Boxing History
47 years later: Sonny Liston’s death is still a mystery
Published
5 months agoon
What was going on in the life of the great Sonny Liston 47 years ago this week? Was the former heavyweight king soon to be found dead, taking drugs in a fit of self-pity in his Las Vegas apartment, or was the (officially) 38-year-old framed for attacking a mob as murky forces rapidly closed in? Or was Liston actually dead on Boxing Day 1970?
We’ll never, ever know – not for sure, anyway; even if many in and around boxing have differing views on how Sonny, truly one of the most enigmatic and enduring boxers in history, met an untimely end.
What we know for sure is that:
Liston last fought on June 29, 1970, defeating Chuck Wepner (whose biopic The Bleeder is worth watching if you haven’t already) and ultimately suffering a bloody retirement defeat in the ninth round of a corner. This victory, coming six months after Liston had been badly beaten—by a knockout at the hands of Leotis Martin—proved nothing at the time except that the once-feared heavyweight king was still trying to make a living fighting.
Wepner, a 31-year-old from Bayonne, Up-to-date Jersey, with a 20-5-2 record, was a tough brawler who had fought with names like Buster Mathis and George Foreman (Liston’s sparring partner in the slow ’60s and early ’70s) — and he had a ring name that spoke volumes. Known in the business as “The Bayonne Bleeder” for the horrific facial atrocities his paper-thin skin endured in the ring, Wepner often left the arena with his face requiring stitches, win, lose or draw.
Liston (49-4 overall) was thought to have a chance of regaining his former title – the one he surprisingly and meekly surrendered in his infamous fight with Cassius Clay in February 1964 – but he still had more than his fair share of chances to win the title by taking care of the hard-hitting Wepner. Sure enough, in a largely one-sided fight, Liston won by TKO. After knocking out the robust Wepner in the fifth round with a body shot, the 38-year-old also began tearing Chuck’s face apart.
At one point, as the story goes, Liston told his cornerman that he couldn’t hit Wepner any more; what damage he had done to the brave brawler’s face. Finally, after the ninth set, referee Barney Felix, through the ringside doctor, signaled that he had seen enough and dragged a heavily bloodied Wepner out. Later, when asked if Wepner was the bravest man he had ever known, Liston replied, “No, his manger is.” Wepner’s manager was Al Braverman (played brilliantly by Ron Perlman in the aforementioned “Bleeding Man”).
But the Liston-Wepner fight would have no significance today for two reasons: first, it was the last fight of the all-time great champion’s career, and second, there were rumors that Sonny had been ordered to fight and was killed because he didn’t do what he was told. That last element, suspicion, is why the 1970 fight is still talked about all these years later.
For years, rumors have circulated that Liston, who had been ordered to dive by Wepner’s mob “handlers” to earn a package from bookmakers, was subsequently killed for not following the rules. And there’s no doubt that just six months after the brawl ended, Liston was found dead in his Las Vegas apartment (the official story is that Sonny’s wife, Geraldine, returned home from a trip to find her husband dead and already decomposing on Jan. 5, 1971—six months and two days after the Wepner fight).
But was Liston really murdered, and was it the mob or someone else who did it?
The official story is that Liston, a man who had always been afraid of needles, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but it was likely an accidental heroin overdose. A syringe was reportedly found near Liston’s body, petite bags of heroin were found in his kitchen, and, perhaps most importantly, a petite stab wound was apparent on his right arm. However, when authorities arrived, Liston’s body was so badly decomposed that a full autopsy was impossible. To this day, Liston’s death screams murder in many circles. But would the mob, if it had ever done the deed, really have waited six long months to pay Liston back for not diving as he demanded?
But if he wasn’t murdered, was Sonny the victim of a self-inflicted overdose? Many close to him doubt that. For one thing, his wife Geraldine has always maintained that her slow husband was not a drug addict, and Liston’s last manager, the slow Davey, a jewel of refereeing fame (Leonard-Hearns I, I think), famously said that Liston had been hospitalized about a month before the Wepner match, and that the tough guy, who was afraid of needles, had been given an IV; thus explaining the needle mark on the former champion’s arm.
