He actually was forced out. He wasn’t brave. He wanted to quit! It’s a well documented fact Ali was screaming “Cut em off! Cut em off! I can’t see !!! They’re cheating us !!!! Cut em off!!!”. Angelo Dundee told him this for the championship of the world and to shut his mouth and to run until his eyes cleared. Ali even admitted it in his 1975 autobiography. Angelo Dundee saved Ali on a few occasions. Without Dundee, the Ali legend as we know it would look much different. That said, don’t get it twisted, Ali was indeed a brave man, there’s no question about that. He stood up against the USA government.
He was one of the greatest, there was/is no greatest. Brown, Liston, Marciano, Ali, Frazier, Norton, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox, etc. They all beat each other. Norton beat Ali at least twice, despite the ridiculous decision at Yankee Stadium, Frazier put a beatdown on him in the first fight and the 2nd and 3rd were draws that they gave to Ali. But he was indeed a great, great fighter, the speed, his amazing ability to take a beating, and he could hurt you with either hand. But nobody could self promote like him and so many people think he's no 1 because of it.
@@jamespenny9482 Wait a minute, you are spewing out a lot of names w/ not much facts to support. In reference to the Ali-Frazier fights, the first was not a beatdown, extremely close fight. It was Frazier's body punches vs Ali's jab (just watched the fight again recently and scored it). Ali landed a lot of jabs AND big punches all over Frazier. Frazier took it to Ali w/ tons of body shots. I had it as a one point fight and if you recall, Frazier was so beaten up so bad that he was in the hospital for over a week after the fight. Fight#2 was a sleepwalk win for Ali, Joe just didn't seem that inspired; the fire seemed to be gone. Fight#3 was a TKO victory for Ali, close on the scorecards yes. As for the other fighters you mention, Marciano never lost a fight, Liston lost his two biggest fights to Ali, Holyfield destroyed Tyson twice, etc. There is much more context than your assertion that "they all beat each other".
@@danielrivera2365 so true. In this fight his hands were lightning. He was able to put together combinations that came from everywhere. And Ali was a big heavyweight. A lot of people missed that because he was so graceful. He manhandled most heavyweights in the clinches. He was an artful boxer who studied the great ones. And very, very few could take a punch like he did, which became his achilles heel. His courage. I remember a fight where Ernie Shavers hit him with a punch that still gives me the willies. All Ali did was clown about about it.
and he could avoid a punch like nobody. get out of the way of it. slip. but Sonny did shake ALI up (in B&W here) in the first fight w/ a solid combo. early signs that some folks missed, that he had a good chin. it would've KO'd other HW's.
the second fight ,which Sonny talks about, was only made worse because retired HW Walcott ref'd the fight poorly, starting the count a day and a half after the shot heard 'round the corner, landed. it took a hard shot to take Sonny down. watch Leotis Martin/Liston. Liston is this time, for real, pulverizzzzed. his last bout I think. but...he supposedly was whacked by wise guys because he wouldn't lay down for Chuck Wepner. "you could look it up", as Stengel used to say.
Here Ali was throwing hard af. Also, these people probably thought he couldnt take a Liston punch but of course he had one of the best chins in boxing.
I'd agree Ali could take a beating for sure. He did it many times as he aged just to tire out his opponent and then attacked when he was drained,Foreman is a good example,Lyle another.
@@olivermeier2949 Foreman hit him in the head about twice in that entire fight, and not once was it a decisive blow. And that makes sense, Foreman had fists made of reinforced concrete. Possibly the most powerful heavy puncher in boxing history. If he connected with Ali's head at any point, Ali probably goes down. He landed nearly all body blows. Seriously, go watch and every time they say "he connects with Ali!" with a head hit or some other similar declaration, watch the hit again in slow motion, it's like he's hitting nothing at all.
So often in these videos about a Trash Talker the Trash Talker gets KO'd. This time the Trash Talker did the beat down. As a teenager back then we all rooted for Ali because we saw him as someone who would stick it to the man.
Muhammad Ali was the ultimate showman and i never realized that when i was young, and he said he copied some of Georgous George act,but Ali was a great promotor and he was so smart at that age.
@@Skip-qr2ocFrazier and Foreman wouldn't land a single a punch and Holmes was very fast, determined and tough as nails but would still drown in the later rounds
I will always remember this fight . Just right before the fight myself and the rest of the of my family I was for Ali, the rest of my family wanted Ali to lose cuz of his mouth. When Ali won the fight I told my mom Dad Brother and Sister, This Man is a good fighter….
Ali's punch which knocked Liston down in the second fight was a peach, the idea that Liston dived is ridiculous. Ali's right hand was deceptively powerful - look at the right hand punch in 1974 which was more damaging to Foreman than the flurry which KOd him seconds later for example. Sonny stumbled into it, the 'anchor punch' was so fast I still find it impossible to decide whether Ali hit him on the chin or forehead despite the films from different angles. It's very interesting too to hear the punch land - wow.
The thing to watch is the shockwave that goes through Liston when he gets hit. It was a very hard punch on the temple and Liston never saw it so he couldn't roll it. A lot of people don't realize how much of a difference seeing a punch and not seeing it makes in how it impacts.
@@scottwheeler2679 Yes indeed - though I think it's more likely that Ali hit him on the forehead just above the nose. Ii's impossible to tell for certain of course.
Listen never saw the punch coming. The most dangerous punch is the one you don't see. All the so-called phony experts said Liston took a dive because they refused to believe they were wrong about Ali.
I saw Min. Sam X(Abdul Rahman) standing behind Muhammad Ali. He invited Ali to the Nation of Islam. One of the most wonderful human beings I have ever met.
Liston has become sadly underrated, but in his time he was a fearsome figure, like prime George Foreman and Mike Tyson. But Ali...Ali was just plain something else, as a fighter and as a human being. There will always be mighty punchers and knockout artists, but we'd have to live forever for even a chance to see another like Ali. Be proud and thankful that you walked this Earth when he did.
