Ali vs Liston 1 | How Ali SHOOK UP the World - Breakdown
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- čas přidán 9. 03. 2021
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In 1964, Muhammad Ali shook up the world with a spectacular display of dominance against one of the most fearsome champions ever, the great and powerful Sonny Liston.
But it was almost all derailed by a shocking development in the 5th round. One that some call unlucky happenstance, and many insist was foul play. Today we’re going to look at the techniques that Ali used to defeat one of the most dangerous fighters of all time, and how he overcame a bizarre random handicap that almost altered the course of history.
Sonny Liston was a total monster in the ring.
Liston’s fists were bigger than most men’s biceps, he had a 84 inch reach and strengthened his neck by standing on his head for hours on end. He had the brains to put these physical advantages to good use, setting up his power shots with one of the best jabs in boxing history.
But most overlooked Liston’s jab, as the punches it set up tended to leave a much bigger impression.
Liston had KO power in both hands, but his left hook was particularly deadly. And Ali, who kept his guarding hand as low as his lead hand at times, was especially vulnerable to lead hooks.
Ali used complex footwork to circle his opponents on the outside, catching them with whipping jabs before dashing in to throw lightning fast combinations. He kept his hands low to encourage opponent’s to head hunt, always staying just out of range, compelling them to overreach so that he could counter.
As Dundee said, “I didn’t need to tell Ali much for Liston, he already had everything he needed.” - Sport
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Willpower enough said.
music at the end of the video please ?
🙌🙌 pls make similar videos for every Ali n Tyson's fights. Legendary stuff 🙏🙌💛💙
,,,,,,
Hi Chris, May I know why you ended your episode with saying: ( but thank God nothing came with that)?
Did you mean Ali would lose? Or Rocky and Luis may lose their reputation? Thank you
Muhammad Ali fighting Sonny Liston while Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano sit in the stands.....what a time to be alive
No kidding 😭😭
Right!
This answers the question of who would've won between Ali and Tyson. Tyson's style and power was pretty much a repeat of Sonny Liston, so......
@@doctorae724 it shouldn’t even really be a question honestly Ali would definitely beat Tyson
@@cade9173 That question is always asked. People seem to constantly live the "what if" fantasy. Ali fought the best guys that were available, and they definitely weren't pushovers (Liston and George Foreman were BEASTS in the ring), but people want them to be pushovers to give the more recent champion legitimacy. Tyson was the Sonny Liston of his time. To tell the truth, Roberto Duran's style and power was very similar to Tyson and Liston for his weight class, which made Leonard's victory the second time around sweeter. Ali and Leonard was just smarter boxers, and THAT'S what put them over the top.a
I want every ali fight on film to be slowly described to me in detail by this man
Same - I’ve been a fan of Ali since I was introduced to boxing as a kid & get that same feeling every time I see his breakdowns.
Mohammad Ali was a great fighter and boxer of a decade.His name and his fighting skills will live forever.
@@davidyator5573 he was cheated out of his true prime as 3 years of his most important boxing years were taken away. Yet he still returned and reclaimed what was his
I think he's working on it :)
Same
I used to do some boxing and let me tell you there is nothing more frustrating than to swing not being able to hit your target for extended period of time. It’s exhausting. And it eventually takes you out of your game. This fluidity was the pure magic of Ali’s strategy. Cheers.
I saw a video where some fighter literally just gave up in the middle of the fight against sugar ray out of frustration cause he just couldn't hit him
@@bendzitis6003 😂🤣😂
@@bendzitis6003 Yes that was Roberto Duran.
I boxed a bit too, and you’re correct. Punching and missing takes a LOT out of a fighter-physically and mentally.
@@bendzitis6003 no mas no mas
In my opinion, 1960’s period Muhammad Ali is the greatest fighter I’ve ever seen. Power, speed and ring smarts. Plus the charisma and charm!!
Yes indeed.
Joe Frazer was going to be Ali's next opponent before he was (illegally) forced to go to prison by the federal government. I would love to have seen Smokin' Joe take on the Greatest when he was at the peak of his boxing skills. I don't think that the result would have been all that close.
Yes Ali was greatest and at his best in the 1960s
@@8176morgan I think Ali at 29 WOULD HAVE still been at his peak, but the three-year layoff with two fights to get in shape wasn't enough. The great Cus D'Amato famously predicted a Frazier win because "no one, in any sport, can take off for three years and come back anywhere near where they were." I'd have liked to see Ali's fights from 68-71, you know, the ones that never happened. Me and every other boxing fan.
Angelo Dundee divides Ali's career into two parts: the Cassius Clay years and the Muhammed Ali years (I know it's not chronologically sound: it's just a category). In the Muhammed Ali years he outfought his competition, but in the Cassius Clay years it was hardly a fight at all: he'd watch you miss like he was slowing time down, and just counter until you were knocked out.
Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Sonny Liston and Rocky Maricano in the same building at the same time.
Boxing History right there.
The greatest of all time and a group of guys whose birth last name wasn't Smith.
@@johnh8546 what's up with smith
I know what a blacksmith is though
@@mshklh2099 Walker Smith Jr.
@Phillip J. McCrevice Sugar Ray Robinson's birth name was Walker Smith Jr. and he was in my opinion the best boxer to ever lace up.
Wow, I never knew that until now..
I'm surprised the roof didn't collapse from all that thunder under it..
Muhammad Ali was simply put a Mastermind. He didn't just outbox opponents he mentally destroyed them as well.
U mean a masterclass?
@@funnybasslinemastermind: noun, a person with an outstanding intellect. "an eminent musical mastermind"
@@Colonel__MustardI aslo speak Englis
@@hadi8699 “reveal your intentions” - Severus
@@Colonel__Mustard 7 rus. Russia
"the crowd did not dream when they laid down their money,
a total eclipse of the Sonny" Mohammed Ali.
He was a regular Edgar Allen Poet.
