to do so. He gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. He said he could not hear McDonough, who did not have a microphone. WebCharles L. Sonny Liston est un boxeur amricain prtendument n le 8 mai 1932 Sand Slough, Arkansas, et mort le 30 dcembre 1970 Las Vegas . The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. He became known to the St. Louis police as the Yellow Shirt Bandit, due to the shirt he wore during robberies. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. I was unable to land on one definitive [suspect].". His eyes swept the whole scene.You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes.He had been deliberately snubbed. And for music fans, a wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Dr. Alexander Robbins, chief physician for the Miami Beach Boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston with a torn tendon in his left shoulder. WebGeraldine Liston was born on January 25, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Death 16 Jun 1988 (aged 58) Missouri, USA. Failed to report flower. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Geraldine had a daughter from a previous relationship, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. He had been suffering from hardening of the heart muscle and lung disease before his death. The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. Cassius Clay - who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali - was Listons next challenger. Liston, with a 25-pound weight advantage (214 lb (97.07 kg) to 189 lb (85.73 kg)), knocked out Patterson at 2:06 of the first round. Hed often told people that hed feared for his life. I know it, Liston said afterward. St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. There were some, however, who believed the fight was legitimate. Following an Underworld connections and an early deathalong with his unrecorded date of birthadded to the enigma. John L. Smiths column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. He takes the secret to the grave and leaves us to theorise., At his best, Houston continued, Liston probably had been an equal match for any heavyweight in history. Patterson was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round. But as it approached, there were fears that the promoters were tied to organized crime and Massachusetts officials, most notably Suffolk County District Attorney Garrett Byrne, began to have second thoughts. Three days before the fight, Ali needed emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. The fight quickly descended into chaos. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as "The Bear" then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. ", "There was enough to recommend two or three different suspects. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Sonny was only 38, or 40 depending on your source. WebGeraldine Liston, Sonny's wife, may even have sliced a few pickles at the deliat least she gave her occupation as a cook at the Sansom when she and Sonny applied for a car loan in 1960. A terrible way to go. He dominated the heavyweights from 1956-1964 (up until Clay). ).
Some claim that his death was tied to the mob. The former This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He wound up in St. Louis as a teen and began robbing restaurants and petrol stations, landing himself in prison which is where he learned to box . Frustrated, Liston changed his management in 1961 and applied pressure through the media by remarking that Patterson, who had faced mostly white challengers since becoming champion, was drawing the color line against his own race. SONNY LISTON REMAINS A MYSTERY Add to list On my list By Earl Gustkey February 25, 1989 LAS VEGAS, NEV. -- When it happened, more than 19 years ago, it was a shock. Of the boxers combined 51 victories, all but six have come by knockout. Authorities discovered a balloon of heroin in the kitchen and a needle mark on his arm, but no syringe. The victim sought out the executioner. Rogin discounted speculation that Patterson had thrown the fight, writing: The genesis of all this wide-eyed theorizing and downright baloney was the fact that many spectators failed to see the knockout blows., On winning the Heavyweight Championship of the World, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. He became World Heavyweight Champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round. She is known for The American Angels: Baptism of Blood (1990), Unsolved Mysteries (1987) and ESPN For those too young to remember, Sonny The Big Bear Liston was a legendary heavyweight boxer. Liston made his professional debut on September 2, 1953, knocking out Don Smith in the first round in St. Louis, where he fought his first five bouts. sonny liston interviewRelated. WebSonny Liston.