Very well said, and very true. I was 15 years-old in 1964 and I'll never forget how Ali brought boxing back to life. Almost everyone in America had heard of him and either hated him or loved him. Most 'hated' him because he was so cocky and always talking trash. We couldn't wait for his next fight, hoping that someone would shut him up. LOL!! Ali knew exactly what he was doing...in the ring or in the news. I'm so happy and lucky to have followed his entire career.
To have knocked out Liston and Foreman (probably two hardest hitters ever), in their primes, and both were champions, I believe Ali when he said, "I am the greatest."
Liston wasn't in his prime. That was between 1957-60. He was injured prior to their bout in 1963. His camp attempted to have the bout canceled, but the Miami Boxing Commission denied the request. The injury (a torn tendon in his shoulder) was progressively aggravated throughout the first six rounds.
@@hectoreason7306 Johnny Tocco trained Liston, Foreman and Tyson. He ranked the hardest hitters as 1 Liston, 2 Foreman and 3 Tyson. About 98 % of boxers, trainers and historians all say Ali is the Goat. The other 2% don’t know what they are talking about!
There is no GOAT, they all beat each other, they're all great. Frazier dominated their first fight and the other 2 were even. Norton beat him twice, but was robbed by the judges at Yankee Stadium. Ali was certainly one of the very best, but there is no greatest, including him, though he called himself the goat constantly.
"Fight" that was a circus show, the announcers was irritating me by shouting to make it sound as if it was a world's greatest fight. 8 two rounds of joke, just milking MIke Tyson's name.
He wasn’t a draft dodger He stood up and took it on the chin and didn’t flinch He didn’t run , duck or cower when the establishment came at him . Thats a hero.
@@ashrafebrahim2566 He was initially convicted of draft dodging and stripped of his title. He managed to stay out of prison during the appellate process and eventually the supreme Court overturned the conviction. The Court never upheld his claim of conscientious objector status, but found "technical errors" made by the DOJ in prosecuting the case. I don't know what do you call that?
@@ashrafebrahim2566 actually looked at the Supreme Court ruling history. They initially ruled to uphold the conviction of the lower Court. But ultimately felt political pressure and decided to overturn on grounds the DOJ didn't provide detailed reasoning behind their case. The initial jury at the trial level found him guilty after 20 minutes of jury deliberation. So obviously this was politically a hot potato. Usually to claim conscientious objector status you must renounce all war which Ali refused to do.
The thing about Liston is he grew up in such a poor environment to what we'd now expect, that he didn't even know his birthday. It's speculated he might have been well past 40 if not nearly 45 by the time he fought Ali, and he'd been crushing guys for years. He really had a terribly hard life and the more I learned about him the more I felt sorry for the guy and how people treated him.
y' know, it struck me when Liston, in a shirt & tie, talking about the 2nd ALI bout, resembled some Jr. High school principal. he looks 43 or so, but I'm bad at guessing.
Liston's mother, Helen Baskin was born in May 1898 and had 11 documented children before she had Sonny, one of them to a prior partner. If you do the maths then it's extremely unlikely that Liston was more than 34 at the time. He himself thought he was born in 1930, but when his mother moved to St Louis in 1946 for work reasons he thought (when looking back) that he was about 13, which suggests a birth year of 1933. He wasn't listed on the 1930 census. Different sources suggest that he was born between 1930 and 1932. He looked old for his age (he'd had a hard life) and that probably help fuel speculation that he was older, but a little bit of detail about his background is enough to show that he was no more than 34 when he fought Ali. He was probably several years past his best at the time.
@@ochjim he had a winning record after ALI, during the remainder of his career. Leotis Martin KO'd Sonny, w/ a pulverizing shot that may have ended his career, I think. but he wouldn't lay down for Wepner, which pissed off the gangsters.they say he was whacked over that bloody massacre of Wepner. yeah, that was actually his last bout.
A lot of people still won't want to admit to the fact that *Ali* was one heck of a beast but that's the fact, after seeing how he handled *Liston* and *Foreman* I'm still wondering how many people are still in denial up till today....
I still gasp audibly every time I see Ali do his shuffle. I do the same thing when I see clips of Kareem doing his sky hook. I was fortunate to be alive when both were competing, and all these years later, I'm still in awe of them both.
I listened to the first fight on the radio with my older brother. I was 10 and remember it so vicidly sitting there in the dark while history was made. They called Liston a big bear but when you see them in the ring Ali towered over him. He also had 10 pounds on him. It was not a close fight when Liston quit.
For people who like to champion Tyson, they've never fully appreciated that Ali not only took on two similar heavy hitters in Liston and Foreman and beat them, but that they were two guys who were so much bigger and stronger than Tyson that they would have creamed him in the way Foremen creamed Frazier. Ali fought in a golden era of heavyweight boxing where came he up against and beat legends of the ring - Liston, Frazier, Norton, Foreman and slew of other great boxers that would likely have won the championship in other eras. What legends did Tyson beat, other than an over the hill Larry Holmes? By the time Tyson came along the heavyweight division was in a serious decline that didn't throw up a worthy opponent until Douglas shocked him and Holyfield put him in his place. Holyfield in fact is about the only guy from that era that could stand comparison to the greats of Ali's time - not Tyson.
Liston was going along with the gag, he was a good guy. But the fight itself wasn't staged, I don't think, it looked real to me. I never realized that Sonny had something on his gloves and blinded Ali.
This was All Ali's Show. As a teenager, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr had seen a Pro Wrestling event. He took note of How the crowd both Booed and Loved the Villain. He remembered how this brought the Bad guy who was clearly having a ton of fun acting and drawing the attention of the crowd to a higher status than the good guy. .... He Knew that if he used this same technique in Pro Boxing, People all over the world would pay lots of money to see if they could shut the Bad Guy Up. .... He had more fun playing the loud mouth Bad guy than any other boxer of his era had playing the also-ran or even the good guy. Boxing had never seen such a show and it was All the Genius of Ali. Ali was never really a loud man with inflated ego. He was a salesman. His product was Himself. He actually, privately was a kind and reflective man. ... who beat the total dog shyt out of people for a living.. Great Champions have great adversaries. Ali Recruited Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman for this. Perhaps Ernie Shavers should be in that number as well. It was All the Genius of Ali.
