Sparring with Sonny Liston

[BKM-]

I came across this article on the net, and it was interesting and funny.


Sparring with Sonny Liston
Alan Laythorpe, a sports reporter/columnist, sports editor, rural reporter, 1962-65, 1969-72 and 1980-86, on his coverage of late world heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston:
"I had a feud with Sonny Liston after I wrote a column saying he was 32 going on 37. He got mad and swore he was 32 years old, but I pointed out if that were true, he would have been 12 years old at the time he was in the Missouri state prison.

"(A year later) I was at Thunderbird Downs (horse race track) with (Sun columnists) Joe Delaney and (the late) Paul Price. We saw Liston, and they bet me $10 I wouldn't dare go up to him and shake his hand. I took the bet, walked up to Liston and said, 'Hello Champ, how are you?' and stuck out my hand. He said, 'I'm OK' and shook it.

"He got his revenge, I guess, because it took me a week to pry my fingers apart after I got my hand back. But I did get the $10."

Today, Alan Laythorpe is a thoroughbred race horse broker in San Diego.


its down the page.

[SABBATH]

I came across this article on the net, and it was interesting and funny.


Sparring with Sonny Liston
Alan Laythorpe, a sports reporter/columnist, sports editor, rural reporter, 1962-65, 1969-72 and 1980-86, on his coverage of late world heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston:
"I had a feud with Sonny Liston after I wrote a column saying he was 32 going on 37. He got mad and swore he was 32 years old, but I pointed out if that were true, he would have been 12 years old at the time he was in the Missouri state prison.

"(A year later) I was at Thunderbird Downs (horse race track) with (Sun columnists) Joe Delaney and (the late) Paul Price. We saw Liston, and they bet me $10 I wouldn't dare go up to him and shake his hand. I took the bet, walked up to Liston and said, 'Hello Champ, how are you?' and stuck out my hand. He said, 'I'm OK' and shook it.

"He got his revenge, I guess, because it took me a week to pry my fingers apart after I got my hand back. But I did get the $10."

Today, Alan Laythorpe is a thoroughbred race horse broker in San Diego.


its down the page.

I have a better one. Micky Duff once bet Liston that journalist Reggie Gutteridge had less hair on his body than Liston. Gutteridge then proceeded to roll up his pant leg. Liston was amazed.

Gutteridge had a wooden leg.

[K-DOGG]

I have a better one. Micky Duff once bet Liston that journalist Reggie Gutteridge had less hair on his body than Liston. Gutteridge then proceeded to roll up his pant leg. Liston was amazed.

Gutteridge had a wooden leg.

That's pretty funny.

[Yogi]

You guys should read the old stories on Albert Terhune, Paul Gallico, and the like (reporters, authors...media types), who actually did spar (and by some of the descriptions it was far from being light sparring either) with some of the great heavyweights of their day...Pretty interesting stuff.

[SABBATH]

You guys should read the old stories on Albert Terhune, Paul Gallico, and the like (reporters, authors...media types), who actually did spar (and by some of the descriptions it was far from being light sparring either) with some of the great heavyweights of their day...Pretty interesting stuff.

I remember George Plimpton getting a bloody nose frm sparring with Archie Moore...

[Yogi]

I remember George Plimpton getting a bloody nose frm sparring with Archie Moore...

"Hey, breathe, man, breathe." - Ole' Mongoose

[Rockin']

I remember George Plimpton getting a bloody nose frm sparring with Archie Moore...

These writers that claim to have "ring experience" because they saprred with a named fighter is a bunch of crap.

I read Plimptons book and let me tell you he didnt see nothin' with his sparring. I cant remember who the fighter was, it was a big named 70's heavyweight, but the guy just played with Plimpton, like a cat and mouse except the cat doesnt eat the mouse at the end. Its cool that Plimpton believes he has real ring experience to throw on his resume. But the thing is that if he ever did get real ring time witrh any pro fighter he probably would not be writting as well as he had before the real thing. Just my opinion.

Rockin'

[QueensburyRules]

You guys should read the old stories on Albert Terhune, Paul Gallico, and the like (reporters, authors...media types), who actually did spar (and by some of the descriptions it was far from being light sparring either) with some of the great heavyweights of their day...Pretty interesting stuff.

- -Yogi knows!

I remember a presser where the writers kept asking Toney about his weight. He finally blew up and challenged each one to a spar that I saw as a feeble response, but worse, none of these tough guy reporters took him up because Toney was the veritable Apex Bully, and that silenced them.

I'd have been overjoyed to take him on. Feet stuck in molasses with a mouth stuck in the sewer, would've been a walk in the park. Every clip I seen of him sparring he looked helpless because he was always way outta shape, the whole reason the writers were badgering him to begin with.

[markusmod]

- -Yogi knows!

I remember a presser where the writers kept asking Toney about his weight. He finally blew up and challenged each one to a spar that I saw as a feeble response, but worse, none of these tough guy reporters took him up because Toney was the veritable Apex Bully, and that silenced them.

I'd have been overjoyed to take him on. Feet stuck in molasses with a mouth stuck in the sewer, would've been a walk in the park. Every clip I seen of him sparring he looked helpless because he was always way outta shape, the whole reason the writers were badgering him to begin with.

Was that the one where he went off on Steve Kim?

[QueensburyRules]

Was that the one where he went off on Steve Kim?

- -Don't recall the Kim incident. Refresh us...