That dance he does at the end when he realizes Liston isnt coming out and hes won is fabulous and timeless... there arent the right words to describe Ali
A great spotlight hog and that good all the glory and money with the honey
Absolutely CORRECT and true.Well said and well OBSERVED. He was SHOCKED that Liston remained on his stool BUT DELIGHTED he was Champion . THE REST IS JUST HISTORY. 😅
There are many ways to recognize this as a fixed fight. One of many signs is that little dance by Ali. Watch closely as Ali raises his arms and begins to shuffle his feet. It happens before any signal is given that the fight is over. There's a difference of 8 seconds between when he starts dancing and there's any indication from the referee that the fight is over. Liston could have stood up right after the bell rang for the next round, that was the way he began every round, waiting for the bell. So how did Ali know that he had won the fight, that the fight was over? He was told before the fight that Liston wouldn't come out for the 6th round. Either that or Ali had psychic ability.
@@MrMarco855 Ali could recognize a beat fighter when he saw one, probably just from the body language of Sonny and his cornermen as well as the ref. Remember Ali is one of the most smartest fighters psychology wise to ever grace the ring, so it's not a surprise that Ali knows a beaten fighter even before it ends. If it was fixed Liston wouldn't have blinded Ali and try to capitalize on it.
@@Jah-zp2rq The fight was fixed, and you're right, no need to blind a guy if the fight was fixed. That doesn't provide evidence that the fight was real, it shows that Liston and his trainer didn't do anything to blind Ali. It was transfer from liniment used on Liston's chest and shoulders.
Everyone thinks the incident was intentional without a shred of evidence. It was accidental transfer, the fight was fixed, the FBI made a report on the fight in which they stated the fight was fixed by the mob. I've done a lot of research and there's a lot that verifies it was fixed.
I can prove it right now, to anyone that takes an honest and impartial look at one thing. Watch the last 45 seconds of the last round of the fight. With about 45 seconds left in the 6th round, Ali isn't pressuring Liston, the fight isn't at a frantic pace at that point, but Liston throws 6 punches in those last 45 seconds. He threw all of them with his left, 5 jabs and a left hook. The bell rings, Liston goes to his corner, within 30 seconds roughly Liston surrenders the belt on his stool.
Liston supposedly had a nasty tear in his shoulder, it was so painful he couldn't raise his left arm, it was said. If that was true, that he was in so much pain that he had to quit, why then, did Liston use his badly injured left shoulder to throw those last 6 punches when he didn't have to throw any of them?
There's no way to get around it, a severe injury that forced him to quit, yet 30 seconds earlier he threw 6 punches with his badly injured shoulder. Try to explain it.
They faked the injury, it was written into the script, Liston had been told by his handlers, mobsters, to stay on his stool after the 6th round. Many years later, one of Liston's cornermen told a reporter the injury was fake. He didn't have long to live and he wanted to clear his conscience about the fight. This isn't the only evidence, I have more.
I feel sorry for Liston, dude had such a harsh life and never got the respect he earned. RIP Sonny
100%
Young Ali is actually so cringe when you know anything about both boxers
@@JoshyP744 🎯
Not everybody forgot about Sonny czcams.com/video/5DMLnoyk6R0/video.html
100%
"Only a maniac, would go out against Sonny Liston while blind."
That's exactly what Ali was.
Sure thing.
One obvious indication that the fight was fixed. Liston had strict orders not to hurt the frail youngster.
@@MrMarco855 lol yeah i’m sure that was the case👍🏾
Sonny was like 40 years old he was prob blind too from boxing all the years
@@MrMarco855 ohhh yesss lolllll
Imagine fighting a heavyweight who´s known for his monster like fists and vast punching power with no guard and still win like it was just a training session. Ali truly earned his status of a legend and being the greatest in history!!
Beautiful REASONING. You have spoken with wisdom and knowledge.
Liston was 45 here Ali 22
@@joetrie 31 not 45. Says in beginning
@@fatesd84 Accordingly to Listons older sister he was born in 19
@@joetrie hard to believe he was fighting and winning fights 5 years later at his 50
"Things came into focus for Ali, and the blur became a man, and a man, can be hurt"
Absolute poetry. I love watching your videos. Muhammad Ali is my favorite athlete ever and your video analysis do him justice. Keep it up
GG hy😊😊GG hugging y060f😊⁷7
77
⁷777😊
I'm old enough to remember that fight. Sonny Liston was the Mike Tyson of his day. Ali's methodical destruction of Liston makes me think that in his prime he could have handled Mike Tyson, too.
I know how much Tyson respect and love Ali and i just don't want to imagine them in the ring together.
Because man, prime Ali vs prime Tyson? Something really disgusting is going to happen during the fight for sure.
No doubt. Ali would be to fast and slick for Tyson he would take him into the late rounds and distroy him,
czcams.com/video/8mChlRWTrLI/video.html
If u are old enough u should remember that sonne Liston was long out of his Prime. His offical age was not his real age. He was over 40 when they fought. Prime Listen is the best boxer of All time in my option. Prime Listen would beat Prime tyson too...
Tyson was fast and only needed to hit you once ! ... I have my doubts.
He was my hero when I was a kid. He once said "I am so fast. Do you want to know how fast? The light switch is on the other side of the room from my bed. I can cut the light off & be in bed before the room gets dark". Now that's fast.
Haha, funny
That quote goes back to the Negro Leagues baseball. I think it was Cool Papa Bell. He made that bet with a teammate when he had noticed a delay when he hit the light switch.
@@weaintfree ALI would have guys give him body blow after body blow to see if he could handle it? He was in amazing physical condition but he punished himself. Many times over exercising.
One says I'm quicker than my shadow. I'm always before my shadow when running.
Ali was a very comical man
We missed ali's best years because of a pointless war. That was such a crime against boxing. His career was still pretty god damb amazing. But the years he lost could have given us some of the best boxing hilights a heavyweight has ever given. Boxing storys never to be told. A great boxer mr Ali, but an even better human. Hated by some, admired by many, loved by all. The greatest.
Same thing with Joe Louis
LOL! Hated by some but loved by all?
