Sonny Liston Podcast: The Original "Baddest Man on the Planet"

Mired in violence, crime and controversy, Sonny Liston's life makes for a fascinating podcast.

It's been a long while between boxing podcasts. We took our time working on our Sonny Liston podcast because we wanted to do the man justice. Liston was born into grinding poverty and fell into crime as a young man, yet rose to become heavyweight champ of the world. He lost the title in controversy, and his failure to recapture the crown against Ali (in an even more controversial fight) saw him become something of an outcast in the boxing world. A man with underworld links who seemed more comfortable among mobsters and children - people who wouldn't judge him - Liston was often reduced to a thuggish brute by the media. Today, there are some who would rehabilitate his image, portraying him as a victim of circumstances who did the best he could.

He is one of the most enigmatic of boxing champions, and it was fascinating to explore his story. Liston to the Sonny Liston podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.