You could hear that right hand punch hit Sonny in the head, it was so fast and powerful I had to rewind and watch several times to see exactly what happened
Saw Liston in Belfast early 60s. Awesome physic. Also, Sonny visited the St.John Bosco boxing Gymn, in Belfast. Most people, back then, myself included, thought Ali had no chance of beating Liston. However, the "Greatest" proved otherwise. 😉❤
Sonny Liston came to Phoenix before his fight with Ali for some sparring and exhibition . I was a young teen standing by the ring and thought no one could possibly beat this powerful boxer. Ali made quick work of a great fighter proving just how great Ali truly was….
Not sure about that. Even holyfeild has said several times a prime Tyson would take Ali. We will never know but Tyson from 86-90 had unreal speed and multiple styles. He mixed everyone's style. Sugar Ray called him the complete package. Weird thing about boxing and how many upsets have happened when a guaranteed fighter gets beat. Tyson was a killer and it was evident how hard he hit by the sheer look of every fighters face after they got hit.
@kelvis1980 Tyson did not have strong fighters. Holyfield was strong, but you can compare his style with Ken Norton. Ali proofed many times he can survive strong fighters, but even in his time experts underestimated him, e.g. Sunny Liston or George Foreman. He was a clever fighter. Tyson would not reach him, Ali would just evade Tyson. And even if Tyson would hit Ali very hard, Ali just would stand up, see Frazier hard punch in Frazier Ali 1. Tyson is a good fighter, but often overrated. Earnie Shaver did not knock out Ali, and he had a stronger punch than Tyson. Ali prime time was against Sunny Liston 2. But even after then he won against prime fighters like George Foreman.
@abadana.2979 it's funny you think you can compare a fighters power from 50 plus years ago. Where is the test that shows how hard each boxer hit? You're so sure you've must have evidence right? And you bring up holyfeild who literally says all the time that Tyson beats everyone but Usyk, and he only was nice to Usyk because he is still fighting. So he gave him a pass out of respect. Joe Rogan has a better fight IQ than you I'm positive of that. He will die on that hill that prime Tyson executes any heavyweight that has ever lived. The Tyson from 86-89. Too fast and too strong a puncher. And a Swarmer. I'll go with the guys opinion that has made many many millions on his analysis alone. And who are you?
@@kelvis1980 Tyson couldn't deal with a long, stiff jab: Douglas, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. Foreman and Ali would both win with their best of the division jabs.
Ali would telegraph his punches with power, precision at superhuman speed had great movement and stylish footwork (Ali shuffle) for a big man couple that with intelligence = champion of the world 4ever
Ali dominated both boxers that would of dominated there decades sonny liston in the 60's an Big george in the 70's if it wasn't for Ali those two boxers without a doubt be voted the Greatest Heavyweights in History but because of Ali defeating both of those Giants in the boxing ring he goes down not only as the Greatest Heavyweight but also the Greatest boxer in History a Heavyweight that moved like a lightweight Muhammad Ali 👑 the King of the boxing ring congratulations once again for everything u have done there will never be another Muhammad Ali 👑
Oh my goodness, you gonna dig him up and kiss his butt? Smokin Joe Frazier opened up a can of whoopass on him in their first fight. The next two times they fought it was even, so Frazier got the best of him. Ken Norton beat him in their first fight and he also clearly beat him in their 3rd fight at Yankee Stadium, but the silly judges gave it to Ali and the whole crowd booed the decision. Yes, yes, yes, he was a very great fighter, not taking anything away from him, but some of you guys go way overboard.
@jamespenny9482 Ali 👑 is the um 🤔 Greatest of All Times son get over it whether it be Boxer or Athlete of the Century both dominated by Ali 👑 just like he dominated both Boxers who anilated joe frazier and ken norton Big george forman it was like a pro Boxer against an amateur Boxer total mismatch until the Greatest Muhammad Ali 👑 fought Big george in the Ring and u can tell by his commentating on the Boxing match joe frazier was jealous of Ali how he was handling Big george in the Ring eventually Ali 👑 da G.O.A.T reign Supreme by regaining the Heavyweight Championship belt once again 🤣
Muhammed Ali is the greatest boxer that has ever lived on this earth. Muhammed Ali is also a very, very great person for any time. Muhammed Ali dedicated himself to his beliefs in an honest and ambitious way, fighting for humanity. Muhammed Ali awakened human feelings and showed the right path as a role model. Thank you Muhammed Ali for being in this world.
I have seen a lot of fighters all the way back to Robinson in his later fights . Sonny Liston was the scariest.Tyson Foreman Shavers. Have you ever actually looked at Sonny Liston?
2nd fight, right hand lead, Ali was constantly doing that, did it repeatedly against Foreman...people underestimated Ali's power...then they got knocked out. Foreman and Liston two seemingly invincible bullies...he knocked em both out... there's no dispute, he was the greatest.
No one can beat this version of Ali. His speed is just like thunder. Left right back and forth any one can get tired easily when they go behind him and try to land punches.
that footage w/ the .38 snubnose was shot for the film, 'the GREATEST'. an actor plays Liston. the pistol was filled by Sonny w/ blanks. he was ready. ALI thought he was his own promoter, but Liston realized he'd fly off the handle at any time. so Sonny had promotional skills of his own. that was a pretty good film. ALI acts, and he's good.
You are correct. Sonny Liston was found dead on January 5, 1971, in his Las Vegas home. He was discovered lying on his bed, and the cause of death was officially ruled as a heroin overdose. However, there has been much speculation surrounding his death, with some theories suggesting foul play or a potential connection to organized crime. Despite the controversy, the official cause remains an overdose.
You could see and hear the shot to the chin,Liston leaned in at exactly the wrong time. That's what messed up his equilibrium. I have watched that punch frame by frame, it was devastating.
@@shadowmime-zeroatrop many people would agree with you, myself included. It was easy to see that Ali had indeed connected with him, but there wasn't much power behind it, being that close up. Would liked to have seen the second fight go further, so that Ali could indeed show Liston what he was really made of - he had more than enough in the tank to go the distance, that's for sure. What doesn't seem to get discussed much in Ali lore, is his incredible reflexes and balance - you only have to watch that portion of the fight against Cleveland Williams, where Ali put him down, while going backwards ! Just insane physiology !
