Sonny liston

Just watched Phantom punch staring Ving rhames about the life of Sonny Liston. Unfortunately not a great film, rhames looks badly out of shape and the fight scenes very badly shot.

There is a new book out on Sonny, Sonny Liston - The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights by
Paul R Gallender. It has got great reviews on Amazon.com. Has any one read it?

The only book I have read on Liston is the one by Rob Steen, his life strife and the phantom punch. It's not a bad book just the author is not the most thrilling writer.

Can anyone suggest any other good books on liston?

Unforgiveable blackness is supposed to be ok .( I haven't read it)

The other major book on Liston is night train by nick tosche some people love it but personally I preferred the steen book. The Gallender book got a mixed review in boxing monthly, said he was guilty of putting forward half truths or theories that were largely discredited forward as facts

Thanks rowley, I might still put my hand in my pocket for it, liston is still one of the most interesting and hard to know person from the sport of boxing

But it's but Johnson...

Not quite sure what is so interesting about Liston..........Never really had an opinion on anything...Just was heavy handed, intimidated people and won the title....

Lacked heart...got in with the wrong crowd.....

I prefer more upbeat reading..

Like you Rich I also find Liston fascinating. However think we may have to accept there will never be a totally satisfying biography of him because so many of the facets of his story such as how he died and the second Ali fight are unlikely to be ever definitively resolved. Those involved were hardly the most communicative of types and most everyone who could perhaps shed some insight are long gone. Leaves us stuck more often than not with speculation and conjecture rather than anything concrete.

Read the book recently on holidays and as a Liston fan enjoyed it. It's very informative and gives a good insight into what Sonny really was like as a fighter and man. He's one man whos legacy really has suffered as a result of some of the tripe that has been written about him.

I've one main criticism of the book. The author is so intent on dispelling the negative image of Liston that he goes a bit over the top in the other direction. It was a bit nauseating reading about every time Sonny helped an old lady cross the road or re-homed an abandoned puppy. I've no doubt Sonny wasn't the worst man in the world and had many redeeming qualities but he clearly wasn't mother Theresa either.

The boxing related content was very good and showed just how highly rated and revered Liston was as a fighter. Also highlights how unfairly he is now judged on the basis of the two Ali fights which are murky to say the least. Good book On a very interesting subject.

  http://thecruelestsport.com/2013/04/23/red-arrow-the-mysterious-death-of-sonny-liston/

Very interesting articule haz, I enjoyed reading that

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Not quite sure what is so interesting about Liston..........Never really had an opinion on anything...Just was heavy handed, intimidated people and won the title....

Lacked heart...got in with the wrong crowd.....

I prefer more upbeat reading..

It's what we don't know that lures people in.

Rich1066 wrote:Very interesting articule haz, I enjoyed reading that

Carlos is a fantastic writer. His blogs (The Cruelest Sport and The Living Daylights) are well worth checking in on.

https://myspace.com/chuckeweissmusic/music/song/sonny-could-lick-all-them-cats-album-version-53668235