Boxing Backstories

Boxing backstories have been adapted for the big screen on many occasions, usually depicting struggles against poverty, crime, oppression and discrimination. We probably all have our favourites and many are well known. I was reading about Sonny Liston the other day and it set me thinking about the hardship that many boxers endured, even before they donned gloves for the first time.

Sonny Liston’s father was an arse. As the 24th of 25 kids they were a poor family of cotton growers earning barely enough to get by. Sonny’s mum was a teen and his father close to 50, she moved away when he was young leaving Sonny with his father. Sonny was never sure of his real age, couldn’t read and was never schooled as he was sent to work by his father at eight. His father believed that if children were “big enough to go to the dinner table, they were big enough to go to the fields.” Sonny said “The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating” and he bore the scars of the whippings he got all his life. Eventually we went to St. Louis to find his mother… but it was the wrong time for a black kid to be in the city. Eventually he started robbing and stealing and as time passed it all escalated until he finally robbed a diner at gunpoint for $37. He was caught and sent to the Missouri State Penitentiary and in prison he worked in the laundry room before a prison chaplain spotted him and wanted his to try his hand at boxing.

As a father I want to protect my children, wrap them up in cotton wool and shield them from any horrors and hard truths, and yet I am acutely aware than many of the most successful people become so through tough experiences and hard life lessons. Obviously Sonny’s Dad would win no father of the year contest at first glance… but did he play a vital role in crafting the feared animal that eventually became the World Heavyweight Champion?

Interviewer: “Sonny, you were a menace in there tonight. What makes you so ferocious?”
Sonny: “My father. He always said if I didn’t finish my cake and ice-cream he’s tickle me to death and he wouldn’t read me my favourite bedtime story whilst doing the silly voices”.

My question is, do you have any interesting boxing back stories that you think others might not be so familiar with and would share? If I get some more time I will write up a bit about Duran and his childhood, working on the streets of Panama at the crack of dawn with Chaflan.

Right, I'm off to give my kids a shoeing...

I haven't got any stories but when I read about people like Liston's dad, I wonder how he grew up and what his own upbringing was like? It wouldn't surprise me if he had an even harder life than Sonny did.

Liston's dad would have been born in what, the late 1880's to 1890's? Probably grew up poor himself, throw in the racism and lack of opportunities and the chance that he may well have been beaten by his own dad. Not making excuses for the life he gave Sonny but there's a good chance he didn't know any better.

Just remembered a story that I read about George Foreman told by one of his ex-wives.

Apparently, George wanted to kill a donkey and smashed it over the head with a sledge hammer. The donkey didn't die, and George had to swing a few more times to kill it.

I don't know if the story is true and it's really not funny but imagine being hit with a sledge hammer being swung by George. That's going to be painful.

Atila wrote:I haven't got any stories but when I read about people like Liston's dad, I wonder how he grew up and what his own upbringing was like? It wouldn't surprise me if he had an even harder life than Sonny did.

Liston's dad would have been born in what, the late 1880's to 1890's? Probably grew up poor himself, throw in the racism and lack of opportunities and the chance that he may well have been beaten by his own dad. Not making excuses for the life he gave Sonny but there's a good chance he didn't know any better.

You might assume that a guy like Liston would have gone on to repeat history but he fathered a daughter from his wife's previous relationship and adopted a boy from Sweden. His wife was quoted as saying Sonny was "Great with me, great with the kids. He was a gentle man."

Atila wrote:Just remembered a story that I read about George Foreman told by one of his ex-wives.

Apparently, George wanted to kill a donkey and smashed it over the head with a sledge hammer. The donkey didn't die, and George had to swing a few more times to kill it.

I don't know if the story is true and it's really not funny but imagine being hit with a sledge hammer being swung by George. That's going to be painful.

I've never heard that one, Atila. Did George wonder what donkey might taste like on his new grill?

Imagine your dad was Liston or Tyson.

I tell you what, I wouldn't of schemed school,began smoking or got into much trouble.

It would of been "Yes sir, anything you say sir."

AdamT wrote:Imagine your dad was Liston or Tyson.

I tell you what, I wouldn't of schemed school,began smoking or got into much trouble.

It would of been "Yes sir, anything you say sir."

I might be wildly wrong but I've always imagined that Tyson was quite caring underneath the initial persona. I always recall his Pigeons how he cared for them as a kid and I think he would have been quite soft towards anything that he was responsible for and that depended on him.

Oh no doubt he is caring, but if he gets into a rage, I doubt I would want to feel the back of his hand.

AdamT wrote:Oh no doubt he is caring, but if he gets into a rage, I doubt I would want to feel the back of his hand.

You wouldn't feel it... you'd be dead!

Always have to laugh at his ex wife proclaiming he used to punch her.

As Tyson put it, "If I f...g punched her, I would of snapped her neck."

Even if he slapped her...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=88W8ab1ngwc

Can't see the video at work Duran, but will check when home.

Love that vid Duran, my favourite bit is the winners bruised cheek at the end, too many slapping contests me thinks!

hjumpshoe wrote:Love that vid Duran, my favourite bit is the winners bruised cheek at the end, too many slapping contests me thinks!

Can there ever be a winner in a contest where you give 300lb+ opponents a free shot at your face?