Sonny Liston - Way Down We Go

A documentary about Sonny Liston originally made by MosleyBoxing before that channel was deleted. I felt compelled to recover this video because it shows just how superficial our society can be. Liston lived a tragic life and remained misunderstood.
RIP Sonny Liston; gone but never forgotten.

[@Studentofsweetscience]

Hall of Fame Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston was a muscular 6′2″ powerhouse weighing 220 lbs of pure brick. He had iron in either fist and could put an opponent on the mat quickly with either. Sonny was the most ducked fighter of all time. Even Joe Frazier’s team refused to fight him. Liston in his prime was the real deal. He was a great fighter.

[@Luke-kg7vu]

Sonny was a bad man with a good heart 💯

[@adelhartreisig9020]

Joe Frazier wasn't a contender to Liston, getvyour head out of Liston's a..

[@adris4731]

Sonny was 6'1 but everything else is true

[@johnyboy19685]

All time top 5 at least very good boxer hard as nails fearsome power massive fists. His reach should have from a man 6 inch taller

[@francinesantoro1428]

100%, well said!!

[@nallaebenezer2256]

Ali was media made Sonny self made Praise the lord for creating sonny

[@user-ok5]

Respect❤

[@rm3869]

Bro talking like it’s not the 60s calm down

[@jaytherestless2117]

Starting to realise why he lost and why he never wanted the tittle back, he got it and it changed nothing for him.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Very sad in all honesty. Liston is still a legendary champion with underrated boxing skills.

[@Studentofsweetscience]

George said in an interview with Ring Magazine: “Sparring with Liston is the most dangerous thing that I ever did in my entire life. No matter what I tried against him, it was me who had to revert back to boxing. Nobody made me box like Sonny Liston did and that happened every time we worked together. He taught me many things, including the importance of the jab.” A good example of Sonny's sheer strength was an exercise he devised in training camp of loading an industrial sized wheelbarrow full of rocks, and wheeling it up and down a hill. Foreman, 19, and training with "the old man," could only carry one wheelbarrow for every 3 for Sonny: “His strength," said Foreman, "you just can't believe how strong he was!"

[@TheTacoBoy001]

I love how George Foreman, more than half a century after the fact, still remembers the impact Sonny Liston had on his boxing career and life. I think Foreman shows us just what kind of heights Liston could have risen to had he been given a 2nd chance.

[@MajikBoxx]

Never heard this before about CS Liston or from Foreman: very believable.

[@giuseppegumina5576]

Rip. Sonny Liston Number One ❤

[@llanero4069]

Rest in peace Champ. My true boxing hero.

[@skepchica]

I love Sonny Liston.

[@ThatShyBoxingGuy]

@@skepchica ye id say the best heavyweights ever being Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles And good old sonny liston all A-class boxers

[@rodrigopresotto9009]

The real baddest man on Planet!

[@TAXOPAREI]

sonny had a lot of pain hiding in side him ,from a very young age he was abused by his own father, the one who was supposed to protect him and make him a man with values , after his father he fell into the hands of the mafia who exploited him as much as possible, he didn't get any love and that's why he had a special sympathy for children and the elderly, maybe he feel no threat from them...RIP Sonny Liston

[@keithharrison9797]

CHARLES SONNY LISTON , one of the GREATEST BOXING CHAMPIONS of all times.

[@connoisseur9069]

Sonny Liston was the reason I got into this sport, just something about the man that fascinated me. Possibly because he was so unlucky, I never liked how people brushed him off because of his loss to Ali. Liston was a hell of a fighter and deserves more recognition, no man blasted through a division like Charles Liston 🥊 It’s such a tragic story, a man who tried his best to change his ways but society wouldn’t allow him to do so. All he ever wanted was respect. Watch his interviews and you can see the kindness in him. Thank you for re uploading this video!

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Of course, and thank you for the kind words. Sonny Liston is a legend of boxing and definitely did not get the respect he deserved while he was alive. I think if he were around today people would love him.

[@connoisseur9069]

@@TheTacoBoy001 I couldn't agree more, its nice to talk to true fans of this sport. I think if Liston was around in today's era he would have been avoided like the plague. He was a incredible man. 🙏 Once again, thank you for the reupload! 🔥🥊

[@egondeur]

You are so right

[@johnyboy19685]

If you see any footage of him with children he looks totally different all smiles and kindness deep down he was a nice guy who just had to do what he had to do. Make no mistake as a boxer he was terrifying should be a top five of all time he would be scary even now brutal power aligned with great skill

[@JoelShrallow-rl3yt]

I agree. Sonny from 58'-62' had a run similar to Lennox Lewis from 96' -02' that was just completely dominant. Both fighters are better than Tyson in his prime.