Someone had to go to Viet Nam in his place, may have lost their life. You think a few fights is more important? At the time, anyone refusing to go was considered a coward. It really doesn't matter that the war was based upon a lie, at the time nobody knew that. There's no valid excuse for refusing to go, he would have been allowed to give boxing exhibitions to entertain the troops, no fighting would have been asked of him. My brother had to go, I came within one year of going.
Well said ; well OBSERVED and very WELL REASONED. You have said it ALL.
@@MrMarco855 There is a valid reason not to go. Religion.
Ali's intelligence, boxing acumen, set him apart from mere mortals. The greatest athlete of the 20th Century.
Honestly, greatest Athlete of all time
@@playwithmilk8032 that title goes to the notorious 🇮🇪
Actually, the best all around athlete was Caitlyn Jenner in the 1972 Olympics whereby she won the men's Olympic triathlon.
Luckily for Ali, he was Ali.
True
Facts
Actually no his real name is Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. he kind off Made Ali
@@godfather53 a
@Your Neighbor Thank you. I'm spiritual and know corruption lies in all religion. I appciate that you gave me a good source to express what you meant. I think Ali was not the way to go about it but I think finding your roots and having a name such as Obaka or something in the root of his culture. Islam is corrupt like all major religions as I see it but you make a well informed point. Much appciated. I wish youtubers were more like you my friend. I want to understand without bias. If he knew the truth then he would see the roots lie in ancient shamanism and the spiritual journey is only true when done through self. He was lied to but I get his intent even if misinformed. Africa has beautiful roots in it's spiritualty and I respect that at it's core but I just learned something and am thankful for your grace to explain.
Ali's Reaction after he beat Liston was priceless
It’s one of those moments where someone is so happy you can’t help but be happy for them
It makes me laugh out loud every time 🤣
I've literally never felt anything near that amount of giddy excitement since i was a child! haha
Amazing
Time stamp pls
Such EXCELLENT and descriptive analysis! Thanks for posting this.
So this is a fantastic breakdown of the fight, thank you very much.
When I watched it a few years ago, the part I couldn't believe was how foolish Ali made Liston look. He danced around him, and Liston just kept punching the air. One of the best boxers in history was reduced to shadow boxing while his title slowly slipped away from him.
Ali was really brave to be in the ring with Liston without being able to see anything for a whole round
Smarts over strength 🧠>🏋️
Incredible, but that's what makes his the G.O.A.T.
Angelo had to send him back out. This was Ali's dream shot.
Exactly, Liston was the most feared boxer and undefeated champion at the time.
Mafia had Liston lose
"I Dnt have a Mark on my face and I upset Sonny Liston and I just turned 22 yo , I must be THE GREATEST...Im pretty Imma baaad Man ..." 😂😂😂 still gets me down to this day I swr!!! 😅😅😅
Like an innocent happy kid who steals your ice cream after attempting for the 10th time🤣
I SHOOK UP THE WORLDDDD
Yes yes yes
Ali - the greatest. I grew up watching boxing in the 1960s and 1970s. Those were the days of real fighters, and really, the glory days of boxing.
1960s/ 1970s/ 1980s 1990s boxing was can:t sports cable tv money big 💰
I remember watching this fight live with my dad, who was no mean boxer himself (British army middleweight champ, exhibition fights against golden gloves heavyweight champions, etc). He was incensed when Liston quit saying the fight was rigged. The explanation in this video is excellent at explaining what happened. The thing I most admired about Ali in his golden fights before prison was his range accuracy with his jab. People would walk into it and it looked like a light tap but was really powerful. In one exhibition fight against the heavy weight golden gloves champion in the first round my dad threw a hard jab that missed, dislocating his shoulder (what happened in this fight, apparently). I asked him what happened then and he said, "well, I couldn't hit with that arm anymore, so I lost on points".
I remember going to the gym in Pyongyang, not to train, just to meet some friends who were in there. There was a punch bag, so I started jabbing it, got warmed up a bit, threw a big left. One of the idiots moved the bag and so I missed. My arm was numb for days. Crikey, the pain. The git thought it was funny.
His other hysterical moment was when he came to visit me in Turkey, so I took him to the Bosphorous for a drive. Picked up a mirror in one of my rental flats in passing, he decided to reflect the sun into my face while I wasn't expecting it. We jumped into the car, I managed to hit a bus 5 minutes later.
We aren't really in touch these days.
@@juchetony1910 Does not sound like a friend that I would want. I once practiced air punching with 5lb weights in my hands. Over-extended a jab, and did that hurt!
@@juchetony1910 how the hell do you meet a friend in north korea?
@@bluzercic he was French, and we were on the diplomatic compound.
I am 53 years-old and I have been a fan of boxing all my life. This is the best analysis of a boxing match I have ever heard and watched and the fact that it features the GOAT just makes it even more special. Great work!
You know this was a fixed fight don't you?
@@MrMarco855 the 2nd one "allegedly " was, not the first.
Do you think you are old at age 53?
@@MrMarco855 liston threw some huge shots.
It wasnt fixed.
Yoooo same age as tyson that s sick
One of the greatest moments in sports history..I'm gonna get me some popcorn and enjoy this fight breakdown!
Pretty epic win if I do say so myself
Ali was overatet. Frazier was the true champion.
@@SuperMarry23 He ain't over rated, the guy beat the best in his time so people put him in the top spots because he was seriously that good. Liston couldn't touch, Foreman couldn't knock him down, he beat frazier and norton twcie after losing to them two. The guys not overrated because he can be, he's given the credit he damn worked for. Beat Shavers, frazier x2, Norton x2, Liston x2, Foreman, Ellis, Patterson x2, Moore. He held the lineal title a record 3 times and had the balls to step in the ring with an undefeated larry holmes. Don't ever say he's overrated because his resume proves that he is not. Frazier was an incredible fighter and he is one of my favs to watch but in this situation, frazier cant compare to the achivements of ali.