Growing up in Louisville during this time, Ali/Cassius, was such a pleasure and source of real pride for everyone who lived there. "The Louisville Lip"
Nobody really knows sonny listons age since he ran away from a plantation when he was a young boy and since he was on his own when he ran away nobody knew his real age. When he fought Ali he was said to be 34 but some people believed he was close to 50
The best evidence, including U.S Census data, indicate that Sonny was born in the summer of 1930. That would make him a little older than his "official" age, but nowhere near as old as rumor would have it.
I listened to the Ali/Liston fights live when I was in high school. Most everyone expected Liston to annialate Ali.... After the first fight, People would say: "He'll never shut up now...." Hahaha, the Louisville Lip.
When Sonny Liston pulled the gun on Clay, Clay was taunting Sonny while Sonny was shooting craps in a casino. Sonny fired blanks into a crowd at Clay and Clay ran like hell. It could have very well turned the tide against Sonny Liston.
People today throw around the term the GOAT all of the time, most not even knowing where it originated from. A 22 year old young man from Kentucky. There's only one GOAT.....and his name is Muhammad Ali
I really think at this point “draft dodger” shouldn’t be spoken about this Man. Are we still advocating serving a country that made you a second class citizen while demanding you serve in its military?
Ali was so brave to get in round 5 NOT ABLE TO SEE against Liston .. that’s like walking to a lion cage blindfolded
Yeah, that was brave!
He actually was forced out. He wasn’t brave. He wanted to quit! It’s a well documented fact Ali was screaming “Cut em off! Cut em off! I can’t see !!! They’re cheating us !!!! Cut em off!!!”. Angelo Dundee told him this for the championship of the world and to shut his mouth and to run until his eyes cleared. Ali even admitted it in his 1975 autobiography. Angelo Dundee saved Ali on a few occasions. Without Dundee, the Ali legend as we know it would look much different. That said, don’t get it twisted, Ali was indeed a brave man, there’s no question about that. He stood up against the USA government.
@@havrisen6620 who is braver than Muhammad Ali in your opinion ?
Ali:" I shook up the world". These words would resonate for a long time to come.
Well said
Ali was so confident, just insane. Trash talk is backed up 100% :-)
Ali was the real deal.
Ali was not only the greatest. He was the greatest promotor that boxing ever had.
He was one of the greatest, there was/is no greatest. Brown, Liston, Marciano, Ali, Frazier, Norton, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox, etc. They all beat each other. Norton beat Ali at least twice, despite the ridiculous decision at Yankee Stadium, Frazier put a beatdown on him in the first fight and the 2nd and 3rd were draws that they gave to Ali. But he was indeed a great, great fighter, the speed, his amazing ability to take a beating, and he could hurt you with either hand. But nobody could self promote like him and so many people think he's no 1 because of it.
@@jamespenny9482 Wait a minute, you are spewing out a lot of names w/ not much facts to support. In reference to the Ali-Frazier fights, the first was not a beatdown, extremely close fight. It was Frazier's body punches vs Ali's jab (just watched the fight again recently and scored it). Ali landed a lot of jabs AND big punches all over Frazier. Frazier took it to Ali w/ tons of body shots. I had it as a one point fight and if you recall, Frazier was so beaten up so bad that he was in the hospital for over a week after the fight. Fight#2 was a sleepwalk win for Ali, Joe just didn't seem that inspired; the fire seemed to be gone. Fight#3 was a TKO victory for Ali, close on the scorecards yes.
As for the other fighters you mention, Marciano never lost a fight, Liston lost his two biggest fights to Ali, Holyfield destroyed Tyson twice, etc. There is much more context than your assertion that "they all beat each other".
For a Heavyweight, Ali's handspeed was incredible.
@@danielrivera2365 so true. In this fight his hands were lightning. He was able to put together combinations that came from everywhere. And Ali was a big heavyweight. A lot of people missed that because he was so graceful. He manhandled most heavyweights in the clinches. He was an artful boxer who studied the great ones. And very, very few could take a punch like he did, which became his achilles heel. His courage. I remember a fight where Ernie Shavers hit him with a punch that still gives me the willies. All Ali did was clown about about it.
His refexes during this era, were peerless too.
And foot speed as well um dancing for 15 rounds non stop no other boxer in history but Muhammad Ali 👑 🎉
and he could avoid a punch like nobody. get out of the way of it. slip. but Sonny did shake ALI up (in B&W here) in the first fight w/ a solid combo. early signs that some folks missed, that he had a good chin. it would've KO'd other HW's.
the second fight ,which Sonny talks about, was only made worse because retired HW Walcott ref'd the fight poorly, starting the count a day and a half after the shot heard 'round the corner, landed. it took a hard shot to take Sonny down. watch Leotis Martin/Liston. Liston is this time, for real, pulverizzzzed. his last bout I think. but...he supposedly was whacked by wise guys because he wouldn't lay down for Chuck Wepner. "you could look it up", as Stengel used to say.
Here Ali was throwing hard af. Also, these people probably thought he couldnt take a Liston punch but of course he had one of the best chins in boxing.
don't you think it strange that liston overdosed after the second fight with ali???...and his back hurt making him stop the fight?...
@@sherrconListon OD’d some 5 years later, in 1970, after the 2nd fight with Ali.
I'd agree Ali could take a beating for sure. He did it many times as he aged just to tire out his opponent and then attacked when he was drained,Foreman is a good example,Lyle another.
@@buschovski1 His chin was seriously underrated. Angelo, and Bundini, knew better.
@@olivermeier2949 Foreman hit him in the head about twice in that entire fight, and not once was it a decisive blow. And that makes sense, Foreman had fists made of reinforced concrete. Possibly the most powerful heavy puncher in boxing history. If he connected with Ali's head at any point, Ali probably goes down. He landed nearly all body blows. Seriously, go watch and every time they say "he connects with Ali!" with a head hit or some other similar declaration, watch the hit again in slow motion, it's like he's hitting nothing at all.
I think this version of Muhamme Ali would have beaten anybody, but Liston was fantastis in his two fights against Cleveland Williams.