[@TroyMcMahon89]

Sonny was a legend! My granda met him once on a train & said he was a very humble, kind hearted man. Its heart breaking what happened to him, he was a good guy & a real man! 💜🐾

[@williambeekman5383]

Sonny liston, u are still number 1 rest in peace ❤ xxx

[@angelchavez458]

I visit his resting every time I go to see my daughter last time was Thanksgiving set flowers first time saw the picture his record god bless SONNY

[@TheTacoBoy001]

That’s awesome! Good to see some respect for Sonny Liston.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Also, God bless your daughter and peace be upon her.

[@angelchavez458]

@@TheTacoBoy001 God bless you all you care and love happiness always happy holidays from me my daughter her family respects and blessings 🙏

[@chriss4245]

Liston's last fight was a victory against Wepner, not the previous loss to Martin.

[@michellefletcher8891]

What a great video,, it brought tears to my eyes.. His life was such a sad story... Such a sad story for an amazing incredible man.. Never forget.. Sonny Liston RIP

[@georgsteinle747]

Big Man,Big Champ! R.I.P. "Sonny" Liston! ❤👍👍👍!

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Gone but not forgotten.

[@gaspard5046]

RIP respect légende 🤲

[@racoobi]

The most tragic story in heavyweight history. Sonny Liston will always be in my heart as a true man and warrior.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Sonny Liston definitely deserved better.

[@cassiusijeomah4239]

Respect Sunny Liston A Great Champ And Fighter

[@TheTacoBoy001]

He definitely did not get the respect he deserved.

[@cassiusijeomah4239]

@@TheTacoBoy001 He Didn't Get It No Doubt Such A Shame

[@TheNToTheG]

Thx man, youre a legend for reuploading this

[@TheTacoBoy001]

No problem; just trying to do Sonny Liston some justice.

[@user-dg8gj3wi9n]

One of the most intimidating boxers. Not even the world bravest man can enter the ring with him

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Joe Frazier wanted to fight him but his management said, "NO!"

[@vedantgupta2056]

Very good edit legend sonny Liston

[@MajikBoxx]

Liston actually did train for the 1964 (and the postponed initial rematch date) Ali (Clay at the time) bout but expected his opponent to run scared before being stopped early. Up close and in a fight he didn't however, expect the opponent who showed up: 6'4" (as sometimes recorded), could move like a MW, punch hard moving backwards, get away with a ridiculously unorthodox but tiringly effective (now you see me...) defence, courageous and able to take his punch, able to stand and fight and even cut him. Styles make fights they say in boxing and even if Liston had taken 'Clay' more seriously at the time, the uniqueness of Clay would probably still have led to his unexpected defeat, even if on points.

[@skepchica]

Liston also fought that fight with a torn rotator cuff. He needed surgery but was not allowed to postpone. I've never heard of another champion being forced to fight while hurt against doctors orders. He received a documented surgery after the fight, which goes to show how corrupt the decision to make him take that fight was.

[@jameskellogg83]

Actually, Muhammad Ali was probably about 6 Feet 2 inches. I saw him on a video of the Dick Cavett Show. This is a recording which is either from the late 1960's or very early 1970's. Cavett asks him how tall he is and Ali says that he is 6 Feet 2. You can find the video on the internet if you are curious. It is very common that athletes and celebrities' heights are exaggerated. As an example, Shaquille O'Neil's height is generally listed at just over seven feet but he admitted in an interview that I saw that he was really 6 Feet 11 inches. Arnold Schwarzenegger's height is also quite exaggerated. He is listed at 6 feet 2 inches but I had read in various places that he was really shorter than that. I then saw him in a gym approximately 30 years ago and I could easily see that he was definitely shorter than that. I am approximately 6 feet 1 inch and Schwarzenegger was definitely shorter than me. Other people that I knew that saw him at the same gym, commented that they thought he was about 5 feet 11 inches. They thought he was under 6 feet tall and I thought the same thing.

[@davidwalker5054]

People go on about how brutal and dangerous kick boxing and full contact ultimate fighting is. But going toe to to with Sonny Liston is the most brutal and dangerous thing you will ever do. if you go the distance and don't have any broken bones and all your teeth. You are lucky. All those other fighting disciplines are just pillow fights

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Sonny Liston's power was insane. He is no doubt a top 5 all time great puncher. Chuck Wepner even said that Liston hit him harder than anyone he ever fought, and that was against an aging Liston.

[@skepchica]

Liston didn't get knocked out in his last fight. His last fight he beat Chuck Wepner to a pulp. The last person to knock Sonny out was Leotis Martin, who was forced to retire after that match because Liston knocked his eyeball out.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Wepner even went on to say that the Liston fight was the hardest fight he ever had. And Wepner fought an aging Liston!

[@skepchica]

Arco Iris He needed 70 stitches to put his face back together. This was actually a pretty standard match for Sonny, Wepner started strong but Liston would use the first few rounds to feel his opponent out and tune up accordingly. There's discrepancy about Listons age, he was at least 10 years younger and he was bigger than Sonny. And was served a brutal beating. That jab of Sonny's had SNAP.

[@Gregster1234]

Sonny was pilloried by the press and I still don’t know why they created a monster in the minds of people. After he won the title there was no one at the airport to cheer him on and it broke his heart. Perhaps being treated as a champ, with respect,he might have changed gears. There needs to be a well researched movie made about him.

