Charles “Sonny” Liston! The former heavyweight champ’s name conjures up images of invincibility, power, and mystery. Who was this intimidating man and what really caused his precipitous fall from the pinnacle of the sports world? Paul Gallender’s biography, Sonny Liston – The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights, is a penetrating look at boxing’s first super heavyweight, a man who was tagged as too big, too black, and too damn good for most of America in the 1950s and 1960s.
In meticulous detail, the author shows why the outcomes of Liston’s two bouts with Muhammad Ali had more to do with what took place outside of the ring than in it. When Sonny was forced to lie down against Ali in their rematch, his reputation, his future, and ultimately his legacy, went down with him. Because of the media’s unrelenting disrespect, Sonny’s immense talent has been largely forgotten but it has never been equaled. Gallender introduces you to a man who, while not a saint, had a sense of fairness and depth of character that was acknowledged for the most part only by family, friends, and children of every race.
Prior to becoming an author, Paul Gallender raised money for non-profit groups that benefit children, seniors, the physically disabled, and the environment. He has always had Sonny Liston’s back.
You can contact Paul Gallender by emailing paulgallender@gmail.com