@fisterklister ...You have to think abour?
@@brucescott4261Sonny estuvo fantástico toda su vida, excepto con Muhammad Ali y su sparring Leotis Martin
i noticed Williams in one of the KOs was also wincing in the eye
As a huge Liston fan I was shocked to see the thumbnail because I feel he’s not as remembered as he deserves
So often in these videos about a Trash Talker the Trash Talker gets KO'd. This time the Trash Talker did the beat down. As a teenager back then we all rooted for Ali because we saw him as someone who would stick it to the man.
Yea 0:47 1:13
Muhammad Ali was the ultimate showman and i never realized that when i was young, and he said he copied some of Georgous George act,but Ali was a great promotor and he was so smart at that age.
The 60s ali was definitely the greatest. Wish he'd faced frazier Holmes and foreman in that era
Yeah it's a shame we didn't get to see prime Ali
@@Skip-qr2ocFrazier and Foreman wouldn't land a single a punch and Holmes was very fast, determined and tough as nails but would still drown in the later rounds
@@itubecollection1623 Exactly 💯👍👍🚬
The United States government banned Ali from boxing in his prime, his early/mid 20's.....dirty muthafukahz
Those 3 years gone really hurt his legacy
Liston was a monster, but Ali was 2 fast, crazzy speed, footwork.
I would put the Sonny Liston Ali up against any fighter in the last 100 years. He could do it all. Fast, could hit hard and had great defense. 🐐!
I will always remember this fight . Just right before the fight myself and the rest of the of my family I was for Ali, the rest of my family wanted Ali to lose cuz of his mouth. When Ali won the fight I told my mom Dad Brother and Sister, This Man is a good fighter….
Ali's punch which knocked Liston down in the second fight was a peach, the idea that Liston dived is ridiculous.
Ali's right hand was deceptively powerful - look at the right hand punch in 1974 which was more damaging to Foreman than the flurry which KOd him seconds later for example.
Sonny stumbled into it, the 'anchor punch' was so fast I still find it impossible to decide whether Ali hit him on the chin or forehead despite the films from different angles. It's very interesting too to hear the punch land - wow.
@@ysgol3 i agree! I have watched that fight many times but this last time was the first time I listened to the sound of the knockout punch. It landed.
The thing to watch is the shockwave that goes through Liston when he gets hit. It was a very hard punch on the temple and Liston never saw it so he couldn't roll it. A lot of people don't realize how much of a difference seeing a punch and not seeing it makes in how it impacts.
@@scottwheeler2679 Yes indeed - though I think it's more likely that Ali hit him on the forehead just above the nose. Ii's impossible to tell for certain of course.
Listen never saw the punch coming. The most dangerous punch is the one you don't see. All the so-called phony experts said Liston took a dive because they refused to believe they were wrong about Ali.
Those who claim that Liston took a dive have had nearly 60 years to prove it, and they have failed because there is none.
I saw Min. Sam X(Abdul Rahman) standing behind Muhammad Ali. He invited Ali to the Nation of Islam. One of the most wonderful human beings I have ever met.
@@jamesmuhammad4485 That says a lot about you but not so much about him.
Liston has become sadly underrated, but in his time he was a fearsome figure, like prime George Foreman and Mike Tyson. But Ali...Ali was just plain something else, as a fighter and as a human being. There will always be mighty punchers and knockout artists, but we'd have to live forever for even a chance to see another like Ali. Be proud and thankful that you walked this Earth when he did.
❤My feeling exactly. There will never be another Muhammad Ali. My all-time hero of heroes.
Very well said, and very true. I was 15 years-old in 1964 and I'll never forget how Ali brought boxing back to life. Almost everyone in America had heard of him and either hated him or loved him. Most 'hated' him because he was so cocky and always talking trash. We couldn't wait for his next fight, hoping that someone would shut him up. LOL!! Ali knew exactly what he was doing...in the ring or in the news. I'm so happy and lucky to have followed his entire career.
Dummy up goof
@@paulgrey834 You think Steve is a goof? Why? Because of things he said about Liston?
He was my hero. I like the line...you walked this Earth...
To have knocked out Liston and Foreman (probably two hardest hitters ever), in their primes, and both were champions, I believe Ali when he said, "I am the greatest."
Wasn't the hardest hitter
@@hectoreason7306they say Earnie Shavers was the hardest hitter...fought and lost also to Ali
Liston wasn't in his prime. That was between 1957-60. He was injured prior to their bout in 1963. His camp attempted to have the bout canceled, but the Miami Boxing Commission denied the request. The injury (a torn tendon in his shoulder) was progressively aggravated throughout the first six rounds.
Ele deu revanche ao Liston, mas ao Foreman não.
@@hectoreason7306 Johnny Tocco trained Liston, Foreman and Tyson. He ranked the hardest hitters as 1 Liston, 2 Foreman and 3 Tyson. About 98 % of boxers, trainers and historians all say Ali is the Goat. The other 2% don’t know what they are talking about!
I watched this fight as a young boy of 13 and worshiped Ali in only the way a young boy can .❤️
Me too! I cannot imagine what might’ve given me hope if it weren’t my idol. (I was abused by my stepfather.)
Ali know how to sell a fight.. and people buy it😂😂
Ali is the GOAT. Rest in peace our boxing King
Second to Tyson I would say. But being the NO.2 of all time is not bad either. Such a graceful boxer he was, Ali will always live on in our hearts..
There is no GOAT, they all beat each other, they're all great. Frazier dominated their first fight and the other 2 were even. Norton beat him twice, but was robbed by the judges at Yankee Stadium. Ali was certainly one of the very best, but there is no greatest, including him, though he called himself the goat constantly.
This fight 60 years old, in it was way better then the Tyson fight last night 😆🥃🃏
Yeah, because Tyson himself is damn near 60 years old. 😂
@ 😁😆🤣
"Fight" that was a circus show, the announcers was irritating me by shouting to make it sound as if it was a world's greatest fight.
8 two rounds of joke, just milking MIke Tyson's name.
@ damn bro tell me how you really feel 😁😆🤣🍸
Actually a “fight” can be good regardless of the “time”
So that is irrelevant.