@@SuperMarry23 Lol shut the heck up joker
its a fixed fight! not one of the greatest moments in sports, take your popcorn and watch some interviews by former gangsters revealing the truth about the first fight. Liston vs Clay 1 was as legit as Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
Beautiful video commentary. Best explanation and breakdown I've seen. Felt like I lived and understood the context. I never understood how huge, meaningful and pivoting this fight was until now. Thanks for this work!
Nobody can dodge like Muhammad Ali, he moved and moved. His head dodged, his legs constantly moving. It's so difficult to hit him. He drained his opponent and frustrated him.
A fighter named Henry Cooper had no problem. He hit Ali with a dozen hard left hooks, one of which nearly ended the fight. Henry hit him many times with a jab when Ali tried to avoid by moving his head. Cooper wasn't known to be fleet-a-foot but he had no trouble hitting Ali.
Ali wasn't just brute force. He was a smart, smart fighter. He read his opponents and then went to work on them. His offense always began with some top quality defense. He made his opponents see their flaws in their own strengths and that's when Ali pounced. He was swift, accurate and very courageous. Before the fight, he defeated the mind, during the fight, he defeated the man.
Also, top, top quality narration.
Very nice
Ali was a very smart man in the ring. He routinely went against the advice of his corner, possibly out of necessity, but tactical always. Dundee used to scream, “get off those ropes!”
To put it more precisely, Ali was the opposite of brute force.
Look at his opponent s 😂😂😂
After the fight he defeated the bookies in Las Vegas. The fight was fixed.
Ali in his prime is simply unbelievable.. the footwork and head movement.. just unreal.
The tragedy of it all, is that this isn’t even prime Muhammad Ali, as he dealing with the Vietnam draft dilemma when he was 25, and it didn’t end until he was 28. The boxer’s true prime would be from 25 years old to 28 years old, and after dealing with something most boxers would fall from, Ali went on to have wars with Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, Larry Holmes, and several other killers in the ring. Just goes to show that he was truly the greatest
@@Dom_C7591 my god, his era was so tough it’s ridiculous. So many all time greats battling for just one throne
@@awesomesause1116 I couldn’t agree with you more, man. That was the true reason why Muhammad Ali was the greatest, as he went up against the best in his hardest times and came out on top through it all. Mad respect to the GOAT 👑
@@Dom_C7591 how many years do you think to have an era like this again in hw?
@@ghostttriddder honestly man, I don’t even know. Don’t get me wrong, the heavyweights in boxing today are very talented and are more technically sound, but there is just something about both the Ali era and Tyson era that just makes it historical and legendary. Good question though, Ghost Rider
"Yes the crowd did not dream, when they laid down their money
That they would see, a total eclipse of the Sonny!"
I'm wheezing
A direct line can be drawn from this grainy footage to the present. Ali was a genuine anomaly. Few people become what they were meant to be. He was a man outside of his time. The world is better because of him. RIP to the greatest ever.
Agreed 100 %.
I also find it interesting because if there was no Muhammed Ali, we don't know what would've been of Larry Holmes.
Ali's head dodging was amazing. So good, it looks like it was choreographed.
Hated Ali style with his low hands but his footwork, movement and fast hands and counter punching allowed him to get away with it against dangerous punchers like Liston and Foreman and the like
@@marksmit8112 could still beat the shit out of and break your favorites.
@@imirregular Who dat da keyboard warrior with all dat crane crap?
@I'm Irregular you had a "my dad could beat up your dad" moment
@@asdfasdf969 Ah, gotcha... Well fuck.
The complexity of Ali's footwork is out of this world
And his reflexes were insane!
So was Michael Jackson's
It’s his whole defensive package that’s crazy to me, the way his footwork and head movement and hand framing, but most importantly his genius level boxing feel that ties it all together and makes him seem almost unhitable. The way he was able to on the fly adapt a strategy for fighting one of the scariest men who has ever lived while being near blind in the 6th round is unbelievable
@@wrendemartino-smith446 yeah the longer it goes the more bs will be added to it and considered to be facts .
@@wrendemartino-smith446 well said. He was The Greatest!
whole match was a rig, ali is definitely a monster and had technique like the shuffle , the back foot up at punch, etc .......but sonny was a DEMON, left trauma and pain in the heart of the opponent, his body structure was an art, those 15 inch palms, the height, the dynamics of placing the momentum on front leg.....dude, he was a beast on a differnet league
Finally, someone who knows what they're watching.
I think I've commented on this before but I have to re-watch periodically because it's just too good. This is without question my favorite boxing match of all time; the most prolific screenwriters could not have produced anything this fascinating and perfect. What Ali did here (and the entire lead up to the fight) is just awe inspiring; his fight IQ combined with that particular physical build and athleticism was unrivaled in my opinion. I still believe that if this Ali and Tyson at the same age were to fight 10 times, Ali would have a stronger W/L - Tyson would absolutely win as well, but Ali's strategy vs Tyson/Liston types was just too perfect. Anyway, superb work on the video and cheers to my fellow boxing fans.
Indeed
Lol. That is incorrect. Tyson did not fight like Liston. At all.
What did Ali and Tyson have in common? They both had several fixed fights.
@@MrMarco855curious: what tyson fights were fixed?
@@eliotisconfusedaboutyourpa8105 There were several. One of the biggest stories in sports history was a deception. The big fights between Tyson and Holyfield. When the betting line opened, Tyson was a 25 to 1 favorite roughly. That's a huge favorite by any measure. It was based upon the fact that Holyfield fought in many brutal batles while Tyson was in prison. Holyfield didn't look good in the last few fights leading to the fights with Tyson. He was in so many wars that he was no longer the same fighter. That's what the Las Vegas oddsmakers concluded. The wide odds were also based upon the 4 warmup fights Tyson had post-prison and leading up to the fight with Evander. Tyson had been away for 3 1/2 years, he had to have a few warmup fights to get back into boxing condition, and to prove that he was still the old 'iron Mike'.