Add all that to the fact that more than half a dozen detectives have tried to do the same thing over the last five decades, and Liston’s death remains a damn mystery. Indeed, Liston’s entire life was something of a mystery. As one great writer once put it; no one knows exactly when Sonny was born, and no one knows exactly when he died. Liston was officially two years shy of 40, but some experts believe he was closer to 50.
One thing we can all agree on, though, is how great Liston was in the ring (at least from 1958-62). Liston may not have led the most fulfilling life, and he may be best remembered for his three fight losses (two to Muhammad Ali, the other in his Vegas apartment in early 1971), but Charles “Sonny” Liston remains one of the most intriguing men to ever fight for his life.
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Boxing History
Bunny Sterling’s great legacy in British boxing
Published
3 weeks agoon
December 4, 2024St Pancras’ BUNNY STERLING will always be remembered as the first black non-British-born player to win a British title. He was the first to benefit from rule changes introduced by the Board in 1968 and defeated one of the golden boys of British boxing, winning the title.
Mark Rowe had a very successful amateur career, culminating in winning a gold medal at the 1966 Commonwealth Games held in Perth, Australia. Representing England, Rowe overtook Scotsman Tom Imrie to win welterweight gold, sweet revenge for the Londoner after being knocked out by Imrie in the ABA final at the same weight just over three months earlier. When Rowe turned around two months later, it was in a blaze of publicity at the Royal Albert Hall.
Meanwhile, Bunny made his professional debut at the less austere Shoreditch Town Hall. Losing points over six rounds to Islington’s Joe Devitt BN stated that Sterling “was willing, threw one or two punches and always resisted. A boy from St Pancras given the chance to learn a trade would do well.”
Sterling came to the UK aged seven from Jamaica in 1955 and attended Fortescue boarding school in Twickenham, where he played rugby, football and cricket. He was also involved in boxing, and as an amateur at the BC Polytechnic University he came under the tutelage of the slow, great George Francis. Knowing a good player when he saw one, George encouraged Bunny to turn professional and stayed with him as his coach. A loss to Devitt was quickly followed by two more, but Bunny learned from those losses and quickly turned things around, winning the next seven.
By 1969, he was mixing it with artists such as Johnny Kramer, Wally Swift, Harry Scott and Dick Duffy. Despite losing to all four fighters, Sterling was selected by the management to fight in a British middleweight title eliminator against Denny Pleace and defeated him over nine rounds at the Anglo-American Sporting Club. Then came the final eliminator against Harry Scott and Sterling got his revenge by beating the Liverpool veteran of twelve years in Nottingham.
Rowe won the British title at Wembley in May 1970, defeating fellow Liverpudlian Les McAteer in 14 rounds, and when he faced Sterling four months later in his first defense, most thought he would be able to finally defeat Sterling . BN was no exception and predicted Rowe to win after the break. The two fighters could not have had more contrasting careers, with Rowe winning his last 15 fights, mostly on major London events, and Bunny, who found it arduous to get fights, losing regularly and campaigning on the continent to find work.
Rowe’s trainer, Bill Chevalley, was already talking about pairing his boy with world champion Nino Benvenuti after he defeated Sterling, but those plans were thwarted by in-ring events at Wembley in September 1970. The Commonwealth title was also at stake, and Bunny, what was at stake BN called the “shock of the year” had nothing to do with it. He boxed on the back foot for the first two rounds, trying to avoid the powerful punches of the stalking Rowe, and then after catching Rowe’s head and causing a cut, Rowe charged at him, looking for an early stoppage.
This brought out the best in Sterling, who boxed better than ever before and managed to avoid Rowe’s desperate attacks. Rowe was then cut on the other side of his face, with blood pouring from two solemn cuts, and referee Wally Thom stopped the fight after four rounds, much to the annoyance of Rowe and his camp.
Bunny remained champion for four years, winning the Lonsdale belt outright before losing to Kevin Finnegan in February 1974. He was the first immigrant to win a British title and his place in British boxing history is assured.
Boxing History
Leotis Martin has beaten the fearsome heavyweight beast
Published
3 weeks agoon
November 29, 2024Name and surname: Leotis Martin
Born: March 10, 1939 Helena, Arkansas, USA
Died: November 20, 1995
Career: 1962–1969
Record: 36 fights, 31 wins (19 by KO/TKO), 5 defeats (2 by KO/TKO).
