By David Jordan Jr
What do we know about the late former Heavyweight Champion of The World Sonny Liston? Most famously he is known for his two legendary boxing matches with Cassius Clay (who would later become Muhammad Ali after joining The Nation Of Islam), one which led to him losing the heavyweight title and the second a first-round knockdown in the rematch against Ali. How did he get involved in boxing? What was his life like as a child? How was his life as the heavyweight champion of the world?
“The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights” authored by journalist and investigative reporter Shaun Assael details the early life of Charles “Sonny” Liston, his rise from an early disadvantaged youth to heavyweight champion of the world as well as the mysterious circumstances which surrounded his unexpected death in 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Assael provides an in-depth look into not only the life of Liston but also the lives and interactions of all of the people that were apart of his life and career at various times. Regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever, his career in the ring while successful did not lay the ideal framework for success outside of the ring. The book shows how Liston’s inner and outer circle of people and their various interactions could have possibly created the atmosphere which led to his professional demise and ultimately his untimely death (Sonny was still a ranked boxer when he died). The journey cross country from Philadelphia to Colorado, his friendship with another heavyweight champion Joe Louis, his wife Geraldine, and the many Vegas nights all were puzzle pieces; did they fit together to form the final picture? Shaun Assael’s book provides readers the inside glimpse that is necessary to understand Sonny Liston and the life he lived in and out of the boxing ring.
Visit The Website Of The Author Shaun Assael HERE