So what went wrong? The betting odds came down from about 25 to 1 to about 8 or 9 to 1. That's also an unprecedented drop in odds. If you pay attention to betting odds, they never drop that dramatically. Something was amiss, what went wrong, how did this huge favorite, this beast of a fighter, lose to a far-past-his-best Evander Holyfield? Upsets of this magnitude are rare.
Quite by accident, I discovered what happened. Tyson had 4 warmup fights, he won all 4 very easily and convincingly, thus the high odds in his favor. Things weren't as they appeared to be however. All 4 warmup fights for Tyson were fixed. In effect, Tyson hadn't fought in a real fight in about 5 years when he fought Holyfield. Of course, nobody knew this at the time, except Don King, Mike Tyson, the mob and me.
This is how I discovered this; At random I was watching the last warmup for Tyson, it was against Bruce Seldon. Seldon was a good fighter, young and strong, but he lost 4 fights, all against top level competition. He was pretty good but he couldn't beat the top guys. In the fight the camera view couldn't have been better when something strange occurred. Tyson threw a huge overhand right that sailed over Seldon's head. From the side camera view there was no mistake, the punch went over his head by several inches. Seldon flopped however. The referee came over waving it off initially, saying it was not a knockdown. He saw what I saw, the punch did not land. When Seldon stayed down however, the referee had no choice, he changed his call to a knockdown. The fight continued, Tyson landed a punch to the chest, or it only grazed him. He went down again. When he got up the ref asked if he was okay, just then his legs did a little wobble act and the ref ended the fight.
After the fight a reporter asked Selden if he took a dive, the crowd was upset and booing, calling it a fix. Selden denied it. Tyson was close by in the background paying close attention. He butted right into the interview and began defending Seldon. He said that Seldon fought hard and so on, trying to convince the reporter that Seldon didn't take a dive. It was obvious that he did take a dive, and Tyson's strange actions defending Seldon confirmed what I already knew, that it was fixed. I wondered to myself, it makes no sense for Tyson to have 4 warmup fights and to fix the last one, unless, all 4 of them were fixed. I began to check into it. I watched the other 3 fights, they were definitely fixed. I wanted to be sure so I checked all 4 opponents. How could Don King get 4 pro fighters to take a dive for him?
The first guy was Buster Mathis Jr. He was only 26 and had a good record. He had serious health issues like his father however, he retired after fighting Tyson due to being overweight with serious health issues. That explains why he was willing to take a dive, one last payday. Selden was also young but he had a serious cocaine addiction. He was planning to retire, so he also took one last payday, then retired after fighting Tyson. Frank Bruno from England was 36 and he never won a title. He badly wanted a title, was suffering from depression over it. Out of nowhere he got one more title shot, it was against a weak champion, and Bruno won. He got the title he wanted so badly, then fought Tyson and he also retired. Don King arranged for Bruno to get that last chance at a title, in exchange for him agreeing to take a dive against Tyson. The 4th guy was a different story, his fight was fixed but not by Don King. It's a long story but I checked the details, and it too was fixed. Tyson's opponent was managed by the mob, they inflated his record so he could get a shot with Tyson that he didn't deserve, so he got a huge payday and was never heard from again. All 4 guys checked out, they each had good reason to fight Tyson and take a dive.
Knowing this puts the Tyson/Holyfield fights into better perspective. Tyson was not ready to fight anyone. Tysons poor performance makes sense if you know he hadn't been in a real fight for 5 years. The odds dropping so much makes sense because King and the mob knew that Tyson would lose so they bet heavy against Tyson. I didn't make this conclusion until I checked it out thoroughly, and everything falls into place like Howard Cosell's toupee. I'm certain that this is what took place.
King waited for this mega fight that was supposed to take place years earlier, but Tyson screwed up his plans when he went to prison. King and Tyson had a little secret; they couldn't be certain that Tyson could win 4 warmup fights and win them convincingly. Mike was rusty and his desire was no longer the same. if he had a bad warmup, even if he won but didn't look good, it could have put doubt into the boxing fans mind and ruined Kings expectations of a mega fight whereby he made a shitload of money. King didn't want to take the chance of losing this mega-fight again, so Tyson agreed to have 4 fixed fights to guarantee that he would look good so that the huge mega-fight with Holyfield could take place. I believe that Tyson made a truckload betting against himself as well, his reward for going along.
This is way too long, I'll end by saying Tyson's first title was a fixed fight as well. Watch it closely, Trevor Berbick took a dive.
All that BS talking was Ali's way to deal with his fear. Dude needed to convince himself. And he did. Every single time.
Pretty much .. I say it now I have to do it .. an amazing method of psyching yourself up with the secondary effect of driving your opponent crazy and promoting the fight so everyone Makes more money
Probably a mix of that with the fact he was trying to get public interest in the fight. He’s said he took influence from the wrestler gorgeous George when it came to promoting & stirring up the crowd.
@@dopeScope561 well at about 4 min Mark its kinda all explained
Except for the fight of the century 😭 he made up for that tho
@@angratessio Just because you're convinced doesn't mean you will win. What if the other dude is as convinced as you are? But it helps you to get your ass into the ring.
"Clay comes out to meet Liston and Liston starts to retreat,if Liston goes an inch further he'll end up at a ringside seat.Clay swings on the left,clay swings on the right,look at young cassious carry the fight.Liston keeps backing but there's not enough room,it's a matter of time and a clay loves(/locks) the boom. Now clay lands on the right,what a beautifull swing,and the punch raises the bear clear out of the ring.Yes the crowd did not dream when they laid down their money that they would see a total eclipse of the Sonny."
Ali invented the rap
Thanks for this!
Ali was not only a great boxer, but also a great entertaininer too.
2:44 gave me the chills....his combos were so fast the camera only caught some frames of his fists. Imagine getting hammered like that stucking into the corner....oO
Sony was old
Excellent description and walk through! Thank you. Ali was a bewildering phenomenon at the time. You captured that really well.
