March 25, 2007

In 1962, St. Francis County native Sonny Liston became the Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. Running away from home at an early age, he became involved in a life of crime in St. Louis, Missouri. He was introduced to boxing while serving prison time. A brief amateur career and a string of impressive professional victories got him the title shot in which he knocked out champion Floyd Patterson. Liston held the title for less than a year, losing to a young Cassius Clay, better known today as Muhammad Ali.