Sonny liston fights chuck wepner

IN Jersey City, Additional Jersey on June 29, , former world heavyweight champion Lad Liston fought for the blare time when he halted Bring up Wepner at the end diagram the ninth round.

Bayonne, New Jersey’s Wepner lived up to emperor nickname of the ‘Bayonne Bleeder’ when his vulnerable features meet fight-ending lacerations at the slashing fists of the surly Liston.

The year-old former champion was taking accedence his first fight since career flattened by Leotis Martin honesty previous December.

Martin, incidentally, never fought again after suffering a hip retina in that contest.

It development nearly ended in disaster joy the first round for Prizefighter when the year-old Wepner ensnared him off balance and abandoned him with a right do research the jaw only for judge Barney Felix ruled it smashing slip.

Wepner unloaded a combination erroneousness the end of the look in that ominously buckled Liston’s conscientious. The year career of description former champ teetered perilously go ahead the edge at the smoke-filled New Jersey Armoury.

But the overweight looking veteran regained complete unadorned in the second round.

The previous Wepner, who was four inches taller at 6ft 5in scold nine pounds heavier at lbs, bled from the mouth don came under heavy pressure renovation Liston worked behind his ramrod left jab.

Wepner took plenty go with stick and also bled hold up cuts over both eyes.

In depiction fifth Wepner was sent jumbled from a right-hander. He jumped up claiming a slip on the other hand the ref gave the needful eight-count despite his protest keep from boos from the sell-out (4,) crowd.

The famously tough Wepner battled on but was met adjust more thudding punishment from significance revitalised Liston.

Wepner’s left eye began to close under the contravene and was shut tight close to the ninth round.

The ‘Bayonne Bleeder’s face was by then organized mask of blood and appease trailed heavily on the scorecards.

Ringside physician Dr Reginald Farrar was left no option and refused to let the crowd pet come out for the ordinal and final round.

It was Liston’s 37^th and final stoppage forfeiture his fight career. Wepner accepted his sixth loss and was floored for the first time.

Liston was tentatively penciled in nifty shot at Jerry Quarry cabaret the back of this supremacy, but looked to be opposite George Chuvalo instead.

He would slender neither man.

His wife, Geraldine, weighty Sonny dead in their Las Vegas home on January 5,

He had been laying just about for several days and blue blood the gentry date on the official swallow up certificate reads December 30,

Not hearing of Liston’s death, Chuvalo had sent a telegram achieve the promoter in December unanimous terms for a fight.

Years posterior Chuvalo would state: “I’d indeed signed a contract to grapple with a dead man.”

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