Division: heavyweight
Attitude: orthodox
Titles: NABF Heavyweight Champion
Major competitions
Goals scored over: Allan Harmon, Sonny Banks, Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila, Mariano Echevarria, Billy Daniels, Karl Mildenberger*, Thad Spencer, Alvin Lewis (twice), Roger Russell, Sonny Liston **
Lost to: Floyd McCoy, Jimmy Ellis**, Roger Russell, Henry Clark, Oscar Bonavena*
**Former/future world title version holder
*Unsuccessful challenger to the world title version
The boxing story of Leotis Martin
As an amateur, Martin had an outstanding record. In March 1960 at the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, he defeated future foe Jimmy Ellis in the 160-pound final and a month later. At the Intercity Golden Gloves (the predecessor of the National Golden Gloves), he won the 160-pound title. He also won the U.S. title in April 1960 again at 160 pounds (newborn Cassius Clay was the 178-pound champion that year), but lost in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic trials in May. In 1961, he repeated his victory in the Intercity Golden Gloves, but lost in the semi-final of the 1961 national finals.
He moved to Philadelphia and was trained by Yank Durham, who also trained Joe Frazier. Martin had his first professional fight in Canada on January 26, 1962, against American Bobby Warthen, whom he defeated in the final of the Intercity Golden Gloves in 1960. He then crossed the border and scored three wins in Pennsylvania in 1962. In 1963, he won 9 -1 in ten fights and lost by upset KO to 14-14-1 Floyd McCoy.
He won five in a row, but one victory went to Sonny Banks. Banks, a ponderous puncher, knocked down Cassius Clay in the first round of their 1962 fight, only to be stopped in the fourth. On May 10, 1965, Banks was winning against Martin, who was badly shaken in the ninth throw, but delivered a counter right that sent Banks down, hitting his head on the canvas. Banks was taken from the ring on a stretcher. He never recovered and died three days later.
Martin returned to the ring with a victory in October 1965 and scored victories over Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila and Spaniard Mariano Echevarria. Victories over several underdogs pushed his record to 23-1 by June 1967. When Muhammad Ali refused to enlist in the U.S. Army, the WBA stripped him of his title and held a tournament to determine a novel champion. Martin was selected to compete in the qualifiers, and in the quarterfinals he drew with Jimmy Ellis, his rival from his amateur days, when they lost 1-1 in two fights. It wouldn’t be a heavyweight fight at this point.
They both climbed on the weights. Martin weighed 160 pounds in his first fight and weighed 192 pounds in this fight. Ellis weighed just 157 pounds and was 194 ¼. Ellis won easily. He was too swift for Martin from the start and Martin staggered repeatedly before the fight was stopped in the ninth throw as blood poured from a cut in Martin’s mouth. Ellis defeated Oscar Bonavena in the semifinals to win the vacant WBA title by majority decision over Jerry Quarry.
Martin came close to disappearing from the heavyweight scene when he lost a split decision to Roger Russell in November 1967. The year 1968 was a period of ups and downs for Martin. In April he went to Germany, where he defeated Karl Mildenberger three times and knocked him out in the seventh round.
The rollercoaster went down when he lost a majority decision to Henry Clark just twenty-two days after the Mildenberger fight, and then it went up again in May when he stopped Thad Spencer in nine rounds in one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever seen at the British ring. It was surprising to see two Americans on top of the Albert Hall show, but the fight will forever be remembered by those who saw it. Down went down the rollercoaster again when Martin was easily beaten on points by Oscar Bonavena in Buenos Aires in September.
Martin was dismissed as unpredictable and once again on the verge of being the favorite in the heavyweight division. But it was another uptick from the rollercoaster of 1968, when he faced Alvin “Blue” Lewis 19-1 in November and stopped Lewis in the ninth round in front of Lewis’ home fans. Lewis demanded a return and in February 1969, again in Detroit, Martin won by split decision. Martin retained Wendell Newton in October and made up for his 1967 loss to Roger Russell in November.