[@SurendranNambiath]

I agree totally! If I had the oney, I would certainly have made a movie on Charles Sonny Liston!

[@llanero4069]

Im way too young to have been there. But if i was alive and omd enough to go by myself. I would gladly go there to greet him. Even if i would be the only one. Rest in peace champ. 🏅🏆🥇🥊

[@giuseppegumina5576]

Liston great Boxéur

[@JHM621]

This is the only story that has actually made me cry, i feel so indebted to this man

[@TheTacoBoy001]

If Sonny Liston were around today he would be loved and adored by fans all over the world.

[@francinesantoro1428]

Fantastic video! Thanks for posting

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@garyolivier792]

Sonny got a raw deal. RIP champ!!

[@TheTacoBoy001]

He really did. Sonny Liston would be loved if he were around today.

[@stellauniversal]

The best ever just because we have no footage of him fighting in his 20’s and his prime!

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Punchers tend to go on longer though. Foreman was almost 50 before he finally retired.

[@King-zp3il]

This vid needs way more than 10k views 300 likes man.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Agreed, we need to show some love for Sonny Liston.

[@DrOrr]

I hope he’s resting now

[@kayden-eh1jc]

Me too

[@user-pn9lb8sr2p]

Sonny Liston the Champ!!! check out "Song For Sonny" by Mark Knopfler, RIP champ 🙏🌺

[@Korosh666]

Warrior 💙💙💙💙

[@Dempsey1873]

Imo the second greatest heavyweight of all time

[@TheTacoBoy001]

He's definitely on my top 10 list

[@egondeur]

Good point. After knocking out Patterson in the first he took no one seriously. A collosal mistake

[@SurendranNambiath]

There is a glaring error in your video. Sonny Liston's last fight was with huck Wepner, who he defeated comfortably. You have shown his fight with Marty Marshall, where he tired and got knocked out, as his last fight. Kindly add the footage of Sonny's last fight with Wepner as well - Wepner himself has gone on record stating that every time Sonny hit him, something broke. He ended up with 72 Stitches to the face, he claimed!

[@garrywatts7890]

Thank you ~Charles Sonny Liston "A Man" They Always late Never get it right Don't know Slow to go Fearful Pitiful but A Man will still Find Love for them even when they don't give Love back. I wanted Sonny to when that Fight with Cassius and to this Day I still want Him to Win that Fight.

[@TheTacoBoy001]

You are welcome.

[@user-pn9lb8sr2p]

What a champion was Sonny,, with the power of Mike Tyson and George Foreman combined he was a heavy puncher from the old school,,,did Ali beat him,, maybe but at that stage liston would have been in his fortys so with Sonny Liston in his prime it may have been a different result!! Ali's forte was that he was more skilled at boxing and lighter on his feet and much younger,,But Liston was THE heavyweight champion!!,,,RIP Sonny ❤

[@kantovagrant3194]

What documentary is this?

[@TheTacoBoy001]

A number of clips from this video are from this documentary: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qquuqqqhppJ4Zqs

[@darthgilmore3172]

Does anyone know the background music at 9:19?

[@constantine7382]

Hats off to Patterson. He had his out. They were avoiding him, without Floyd's knowledge, and used his convict status as the reason. Floyd DID NOT have to fight him. But, he said a Champion should fight all comers. He knew he couldn't win' floyd mayweather isn't the only fighter today that didn't live up to the idea of being a champion!

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Floyd needed to fight Sonny Liston because Liston was his mandatory.

[@constantine7382]

@@TheTacoBoy001 He had been for a good while but Cus D'Amota refused to honor it. And boxing went along. Had it not been for Floyd, that fight NEVER gets made. They did not want a perceived thug as heavyweight champion of the world.

[@philsmyth6222]

Sonny the bad man every one tonscared to say he was the baddest he had the mob control him he was so bad

[@aminrahman6906]

He should be arrested for impersonating a fighter......😅

[@nemanjalosic682]

The music please 🙏? Double please 🙏?

[@Glovegambit]

Way down we go

[@ML-tp5gs]

anyone knows the song name at 9:12 - 9:32?

[@TheTacoBoy001]

I've been trying to figure this out myself!

[@sweetazzpiew8490]

I know Patterson had a terrible headache 🤯 🤕

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Patterson had no business sharing the ring with Sonny.

[@johnyboy19685]

@@TheTacoBoy001 Patterson was advised not to take the fight with liston by his trainer cus damato but felt that he deserved a shot at the title so cudos to floyd as he probably realised that he didn’t have much chance of beating him. An honourable man floyd paytterson.

[@user-fn1vx3wr9n]

There is no way Ali beat Liston.

[@guywilliams6569]

Man... I hate when good videos are RUINED by a stupid song...

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Yeah, I agree.

[@dogsbollocksgenius9480]

Great video, music fits perfectly

[@TheTacoBoy001]

Thank you!