Ali toward the end "I'm pretty" and the interviewer replied with "your not that pretty" 😭😂😂😂
Ali caught that little quip,
That's why he yelled in his face like that
@Richard Milliken well don't you sound like a ray of sunshine
I hate that guy
you're
@@joeygonzo thank you,I seemed to have missed it
As a boxer this fight inspires me. Not in the sense that I study it heavily or anything, but just Ali and everything else about this fight.
Ali was a special human being... he made boxing look so beautiful.
Man it generally just makes me sad because boxing is such a beautiful sport but promoters are ruining it, this is why UFC is slowly going to take over and even tho I'm a big fan of both sports I have a special place in my heart for boxing because of icons like Ali,Tyson and Hagler they were just warriors man.
@@showkatali4896 i totally understand what you mean, growing up, the likes of ali, Roy Jones, Mike Tyson... these men were heroes to me.. to see the state of boxing now, it’s just so sad.
@@LegendInThaMakin I see where y'all are coming from but I feel like boxing is coming back, and my father who's been watching the sport for a very long time feels the same way. A lot more stars in the game nowadays and slowly the great fights are being made.
@@brolyonsome3963 I love watching canelo, I hate the fact that haney, Garcia, teo and tank won’t fight. I hate how Crawford and Spence won’t fight, I hate that fury and Joshua taking so long to fight, the list goes on.
Back then, legends simply fought legends.
There never will be a Boxer like Ali
My new favorite channel. So fun to have your favorite fights made new again. Seen more fully. Thank you Modern Martial Artist!
Watching Ali dodging punches with millimeters has to be one of the best things ever. Outboxing the most feared boxer in history at the age of 22... Still the greatest.
No one moved like Ali.
@@NavarinoDC Nobody fixed a fight like the mob either.
@@MrMarco855 ok?? What does that have to do with what he said.
@@restinpeacekobe987 It has everything to do with it. Ali wasn't dodging anything, Liston was intentionally steering punches off target.
Strange that Cooper busted his nose a dozen times while Ali tried to back away. Then Cooper decked Ali. Liston would have knocked Ali into the 3rd row had they really fought.
"A total eclipse of the Sonny." bahaha why haven't I heard that one before?
He had some funny ones.
Best trash talker ever. What people today try and emulate is being the villain but they don't have any wit or banter, Ali did. You got the Mayweather and broner guys and their type is just I got money. That's enough to get people into seeing them humbled.
@@sleazyfellow Mayweather never got humbled. The real villain💪
The reason you haven’t heard that one is because you haven’t watched enough Ali clips
@@chrismason4449 no, but most people don't give a shit about the guy at the end. So what he broke Marciano's record, the fanfare wasn't there. He's a boring fighter and his only means of talking shit are "you don't know shit about boxing" or "I got money". Watching him fight is like watching paint dry.
By far the best analysis of this fight I've ever seen. Many thanks 💥👌
This is the best analysis of the Ali-Liston fight i have ever seen.
Great job !!
Ali was doing pro wrestling promo tactics his entire career. And was rapping before there was rap. 🐐
Dope
I never thought of that. He really is the OG of rap.
"The blur became a man and a man can be hurt." Never heard a narration/analysis like this. This was definitely beautiful and intriguing. Hope you have more of these, if so, I'm definitely subscribing!
I believe that might have been a quote from ali himself to his corner at the end of the 4th round. I could be wrong though
Pretty sure that's what Angelo Dundee said to Ali when the kid said "all I can see is a blur out there"..
All of David's video narrations are this good. 👌
It's only "beautiful and intriguing" to those whose brains are already scrambled.
@@rae0521 But not so for those whose brains have been poached. 😊
The calibre of heavyweight boxers in that era was the best it's ever been.
Not really.
Excellent video -- well made and inciteful. Please keep them coming!
13:56 - soo true. Ali was blessed with Angelo as a coach. And Angelo was blessed with Ali as his boxer.
They were so lucky to have each other
JeeeeeeeeeP
@@phoenixthedevourer1716, what
@@jeepamir508 peej
Both were blessed to have mob connections to fix the fight.
Angelo Dundee was always there in Ali’s corner. Greatest of all times. Retired the heavy weight champion sonny liston on his stool. And retired liston again on the canvas after rocking him in the first round with a counter right over listons jab. Liston basically ran right into it.
Last time I was this early, Muhammad still called himself "Cassius"
aigth this gold
Bro how did you feel when Kennedy died?
You know what happened to the last guy that called him Cassius?
@@Desh681 😂😭😭 facts “my name Muhammad why you keep calling me that white mans name, Uncle Tom” then he beat that man senseless in the ring
His momma calls him cassius, i'm calling him cassius.
His speed made Ali famous that was his true natural gift!!
What I especially loved about this vid was the emphasis upon Ali’s uncanny defense.
05:42 A huge ability that Ali had and few realize was his amazing strength. Here, you see him pushing the tremendously strong Liston off of him. He did the same thing to George Foreman.
@@reillyhopf6508 striking force and physical strength don’t necessarily cleanly relate to one another.
@@TerryTerius oh yeah idk what the hell I was looking at when I made that comment lol
He was so smart
Strength? So what! It sure as hell wasn't Ali's strength that made him a champion.
@@mrfester42 true, but boxers do need to be strong, especislly heavyweights. Without His strength, Ali wouldn't be considered the GOAT by so many.
Imagine throwing a hook so hard you dislocate your own shoulder, next level power.
Exactly! With his 15" Fists, 84" reach and monstrous power, I can very well imagine what would happen if he missed hitting something with that Freight Goods Train hand of his! If it hit the opponent, the power (rather, the pain!) would get transferred to the opponent and if he missed, it would be Liston who would hurt!
What you said makes no sense , its the technique not the power, It happens
@@aggelosfragko2286 Liston was too busy chasing Ali to strictly stick to technique, I guess.
IAC, Liston isn't the first Boxer to have hurt his shoulders sparring or in the ring, he won't be the last either.
Especially if it was all fake.
@@MrMarco855 Well, I tried to throw a Cricket ball when I was around 32, after over a decade. Couldn't move my right arm for a whole week!!
