It is not uncommon for boxers to grace our television screens or don the cover of magazines, but in some cases, just the appearance of a notorious boxer anywhere outside of the ring is enough to strike fear into the public.
Muhammad Ali donned the cover of many magazines in his time, from his infamous 1968 cover for Esquire, which featured Ali dressed as a third-century Christian martyr, despite his Islamic beliefs, to another Esquire issue, where opponent Floyd Patterson wrote an essay in defense of ‘The Greatest’ and shed light on why Muhammad Ali never forgave Frank Sinatra.
Other fighters to feature in Esquire covers include Amir Khan, Mike Tyson, and Francis Ngannou.
There is one magazine cover, published by Esquire, that shocked the nation, featuring one of the most intimidating heavyweights to have ever laced the gloves.
Sonny Liston dressed as Santa Claus shocked America
Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston appears in a Christmas edition of the magazine with a Santa hat adorning his head. It seems innocent enough, but America back then was steeped in racial tension, and it simply was not ready for a black Santa Claus, especially not one as violent and intimidating as Liston.
The cover even angered civil rights activists, who believed Liston’s photoshoot was a detriment to their cause.
The cover caused readers to cancel subscriptions, and Esquire suggested over $750,000 in advertising revenue was lost as agencies boycotted the publication.
Muhammad Ali, who was to face Liston the year after the cover was published, said: “That’s the last black m———– America wants to see coming down their chimney!” according to Esquire themselves.
Liston is hardly to blame for this, though, as he was tricked into wearing the hat for the cover in the first place.
Photographer Carl Fischer noticed Liston did not want to wear the hat, but also saw how he interacted with children and used Liston’s kindness towards a young girl to encourage them to have a photo together. Little by little, Fischer convinced Liston to wear the hat and removed the young girl from the scene.
When Sonny Liston took on three bullies in prison
In ‘Dear Muffo’, a memoir written by boxing promoter, Harold Conrad, for his late friend Bob Mussel, Conrad tells a story of how Liston’s stint in prison went.
He writes of how an Italian gang in prison would push the black inmates around until one day Liston landed a huge punch on the jaw of an Italian, and told him: “Every time you touch a c—— boy you gonna get a taste of that […] If y’all don’t like it you can meet me in the storage room.”
The story goes that three men went into the room to give Liston a beating, and only one came out, Liston himself, while the others lay on the floor.
Liston became world champion after defeating Floyd Patterson, the first heavyweight to regain a title after losing it after receiving a letter from former rival, Archie Moore.
Liston would retire with a record of 50-4, with only three losses he couldn’t avenge – two of them at the hands of Muhammad Ali.