Martin’s fate was about to change. Since losing his second fight to Ali in 1965, Sonny Liston had won 14 straight fights, 13 by KO/TKO, and Martin was selected as winner number 15. They were to meet in Las Vegas on December 6, 1969. twelve rounds, and the inaugural title of the North American Boxing Federation is at stake. Liston had a 20-pound advantage over Martin and was three inches taller. The downside for Liston is that he’s a week away from his thirty-ninth birthday.
Yet Liston was still feared. Martin helped Liston prepare for fights with Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, so he knew Liston well. He decided that if he could survive the early rounds, he would face the weakening Liston and have a chance to win. It didn’t look like Martin’s plan was going to work when Liston dropped him with a left hook overdue in the fourth round.
Martin survived the remaining 30 seconds and boxed in retreat, partly as part of his plan but also because of Liston’s hammer jab. Even on the retreat, Martin was finding the mark with his own jab and using his younger legs to set a faster pace than Liston wanted. After eight rounds of chasing the retreating Martin, Liston was ahead with three points on two cards and two points on the third, but Liston was tiring.
In the eighth round, Martin shook off a huge left hook and began to push Liston away with more punches. In the ninth, Martin missed Liston and then delivered a demanding cross to the head that stunned Liston. Martin landed lefts and rights and Liston fell face first onto the canvas, not moving for the 10 second count. This rollercoaster reached novel heights, with Martin earning the best win of his career and a shot at the world title.
But this is Leotis Martin and the roller coaster has taken one last cruel turn. Martin was diagnosed with retinal detachment and forced to retire. The injury was said to be from the Liston fights, but there was a mention that he was battling an injury from before the Liston fight. Eye surgery has advanced and a detached retina would not automatically be a reason for retirement today, but for Martin in 1969 it meant the end of his career.
During his boxing career from 1964, Martin worked full-time as a mechanic for a manufacturing company and continued this work until his retirement in 1995. In November of that year, he suffered a stroke caused by high blood pressure and complications of diabetes and died at the age of only 56.
Boxing History
Leotis Martin has beaten the fearsome heavyweight beast
Published
3 weeks agoon
November 29, 2024Name and surname: Leotis Martin
Born: March 10, 1939 Helena, Arkansas, USA
Died: November 20, 1995
Career: 1962–1969
Record: 36 fights, 31 wins (19 by KO/TKO), 5 defeats (2 by KO/TKO).
Division: heavyweight
Attitude: orthodox
Titles: NABF Heavyweight Champion
Major competitions
Goals scored over: Allan Harmon, Sonny Banks, Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila, Mariano Echevarria, Billy Daniels, Karl Mildenberger*, Thad Spencer, Alvin Lewis (twice), Roger Russell, Sonny Liston **
Lost to: Floyd McCoy, Jimmy Ellis**, Roger Russell, Henry Clark, Oscar Bonavena*
**Former/future world title version holder
*Unsuccessful challenger to the world title version
The boxing story of Leotis Martin
As an amateur, Martin had an outstanding record. In March 1960 at the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, he defeated future foe Jimmy Ellis in the 160-pound final and a month later. At the Intercity Golden Gloves (the predecessor of the National Golden Gloves), he won the 160-pound title. He also won the U.S. title in April 1960 again at 160 pounds (youthful Cassius Clay was the 178-pound champion that year), but lost in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic trials in May. In 1961, he repeated his victory in the Intercity Golden Gloves, but lost in the semi-final of the 1961 national finals.
He moved to Philadelphia and was trained by Yank Durham, who also trained Joe Frazier. Martin had his first professional fight in Canada on January 26, 1962, against American Bobby Warthen, whom he defeated in the final of the Intercity Golden Gloves in 1960. He then crossed the border and scored three wins in Pennsylvania in 1962. In 1963, he won 9 -1 in ten fights and lost by upset KO to 14-14-1 Floyd McCoy.
He won five in a row, but one victory went to Sonny Banks. Banks, a ponderous puncher, knocked down Cassius Clay in the first round of their 1962 fight, only to be stopped in the fourth. On May 10, 1965, Banks was winning against Martin, who was badly shaken in the ninth throw, but delivered a counter right that sent Banks down, hitting his head on the canvas. Banks was taken from the ring on a stretcher. He never recovered and died three days later.