Of course professional Boxers - World Champions at that - are in far, far better condition than a guy throwing a Cricket ball after a decade, but still, I can relate to that!
I think the ONLY fight Sonny could not have won - even if there was a 'best of three', with the 3rd fight being absolutely fair, would have been Ali in his prime.
I am not so sure Ali would have won after he had turned 30, with Liston being over 40 by then: Ali had lost his lightning speed, Liston had lost none of his power!!
In fact, Boxers lose their speed first, they lose their power last of all!
The one, and only thing which really hurt Liston was his association with mob. Once I read about that 40 years ago really made me pull back, and look at the entire sport.
What an excellent breakdown and analysis.
Ali had great reactions to avoid punches, he was quicker and faster than anybody else. What a great fighter!
He stayed clear of every fake punch Liston threw.
@@MrMarco855 2nd fight was fixed, not this one
@@godfather53 The only other top level fight I've seen where a guy walks forward into a power punch that he didn't see coming is Pacquiao - Marquez IV, where Pacman was unconscious before he hit the canvas.
If you're going to take a dive, you don't do it by letting the other guy punch you out. FFS, even Sonny Liston's back muscles rippled out from that punch.
@@lennoncayson749 no
@@godfather53 Everybody could (or not) se the knockout punch. I think Liston just had enough trouble outside the ring and decided to drop.
Been excited as helllllll ever since this one was announced
Thank you very much for this video The Modern Martial Artist. I love to hear how you talk about fighters and fights :)
Great technical commentary David, absolutely brilliant!
"Only a maniac would go out against Sonny Liston while blind"
Ali: Hold my eyes
lmfao
Liston; I'll hold my punches.
Written in the script.
Liston kept missing!
@@MrMarco855 Liston's dislocated shoulder from hitting air was fake too right?
Just imagine Great Ali with this kind of social media he would make a billion each time he entered the ring
The buzz wouldn't be the same this was one of the golden years of boxing and social media would've made it worse
@@showkatali4896 fax.
If the fight happened in the modern age with social media Sunny would've gotten permanently banned from boxing and the fight would never happen.
You're forgetting Sunny responded to Ali's smack talk in the 2 person fight hype by pulling out a revolver and shooting at Ali 3 times (with blanks), which had Ali respond by running out like a chicken with his head cut off.
If we had modern social media back then, hoo boy, I don't even think I need to say how much nonsense we'd hear after that.
that was the best description of boxing technique i have heard on line...easy to understand, and clear, for those of us with no boxing prior knowledge. thanks!
Love your fight breakdowns especially MUHAMMAD ALI🥊🦋🐝great video keep up the good work👍👍👍
‘I don’t have a mark on my face and I upset Sonny Liston and I just turned 22 years old. I must be the greatest,I am the King of the world,I’m pretty’. Muhammad wasn’t lying when he said that and it was in the presence of Joe Louis !!
After he went to war with Ernie Terrel for 15 rounds, Howard Cossel said to Ali "Joe Louis said that you are great" and Ali replied "I don't need Joe Louis to tell me I'm great, I've been telling you that for the last 6 years! " 😂😂 Boy was he right.
Ali won GOLD MEDAL IN OLYMPICS.
In front of the great Joe Louis made the comment more foolish and disrespectful. Why do you think it's a great thing that he insulted the best heavyweight ever to his face like that? Ever heard of respect, class, humility? At 22, Ali wasn't the greatest anything, except bull shitter.
@@MrMarco855 respectfully, Joe Louis wasn't the greatest heavyweight on of all time. At the time ali didn't earn the greatest status, but he would become the greatest. He wanted to purposely separate himself from being the next Joe Louis or the next great black champion. He wanted to be ali.
What ah absurd insult to Louis after a fake win.
Bro, Ali is the greatest simply because he beat soooo many greats. His era n generation was ridiculous
Exactly. When you check out the best boxer in the 60s and 70s, Ali fought them all. Some more than once. Foreman, Frazier x3, Liston x2, Norton x3, Quarry x2, Lyle, Chuvalo x2, Patterson x2, Ellis, Shavers, Williams, Mathis, Terrell, Folley and even Holmes. And the list goes on...
@Richard Milliken Maybe. Possibly. But it's not like Ali owed Foreman anything. He KO'd him. It wasn't some controversial split decision, that begged for a rematch. Frazier didn't give Ali rematch. Foreman didn't give Joe rematch, so...
@Richard Milliken Couldn't agree more about Ali's bad mouth against Frazier before their fight in 71'. And you're wrong. Ali faced them twice, at least, sure. But actually it was only Liston that Ali gave a rematch after winning. Against Norton, it was Ken, who won the first fight. And Ali - Fraizer 2 wasn't a title fight. So it wasn't Joe giving Ali a rematch. It was an eliminatiory fight. Again, Ali didn't owe anything to Big George... And just to clarify, Smokin' Joe is my favourite boxer...
@Richard Milliken foreman was the toughest sob I've ever seen
@@fiucik1 mine too
I watched this fight on TV in the UK with my mates , I thought clay was a loudmouth and didn't like him much, but I changed my mind and watching this now and listening to him puts a big smile on my face 😊
Wow! Exciting narration of this historic fight! Alot of the kids on my street would gather whenever we had the chance to watch Ali fight. Ah, the sweet memories. It seemed evident that Ali's superior tactical abilities won him this fiģht.
The footwork at the beginning is just pure genius. Otherworldly!!!!
"One day they're going to write a blues song about fighters. It'll just be for slow guitar, soft trumpet and a bell."
~ Sonny Liston
Try Mark Knopfler’s “Song for Sonny Liston”
@@davidmaynard1530 came here to say the exact same thing! The Bear's in town!
@@GG-qx5uc “ Somebody’s money says the Bear’s goin’ down. “
I really really enjoy watching this and you are the best at breaking down stuff
Simply the BEST commentary on a fight I've ever heard.
His timing was very good. Ali knew when to punch and retreat but his timing both offensive and defensive may have been his greatest skill
Great reasoning.