Definitely a good fight though 👌🏼
Muhammad Ali the greatest of all time. Muhammad Ali and Jake Paul shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence.
So why are you mentioning them in the same sentence?!
@@stalkek Just to prove my point.
He wasn’t a draft dodger
He stood up and took it on the chin and didn’t flinch
He didn’t run , duck or cower when the establishment came at him . Thats a hero.
He wasn't exactly a conscientious objector.
@ what was he ?
@@ashrafebrahim2566 He was initially convicted of draft dodging and stripped of his title. He managed to stay out of prison during the appellate process and eventually the supreme Court overturned the conviction.
The Court never upheld his claim of conscientious objector status, but found "technical errors" made by the DOJ in prosecuting the case.
I don't know what do you call that?
@@ashrafebrahim2566 actually looked at the Supreme Court ruling history. They initially ruled to uphold the conviction of the lower Court. But ultimately felt political pressure and decided to overturn on grounds the DOJ didn't provide detailed reasoning behind their case. The initial jury at the trial level found him guilty after 20 minutes of jury deliberation. So obviously this was politically a hot potato. Usually to claim conscientious objector status you must renounce all war which Ali refused to do.
@ semantics .
Nothing like Ali had ever been seen before, or will ever be seen again.
Sonny Liston, the most feared of his time. I never got a chance to meet him but I did connect with his Son. We both had a connection thru our Fathers.
We love Floyd Patterson in Sweden. Greetings to his son from the home country of Ingemar Johansson!
Your father was also a great champion and a class act.
The thing about Liston is he grew up in such a poor environment to what we'd now expect, that he didn't even know his birthday. It's speculated he might have been well past 40 if not nearly 45 by the time he fought Ali, and he'd been crushing guys for years. He really had a terribly hard life and the more I learned about him the more I felt sorry for the guy and how people treated him.
If only Liston was in Tyson's era ,,it would been the perfect match,Liston had the biggest crushing hands you ever seen.
He never got the respect he deserved.
y' know, it struck me when Liston, in a shirt & tie, talking about the 2nd ALI bout, resembled some Jr. High school principal. he looks 43 or so, but I'm bad at guessing.
Liston's mother, Helen Baskin was born in May 1898 and had 11 documented children before she had Sonny, one of them to a prior partner. If you do the maths then it's extremely unlikely that Liston was more than 34 at the time. He himself thought he was born in 1930, but when his mother moved to St Louis in 1946 for work reasons he thought (when looking back) that he was about 13, which suggests a birth year of 1933. He wasn't listed on the 1930 census. Different sources suggest that he was born between 1930 and 1932. He looked old for his age (he'd had a hard life) and that probably help fuel speculation that he was older, but a little bit of detail about his background is enough to show that he was no more than 34 when he fought Ali. He was probably several years past his best at the time.
@@ochjim he had a winning record after ALI, during the remainder of his career. Leotis Martin KO'd Sonny, w/ a pulverizing shot that may have ended his career, I think. but he wouldn't lay down for Wepner, which pissed off the gangsters.they say he was whacked over that bloody massacre of Wepner. yeah, that was actually his last bout.
Ali backed his shit up. Gotta love him
The second fight is shrouded in Mafia mystery
The guy that called Ali a big bag of wind had some balls didn't he
Jerry Lewis
A lot of people still won't want to admit to the fact that *Ali* was one heck of a beast but that's the fact, after seeing how he handled *Liston* and *Foreman* I'm still wondering how many people are still in denial up till today....
It was white men that hated him
I still gasp audibly every time I see Ali do his shuffle. I do the same thing when I see clips of Kareem doing his sky hook. I was fortunate to be alive when both were competing, and all these years later, I'm still in awe of them both.
Not just the Greatest Boxer but the Greatest Show man with biggest Charisma ❤
The rematch was even more clinical,,the pull back right counter was one of the sweetest KO's.
To beat Liston whilst dealing with sabotaged eyes is amazing to say the least
I listened to the first fight on the radio with my older brother. I was 10 and remember it so vicidly sitting there in the dark while history was made. They called Liston a big bear but when you see them in the ring Ali towered over him. He also had 10 pounds on him. It was not a close fight when Liston quit.
Ali showed his bravery by continuing to fight while blinded. Legend. Contrast Sony who quit on his stool
For people who like to champion Tyson, they've never fully appreciated that Ali not only took on two similar heavy hitters in Liston and Foreman and beat them, but that they were two guys who were so much bigger and stronger than Tyson that they would have creamed him in the way Foremen creamed Frazier. Ali fought in a golden era of heavyweight boxing where came he up against and beat legends of the ring - Liston, Frazier, Norton, Foreman and slew of other great boxers that would likely have won the championship in other eras. What legends did Tyson beat, other than an over the hill Larry Holmes? By the time Tyson came along the heavyweight division was in a serious decline that didn't throw up a worthy opponent until Douglas shocked him and Holyfield put him in his place. Holyfield in fact is about the only guy from that era that could stand comparison to the greats of Ali's time - not Tyson.
Liston was going along with the gag, he was a good guy. But the fight itself wasn't staged, I don't think, it looked real to me. I never realized that Sonny had something on his gloves and blinded Ali.
I get emotionally when I watch this fight. Ali was my first sports hero.
Ali maybe at his best in reflexes, hand and foot speed, movement, etc. IMO this Ali could probably beat any heavyweight in history.
I concur
Yep.
This was All Ali's Show. As a teenager, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr had seen a Pro Wrestling event. He took note of How the crowd both Booed and Loved the Villain. He remembered how this brought the Bad guy who was clearly having a ton of fun acting and drawing the attention of the crowd to a higher status than the good guy. .... He Knew that if he used this same technique in Pro Boxing, People all over the world would pay lots of money to see if they could shut the Bad Guy Up. .... He had more fun playing the loud mouth Bad guy than any other boxer of his era had playing the also-ran or even the good guy. Boxing had never seen such a show and it was All the Genius of Ali. Ali was never really a loud man with inflated ego. He was a salesman. His product was Himself. He actually, privately was a kind and reflective man. ... who beat the total dog shyt out of people for a living.. Great Champions have great adversaries. Ali Recruited Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman for this. Perhaps Ernie Shavers should be in that number as well. It was All the Genius of Ali.
