One week from today marks 55 years since the passing of Charles “Sonny” Liston — an all-time boxing great who won the heavyweight championship, faced Muhammad Ali twice, and lived out his final days in Las Vegas while never escaping the shadow of the mob over his career.
His gravestone is difficult to spot at Davis Memorial Park (also known as Paradise Memorial Gardens) east of the Strip. The modest marker only lists the name of the heavyweight championship boxer, years of birth and death, and just two words: “A Man.”
🚔 Tough Upbringing
It’s not even entirely known if one of those years is accurate. Liston himself never knew his exact birthday and there’s no certificate available. He was born in poverty in rural Arkansas and got into frequent trouble with the law before finding success in boxing.
🥴🥊 Hard Hitter
Liston was a terrifying presence, known for his brute force and power. He won and unified the heavyweight championships with a pair of first-round knockouts over Floyd Patterson in the early ‘60s. The first was at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. The second was Liston’s first fight in Las Vegas at the Convention Center.
Liston pummels Patterson in Las Vegas. (Stanley Weston/Getty)
🧐 Phony Finishes?
The champ’s career suddenly took a dive — in more ways than one, according to some. Liston lost to Cassius Clay after leaving the ring and failing to return for the seventh round. A rematch against Clay, then renamed Muhammad Ali, was even more controversial. Liston lost by knockout in the first round to what critics described as a “phantom punch,” prompting accusations that Liston threw the fight. Even his wife thought so.
📷 Iconic Image
The image of Liston flat on his back, underneath a snarling Ali, became one of the most iconic sports photos in history and Liston wasn’t able to overcome the damage to his legacy. Despite a mostly winning record, Liston never recaptured championship glory. His only loss after the Ali series was by knockout to Leotis Martin at the Las Vegas Hilton, which is now the Westgate.
🎰 Vegas Homeowner
Liston spent his later years in Las Vegas, living in a house on Ottawa Drive in Paradise Palms near the Las Vegas Country Club. He’d often shoot craps with fellow boxing champ Joe Louis, who lived about a mile away and was a celebrity greeter at Caesars Palace.
⚰️ Suspicious Death
Liston was found dead by his wife inside his Vegas home in 1970 — just eight years after he was crowned heavyweight champion. The coroner listed natural causes as the reason. Police say heroin was found near the body. Others argue otherwise, claiming it had to do with long-running mafia connections and Liston was murdered for not taking a dive in his final fight.
We may never know the full truth. Liston’s death remains mysterious, just like his birth. Take a moment to think about the boxing great’s remarkable life, even if you happen to see his unremarkable tombstone in Las Vegas.
