Sonny Liston’s Intimidating Aura
George Foreman and Mike Tyson tried to emulate his intimidating stare and dark, tough persona. No one, however, could instill as much fear into his opponents like Sonny Liston.
He was the most feared fighter in history for good reason: the menacing glare, iron chin, 15-inch fists that packed a tremendous wallop and a jackhammer for a jab that was accentuated by his 84-inch reach.
The fact that “The Bear” supposedly had mob ties, was arrested at least 19 times, no one knew exactly when he was born and his mysterious death all made him an enigma.
Liston was quite possibly the most powerful puncher the division had seen up until that point. He could take a punch and although he was a bit slow of hands and feet, his boxing ability was vastly underrated. Combined with his intimidating persona, he was thought to be invincible.
Opponents avoided him like the plague. Those who fought him were already mentally defeated by the time the bell rang to start the fight.
It took no less than a young Muhammad Ali (then named Cassius Clay) at the peak of his abilities to defeat Liston and shatter that mystic.