Jerry Lewis calling Muhammad Ali a big bag of wind is priceless in the spot you got it department
You could hear that right hand punch hit Sonny in the head, it was so fast and powerful I had to rewind and watch several times to see exactly what happened
Jack Johnson ankle Punch to the temple
Ali's greatest legacy.... every wannabe would rather emulate flapping the lip, rather than apply the same effort to gaining Ali's skill.
Saw Liston in Belfast early 60s. Awesome physic. Also, Sonny visited the St.John Bosco boxing Gymn, in Belfast.
Most people, back then, myself included, thought Ali had no chance of beating Liston.
However, the "Greatest" proved otherwise. 😉❤
Sonny Liston came to Phoenix before his fight with Ali for some sparring and exhibition . I was a young teen standing by the ring and thought no one could possibly beat this powerful boxer. Ali made quick work of a great fighter proving just how great Ali truly was….
Ali has one of the hardest chin, was fast and had stamina, this was his strength. He could beat Tyson and Wilders in a few rounds.
Not sure about that. Even holyfeild has said several times a prime Tyson would take Ali. We will never know but Tyson from 86-90 had unreal speed and multiple styles. He mixed everyone's style. Sugar Ray called him the complete package. Weird thing about boxing and how many upsets have happened when a guaranteed fighter gets beat. Tyson was a killer and it was evident how hard he hit by the sheer look of every fighters face after they got hit.
@kelvis1980 Tyson did not have strong fighters. Holyfield was strong, but you can compare his style with Ken Norton.
Ali proofed many times he can survive strong fighters, but even in his time experts underestimated him, e.g. Sunny Liston or George Foreman. He was a clever fighter. Tyson would not reach him, Ali would just evade Tyson. And even if Tyson would hit Ali very hard, Ali just would stand up, see Frazier hard punch in Frazier Ali 1.
Tyson is a good fighter, but often overrated. Earnie Shaver did not knock out Ali, and he had a stronger punch than Tyson. Ali prime time was against Sunny Liston 2. But even after then he won against prime fighters like George Foreman.
@abadana.2979 it's funny you think you can compare a fighters power from 50 plus years ago. Where is the test that shows how hard each boxer hit? You're so sure you've must have evidence right? And you bring up holyfeild who literally says all the time that Tyson beats everyone but Usyk, and he only was nice to Usyk because he is still fighting. So he gave him a pass out of respect. Joe Rogan has a better fight IQ than you I'm positive of that. He will die on that hill that prime Tyson executes any heavyweight that has ever lived. The Tyson from 86-89. Too fast and too strong a puncher. And a Swarmer. I'll go with the guys opinion that has made many many millions on his analysis alone. And who are you?
@@kelvis1980 Tyson couldn't deal with a long, stiff jab: Douglas, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. Foreman and Ali would both win with their best of the division jabs.
Sure was loud for a "phantom" punch....it absolutley zapped Liston. Give him props for not being out cold
Ali was trolling 😂😂😂😂😂
There's a reason why children and the elderly loved him.. Children are as true as it gets
Sonny Liston the most feared boxer of all time🥊🥊
Foreman, perhaps, and a young Mike...?
Ali was and still the most handsome , elegant , heavyweight !!!
Sonny was a good man
Sure he was.
Ali would telegraph his punches with power, precision at superhuman speed had great movement and stylish footwork (Ali shuffle) for a big man couple that with intelligence = champion of the world 4ever
Telegraph? 😂
Power?
The speed
@@CFGrandWizard When there is an opportunity, I do not hit; it hits all by itself
-Bruce lee
Most young people have no idea how bad Liston was. Foreman sparred with him and knew how good he was.
Ali dominated both boxers that would of dominated there decades sonny liston in the 60's an Big george in the 70's if it wasn't for Ali those two boxers without a doubt be voted the Greatest Heavyweights in History but because of Ali defeating both of those Giants in the boxing ring he goes down not only as the Greatest Heavyweight but also the Greatest boxer in History a Heavyweight that moved like a lightweight Muhammad Ali 👑 the King of the boxing ring congratulations once again for everything u have done there will never be another Muhammad Ali 👑
Oh my goodness, you gonna dig him up and kiss his butt? Smokin Joe Frazier opened up a can of whoopass on him in their first fight. The next two times they fought it was even, so Frazier got the best of him. Ken Norton beat him in their first fight and he also clearly beat him in their 3rd fight at Yankee Stadium, but the silly judges gave it to Ali and the whole crowd booed the decision. Yes, yes, yes, he was a very great fighter, not taking anything away from him, but some of you guys go way overboard.
@jamespenny9482 Ali 👑 is the um 🤔 Greatest of All Times son get over it whether it be Boxer or Athlete of the Century both dominated by Ali 👑 just like he dominated both Boxers who anilated joe frazier and ken norton Big george forman it was like a pro Boxer against an amateur Boxer total mismatch until the Greatest Muhammad Ali 👑 fought Big george in the Ring and u can tell by his commentating on the Boxing match joe frazier was jealous of Ali how he was handling Big george in the Ring eventually Ali 👑 da G.O.A.T reign Supreme by regaining the Heavyweight Championship belt once again 🤣
Sonny's story is a sad one. Wish his death wasn't such a mystery. He's still a boxing legend!!
Muhammed Ali is the greatest boxer that has ever lived on this earth.
Muhammed Ali is also a very, very great person for any time.
Muhammed Ali dedicated himself to his beliefs in an honest and ambitious way, fighting for humanity.
Muhammed Ali awakened human feelings and showed the right path as a role model.
Thank you Muhammed Ali for being in this world.
After the Tyson/Paul fight last night boxing is officially a joke.
It was already on the downside that shit right there drove into the fault line
I have seen a lot of fighters all the way back to Robinson in his later fights . Sonny Liston was the scariest.Tyson Foreman Shavers. Have you ever actually looked at Sonny Liston?
Alia was afraid and even with fear he pushed yourself to the limit. What a man!
