Charles Sonny Liston was an ex con who entered boxing in 1953 after serving a term in prison in Missouri He learned to fight on the streets of St Louis The first two years of the 1960s decade were eventful for Sonny not just because of speculation of a possible title shot with heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson Patterson s camp especially his trainer Cus D Amato insisted that Liston disassociate himself from unsavory criminals and associates before his fighter would give him a fight Liston had several rather easy fights during these years including early knockouts against Texan Roy Harris ex German heavyweight champion Albert Westphal Zora Folley and Eddie Machen