Martin returned to the ring with a victory in October 1965 and scored victories over Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila and Spaniard Mariano Echevarria. Victories over several underdogs pushed his record to 23-1 by June 1967. When Muhammad Ali refused to enlist in the U.S. Army, the WBA stripped him of his title and held a tournament to determine a fresh champion. Martin was selected to compete in the qualifiers, and in the quarterfinals he drew with Jimmy Ellis, his rival from his amateur days, when they lost 1-1 in two fights. It wouldn’t be a heavyweight fight at this point.
They both climbed on the weights. Martin weighed 160 pounds in his first fight and weighed 192 pounds in this fight. Ellis weighed just 157 pounds and was 194 ¼. Ellis won easily. He was too speedy for Martin from the start and Martin staggered repeatedly before the fight was stopped in the ninth throw as blood poured from a cut in Martin’s mouth. Ellis defeated Oscar Bonavena in the semifinals to win the vacant WBA title by majority decision over Jerry Quarry.
Martin came close to disappearing from the heavyweight scene when he lost a split decision to Roger Russell in November 1967. The year 1968 was a period of ups and downs for Martin. In April he went to Germany, where he defeated Karl Mildenberger three times and knocked him out in the seventh round.
The rollercoaster went down when he lost a majority decision to Henry Clark just twenty-two days after the Mildenberger fight, and then it went up again in May when he stopped Thad Spencer in nine rounds in one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever seen at the British ring. It was surprising to see two Americans on top of the Albert Hall show, but the fight will forever be remembered by those who saw it. Down went down the rollercoaster again when Martin was easily beaten on points by Oscar Bonavena in Buenos Aires in September.
Martin was dismissed as unpredictable and once again on the verge of being the favorite in the heavyweight division. But it was another uptick from the rollercoaster of 1968, when he faced Alvin “Blue” Lewis 19-1 in November and stopped Lewis in the ninth round in front of Lewis’ home fans. Lewis demanded a return and in February 1969, again in Detroit, Martin won by split decision. Martin retained Wendell Newton in October and made up for his 1967 loss to Roger Russell in November.
Martin’s fate was about to change. Since losing his second fight to Ali in 1965, Sonny Liston had won 14 straight fights, 13 by KO/TKO, and Martin was selected as winner number 15. They were to meet in Las Vegas on December 6, 1969. twelve rounds, and the inaugural title of the North American Boxing Federation is at stake. Liston had a 20-pound advantage over Martin and was three inches taller. The downside for Liston is that he’s a week away from his thirty-ninth birthday.
Yet Liston was still feared. Martin helped Liston prepare for fights with Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, so he knew Liston well. He decided that if he could survive the early rounds, he would face the weakening Liston and have a chance to win. It didn’t look like Martin’s plan was going to work when Liston dropped him with a left hook slow in the fourth round.
Martin survived the remaining 30 seconds and boxed in retreat, partly as part of his plan but also because of Liston’s hammer jab. Even on the retreat, Martin was finding the mark with his own jab and using his younger legs to set a faster pace than Liston wanted. After eight rounds of chasing the retreating Martin, Liston was ahead with three points on two cards and two points on the third, but Liston was tiring.
In the eighth round, Martin shook off a huge left hook and began to push Liston away with more punches. In the ninth, Martin missed Liston and then delivered a demanding cross to the head that stunned Liston. Martin landed lefts and rights and Liston fell face first onto the canvas, not moving for the 10 second count. This rollercoaster reached fresh heights, with Martin earning the best win of his career and a shot at the world title.
But this is Leotis Martin and the roller coaster has taken one last cruel turn. Martin was diagnosed with retinal detachment and forced to retire. The injury was said to be from the Liston fights, but there was a mention that he was battling an injury from before the Liston fight. Eye surgery has advanced and a detached retina would not automatically be a reason for retirement today, but for Martin in 1969 it meant the end of his career.
During his boxing career from 1964, Martin worked full-time as a mechanic for a manufacturing company and continued this work until his retirement in 1995. In November of that year, he suffered a stroke caused by high blood pressure and complications of diabetes and died at the age of only 56.
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