2nd fight, right hand lead, Ali was constantly doing that, did it repeatedly against Foreman...people underestimated Ali's power...then they got knocked out. Foreman and Liston two seemingly invincible bullies...he knocked em both out... there's no dispute, he was the greatest.
Here for it gentleman 🙏🙌
No one can beat this version of Ali. His speed is just like thunder. Left right back and forth any one can get tired easily when they go behind him and try to land punches.
that footage w/ the .38 snubnose was shot for the film, 'the GREATEST'. an actor plays Liston. the pistol was filled by Sonny w/ blanks. he was ready. ALI thought he was his own promoter, but Liston realized he'd fly off the handle at any time. so Sonny had promotional skills of his own. that was a pretty good film. ALI acts, and he's good.
13:19: Correction. Sonny Liston was found dead in the master's bedroom by his wife. Not in a hotel room.
You are correct. Sonny Liston was found dead on January 5, 1971, in his Las Vegas home. He was discovered lying on his bed, and the cause of death was officially ruled as a heroin overdose. However, there has been much speculation surrounding his death, with some theories suggesting foul play or a potential connection to organized crime. Despite the controversy, the official cause remains an overdose.
The guy shooting blanks with a pistol at 5:30 looks more like a Liston bodyguard than Sonny himself.
At least someone else saw it, I thought I was the only one. That guy was an actor.
@@markeymark7360A dramatization of what was already one, I guess.
Exactly. That was not Sonny Liston. That was the actor Roger E. Mosley.
Ali and Sonny Liston are One of my favorite heavyweight boxer's of all time
Ali nailed him in the sweet spot right behind his ear. Legit win.
You could see and hear the shot to the chin,Liston leaned in at exactly the wrong time. That's what messed up his equilibrium. I have watched that punch frame by frame, it was devastating.
Chuvalo was there and said the punch couldn't squash a grape
@olivermeier2949 Look at it frame by frame sometime, it might change your mind.
Think he took a dive
@@shadowmime-zeroatrop many people would agree with you, myself included.
It was easy to see that Ali had indeed connected with him, but there wasn't much power behind it, being that close up.
Would liked to have seen the second fight go further, so that Ali could indeed show Liston what he was really made of - he had more than enough in the tank to go the distance, that's for sure.
What doesn't seem to get discussed much in Ali lore, is his incredible reflexes and balance - you only have to watch that portion of the fight against Cleveland Williams, where Ali put him down, while going backwards ! Just insane physiology !
@olivermeier2949 chuvalo always trying to bust Ali's chops because he lost to him twice
Can you believe he beat Liston at 22 and he beat Foreman at is 32.
Growing up in Louisville during this time, Ali/Cassius, was such a pleasure and source of real pride for everyone who lived there.
"The Louisville Lip"
Ali was gifted from and excelled at every level
It's fucking nuts that anyone still thinks Liston threw the second fight.
Not if you watch the fight.
This version of Ali was too good
Ali may be the best ever but the Liston fights were sketchy, and it was not Ali's fault.
So was every fucken fight I watched
You can hear that punch that dropped Liston.
Crisp, too. Not a thud. Right on the temple.
Nobody really knows sonny listons age since he ran away from a plantation when he was a young boy and since he was on his own when he ran away nobody knew his real age. When he fought Ali he was said to be 34 but some people believed he was close to 50
He could be the unofficial oldest heavyweight champion but we’ll never know
The best evidence, including U.S Census data, indicate that Sonny was born in the summer of 1930. That would make him a little older than his "official" age, but nowhere near as old as rumor would have it.
@haider2006 ...Liston wasn't anywhere near fifty years old.
@@brucescott4261and how would u know
50 how old are you
Yeah, and like Joe Namath, Ali shocked the sports world with his prediction of victory! ✌️😎☠️💀
RIP both of you.
I listened to the Ali/Liston fights live when I was in high school. Most everyone expected Liston to annialate Ali.... After the first fight, People would say: "He'll never shut up now...." Hahaha, the Louisville Lip.
Prime Ali would have found a way to beat prime Tyson but it would have been a helluva fight.
Cassius Clay equipped of everything he can change his style instantly the boxer with 1001 different punches
Ali is the greatest of all time.
Dont like guns but that gun Prank is hilarious- made Ali move faster than USAIN BOLT could ever run in world record times - !!!
Jerry Lewis playing boxing pundit is like Homey D. Clown doubling as a behavioral therapist!!!
The rematch was not on March 25, 1965; it was on May 25, 1965.
When you can do what you say you can do it's not talking trash, it's talking facts. All hail the G.O.A.T Muhammad Ali🥊👑
ALI are just GOAT for trass talking
When Sonny Liston pulled the gun on Clay, Clay was taunting Sonny while Sonny was shooting craps in a casino. Sonny fired blanks into a crowd at Clay and Clay ran like hell. It could have very well turned the tide against Sonny Liston.
People today throw around the term the GOAT all of the time, most not even knowing where it originated from. A 22 year old young man from Kentucky. There's only one GOAT.....and his name is Muhammad Ali
There can be other goats
Ironically, the ending sounds like the most respect he may have gotten was from Ali himself.
If you watch the first fight Liston doesn’t cut the ring off but is content to follow Ali as he backpeddled this worked against him
2 Great 🥊 Ali took it to him true Cgampionk the World,R.I.P. Sony Liston
Ali: the most incredible fighter ever. The best? That's another argument. Edit: I say he is.
Ya gotta luv the old days ! 2:41 ? A fucking cigarette in the ring !! 😂😅
As someone who wants a cigeratte rn I wish it was like that today
This was Roy Jones vs James Tony
Yeah it was freaking me out at first. The hell is Carlos Padilla doing in there LOL. Then I realized different fight
@KevinMacky ...False!
Is it me or did Sonny Liston keep a fresh cut. His fade and line up stayed fresh. He must got a haircut every day
I always thought the same thing haha
I really think at this point “draft dodger” shouldn’t be spoken about this Man. Are we still advocating serving a country that made you a second class citizen while demanding you serve in its military?
Right he was justified later and proved America shouldn't have been fighting in Vietnam!?
All clean what da Greatest um Muhammad Ali saying