Post by TheGoodMan19 on Feb 25, 2024 12:24:59 GMT
Cassius Clay tko Charles "Sonny" Liston. No one gave Clay/Ali a snowball's chance. Liston was terrifying, maybe more than Tyson. Ali to be beat Liston like a lazy ho for the first rounds. Then got something in his eyes for a couple rounds and should have been whupped. Ali's eyes cleared and he beat "The Big Bear". Most thought Liston would kill Clay, he has dropped ex-champ Floyd Patterson in the 1st round in two fights. But Ali was so far into Liston's head that Sonny didn't train,he was just going to kill Ali. Ali seen Liston in a Vegas casino. He followed him around calling him every name it the book. Liston's reaction, he left. The day they signed the contract, Ali went to Liston's house at 3 am screaming "Come out and lets do this now. I'll whip you on the street!". By the time on the fight, Liston had no game plan other than to break the Big Mouth. He threw haymaker after haymaker that missed and allowed Ali to counter.
It was a huge turning point because it was the beginning of the end of Mafia rule over boxing. The Mafia controlled boxing, example is forcing Jake LaMotta to take a dive to enable him to get a title shot. They rigged fight but stayed away from title fights. Mobster Frankie Carbo owned Liston. Many think the 2nd Ali-Liston fight was a dive but the odds were poor. Liston was the last. Ali would never allow himself to be run by the Mafia and the big money purses kept the Mafia out of the game