Two mind boggling phenomenal fighters. Both were super human athletes.
One of the BEST descriptors on CZcams i must say. Excellent production to a world changing event.
I just watched your recap of Liston and Ali and I have subscribed and look fwd to watching more of your fight recaps....David you are so good at this, thank you for doing this...
Ali was the fastest heavyweight I've ever seen.. but it wasn't his hand speed which made him great; it was the fact that most of the time, when his opponent was trying to hit him, his head was already moving backwards, taking the sting out of any punch that landed. The only punches that really hurt him, were the ones that he didn't see coming; like Joe Frazier's left hooks.
Ali took punishment through his career from other boxers in his career including hard hits to body and head from not only Frazier in their 3 fights together but also others like Larry Holmes, Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers
Shavers caught Ali many times when Ali was setting up the right counter over the opponents jab. When you study Ali in later years, you can see in his stance and shoulders when he is looking for that counter. Shavers really caught Ali good, Ali was waking right into shavers right hand. Ouch.
Faster than Tyson? Very different styles but Mike was blistering.
@@humandroid53 Tyson is the fastest heavy weight ever
Ali was by far the best Heavyweight of all time.
Never in my life have I heard such detailed breakdowns of a boxers' tactics, strengths, and weaknesses. Your excellent narration made me see this fight like it was the first time. I was a fan of Ali since that day. It wasn't the last time he "shook up the world"!
I knew nothing about boxing before stumbling across this channel and now I’m fascinated. Great videos!
Wow! Superb analysis! Definitely subscribed. Many thanks!
i see this fight as a tragic end to liston’s career. he really was something.
I think he gave up, his ego took some beating..unfortunately
For real man Liston was something else. Not sure who wins prime Liston vs Ali
@@Tee1312Jay Why would a fixed fight hurt his ego? He made roughly $1,000,000 betting against himself with money the mob fronted him as payback for the dive. The mob made a boat load of money betting against their own fighter at whopping odds of 8 to 1. Only the fans and unaware gamblers took a real ass kicking on that night.
@@pissonthe0fighteverybody276 In a real fight Liston KO's Ali any round he chooses, only in question is which row will Ali land after knocked out of the ring.
@@MrMarco855 I think that also
Ali was just on a different level totally.
The dude was fighting the most feared fighter on the planet at the time effectively blinded and yet he STILL managed to not only keep himself in the fight, but overcome Liston's offense.
I know what you mean, it almost seems as if the whole thing was pre-arranged.
Ali had a lot of confidence which pushed himself to make him as great as he was.
"Sonny's Crown Turn's To Clay" That newspaper headline is amazing
Superb. Very articulate, narrative, and analytical. Just quality!
The blur became a man, and a man can be hurt.
I got chills!
OUTSTANDING LINE. The line of the video, in my opinion.
Chills over a fixed fight?
A beaten, humiliated and exhausted Liston, retired on his stool.
Ali was more than just the greatest boxer. His talent was so unparalleled, that he actually changed the sport itself. Every one of his major fights is like a work of art. There will never be another boxer like him.
Good Lord , that’s nutty
GOAT
I can't say more. It's like you are saying my mind
Well said!
The problem with that statement is ALI said his face wasn't hit. Well we all know how that turned out. If ALI the greatest boxer he wouldn't have taken any damage. At the end of his life for many years from 1980 he was brain damaged. Is Floyd Mayweather brain damaged, I understand his ego his huge but the man won every belt in every weight he fought. Didn't take much damage. Floyd Mayweather is a better boxer than Ali. No doubt
Magnifecent commentary !! TOTTALY enjoyable.. Thanks.
Awesome vid. Great job sir.
No heavyweight could beat this version of Ali.
I can name one
Ali could beat Ali
@@showkatali4896 That would be a hell of a fight
Liston would have KO'd Ali in 2 rounds had they really fought.
@@MrMarco855 this is boxing mate dodging and blocking it’s not a street fight.
@@MrMarco855 why
he just turned 22 years old and he didnt have a mark on his face, he MUST be the greatest
No, he must be in a fixed fight.
@@MrMarco855 except he wasn't, so he must be greatest :)
Humiliated Liston twice. Sadly, retiring Liston. Both great boxing champions and legends.
@@theshepardthewolfandtheshe5304 liston fought until 69 or 70 going on another long unbeaten streak iirc
@@eatthisvr6. Affirmative. Meaning Liston retired on his stool first match with Ali. Liston was making a come back after the two losses to Ali.
Great video. Great narration.
I was a kid watching the fight in the uk in 1964. Real shock result as Liston had a fearsome rep and Ali was so young. Ali said that a mafia fixer gave the substance to listons corner man to blind Ali. He said years later he saw the same man in the opp corner for another of his fights. Liston us rumoured to have been killed by the mob...knew too much. Mob had run boxing in the 40s and 50s.
A stunning analysis! Have watched this fight countless times, as I'm sure millions of other fight fans have, but now have a far deeper and more detailed understanding than before. One of the greatest h/w fights in history now has an account worthy of it. Keep up the great work.
Calm down, the guy was narrating a fixed fight, making up shit as he went along. All that he said about Ali doing this and Ali doing that is absurd because the fight was fixed. This guy is giving a detailed explanation for every move they made, as if there was special meaning behind pulled punches. He's stuck with it now; nothing more embarrassing then going into detailsin a deep analysis of something that was very random and fictional. Liston had but one thought on his mind; make sure he doesn't hit Ali by accident and thereby deny himself the one million$ awaiting him and the many millions awaiting the mob. Swing high, swing low, pull that jab left then high over his head, but whatever you do don't hit the frail lad and accidently knock him out.
@@MrMarco855 lmao i wish it was. Liston was a straight G
Ali was far superior. No one blames Liston for not wanting to continue the first fight, also the rematch where Liston got rocked early by Ali’s right counter. 💥
This is by far the best analysis of this fight that I've ever seen. Great job, David!
Brilliant editing on this video. This has to be one of the most iconic fights of all time.