Mike Tyson, a living legend of boxing, has named Sonny Liston as the scariest fighter to ever step into the ring. The former heavyweight champion shared his thoughts during an appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq.
Tyson, who turned pro in 1985, quickly made a name for himself with his aggressive style, speed, and knockout power. He became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at just 20 years old in 1986. His 37-fight unbeaten streak and unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles cemented his place as one of the most feared fighters in the sport.
Despite his own fearsome reputation, Tyson believes Liston was on another level. On Shaquille O'Neal's podcast, he said:
"Sonny Liston is the scariest fighter that ever lived. He would go to a town and the police would tell him he couldn't come in. He would break their jaw, take their gun... he was a monster."
Liston's reputation stemmed from more than just his boxing skills. He started his career in prison and had been arrested over 100 times, including for armed robbery. This violent past, combined with his overwhelming physical power, made him an intimidating presence both in and out of the ring.
In the boxing world, Liston made his mark by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round to win the world championship in 1962. He built a reputation as an almost invincible fighter, with only figures like Muhammad Ali managing to beat him. Liston ended his career with an impressive record of 50 wins and just 4 losses.
Tyson's view of Liston as the scariest boxer ever likely comes from how Liston's violence transcended the sport. While Tyson himself was a rival few wanted to face, he recognizes that Liston's imposing and dangerous image went beyond just his boxing skills.
It's a testament to Liston's reputation that even a boxer as dominant and explosive as Mike Tyson, who's often in discussions about the most important boxers in history, considers him the scariest of all time.
