Mike Tyson has named Sonny Liston as the only boxer scarier than himself. The former undisputed heavyweight champion shared this opinion during a recent appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq.
Tyson's career started with a bang in 1985. His first 19 fights ended in knockouts, setting the stage for his rapid rise. In 1986, at just 20 years old, he became the youngest world heavyweight champion by defeating Trevor Berbick for the WBC title. By 21, he had unified the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts, cementing his status as the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Despite his fearsome reputation, 'Iron' Mike believes Liston was even more intimidating. Liston held the heavyweight title from 1962 to 1964, amassing a record of 50 wins (39 by knockout) and 4 losses. His reign ended in 1964 when he lost to Muhammad Ali, followed by another loss to Ali in their 1965 rematch.
On The Big Podcast with Shaq, Tyson explained why he considers Liston the scariest fighter ever:
"Listen, Sonny Liston is the scariest fighter that ever lived. Sonny Liston would come to a town, say he's in St. Louis and he comes to Chicago, the cops would be [like] 'Listen, you can't come', he knocked out around four cops, broke their jaw, took their gun, they were beating him with the night stick over his head … There's no fighter like Sonny Liston, Sonny Liston's a monster."
Liston's reputation extended beyond the ring. He had ties to organized crime and a history of run-ins with the law. These factors contributed to his intimidating image.
Liston's life ended in mystery on December 30, 1970. The circumstances of his death fueled speculation and controversy, adding to his legend. His fearsome reputation, both in and out of the ring, left a lasting impression on the boxing world - so much so that even Mike Tyson, once considered the "baddest man on the planet," acknowledges Liston as the scariest fighter ever.
