Sonny Liston
Considered invincible in the ring, Liston has immense punching power. If he manages to land a blow, it’s difficult to see Bam Bam rallying. A good referee will end the fight. In addition, Bam’s signature move is grabbing his opponent by the wrist and then “bamming” from left to right. Boxing rules forbid holding and so Bam will not be able to rely on his best weapon. Liston was no slouch on the streets. With convictions for armed robbery and assault we can assume Liston can handle himself if Bam wants to take things outside. No stranger to fighting dirty, Bam might find himself with a faceful of liniment from Liston’s “juiced” gloves.
Bam Bam
Raised by mastodons before being adopted by the Rubbles, Bam Bam has incredible strength. But if he is going to win in the ring he needs to learn how to box. Brute strength won’t cut it! Especially, since he won’t be permitted his signature Bam Bam move. If Liston can be persuaded to fight MMA style in the Octagon, where the bamming is a legal move, then Bam stands a chance. On the streets? This is a different kettle of fish entirely. If he works on his speed training, Bam will be able to grab Liston’s infamous and lethal left hook straight out of the air – and then it’s bam bam, bam bam, bam bam, good night Sonny Boy!
Bam Bam Rubble made his first appearance in The Flintstones in 1963 as the adopted son of Barney and Betty Rubble. The character’s amazing strength along with his seeming ignorance of it is the source of much of the humor. In Flintstones lore, Bam Bam grows up and marries the girl next door, Pebbles Flinstone, daughter of Fred and Wilma. In 1963, the year Bam Bam was first introduced to the show, the heavyweight champion was Charles L. “Sonny” Liston. In his youth, Liston found himself in trouble, leading a gang that carried out several armed robberies. Due to the shirt Liston wore during these capers, the police nicknamed him “the Yellow Shirt Bandit”. His boxing career began after a five year jail sentence about which Liston never complained. His boxing career was marred by some controversies included the accusation that he smeared his gloves with liniment during his fight with Muhammad Ali (something he always denied).