On December 6, 1969, a 37-year-old Sonny Liston (49-3, 38 KOs) and a 30-year-old Leotis Martin (30-5, 18 KOs) met in the ring in a heavyweight bout.
Liston came in to the fight on a 14-fight win streak with a 73% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 2 months and 13 days. Martin was on a 4-fight win streak with a 51% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 18 days.
Leotis Martin stopped Sonny Liston via KO in the 9th round. Martin improves his record to 31-5 (19 KOs), while Liston adds a loss to his record at 49-4.
On May 25, 1965, a 33-year-old Sonny Liston (35-2, 25 KOs) got a shot at the heavyweight WBC and The Ring title held by 23-year-old Muhammad Ali (20-0, 16 KOs).
Liston came in to the fight on a 1-fight losing streak with a 67% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 1 year and 3 months. Ali was on a 20-fight win streak with a 80% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 1 year and 3 months.
Muhammad Ali made quick work of Sonny Liston in the rematch, stopping the challenger via KO in the 1st. Ali improves his record to 21-0 (17 KOs), while Liston adds a loss to his record at 35-3.
On February 25, 1964, the 31-year-old undisputed heavyweight world champion, Sonny Liston (35-1, 25 KOs), faced a 22-year-old Cassius Clay (19-0, 15 KOs) in an undisputed title defense fight.
Liston came in to the fight on a 28-fight win streak with a 69% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 7 months and 3 days. Ali was on a 19-fight win streak with a 78% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 8 months and 7 days.
The champion refused to continue the fight in the 6th round, and Muhammad Ali is crowned the new WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight world champion — and becomes the undisputed heavyweight world champion — in his first world-title fight. Ali improves his record to 20-0 (16 KOs), while Liston adds a loss to his record at 35-2.
On September 7, 1954, a 22-year-old Sonny Liston (7-0, 2 KOs) and Marty Marshall met in the ring.
Liston came in to the fight on a 7-fight win streak with a 28% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 28 days.
Sonny Liston lost to Marty Marshall via split decision in the 8-round fight, and adds an loss to his record at 7-1.