This man was invincible. This was impossible. He quit – he’s going out on his shield! Bert Randolph Sugar
Nobody gave my guy a chance; nobody gave him a shot. Angelo Dundee, re first Liston fight
In 1964 there was one Heavyweight Champion of the world – Liston was considered to be Godzilla. He was going to reign for a thousand years ... By the time Cassius Clay got to Liston the consensus was Sonny Liston would annihilate him. Thomas Hauser, publisher
In April and May of 1963 you have the single most important urban mobilisation in the desegregation struggle of the South – and that’s in Birmingham. King is jailed. Thousands are jailed. In September 1963 you have the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing ... The month before you have the March on Washington DC. Two hundred and fifty thousand Americans black and white demonstrating – pressing the Kennedy administration to push Congress to adopt national Civil Rights legislation. In November 1963 you have the assassination of President Kennedy ... That was the context in which the Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston fight occurred. Manning Marable
v Sonny Liston 25th February 1964 Miami Beach: [r1] ... All set now ... Cassius Clay on the move as we see ... A left hand! ... The long left lead is making the difference so far from Mr Clay ... [r2] ... This youngster has his own style and it’s confusing for the champion ... [r3] ... Cassius Clay wearing white shoes has surprised everyone ... Cassius has the fastest hands in Heavyweight history ... Cassius is a bit hurt ... [r4] ... His eyes are bothering him ... He is blinking badly ... [r6] ... Clay with a variety of punches ... [r7] ... What do you think is going on in Sonny’s mind at this point? ... They might be stopping it! That might be all, ladies and gentlemen! Get up there, Joe! Get up there! Get in the ring! Steve Ellis, US fight commentary
v Sonny Liston 25th February 1964 Miami Beach: [r1] ... Clay looks pretty confident ... He shouted. He raved. He taunted Sonny Liston ... This is what Clay said he would do – jab and move ... And he’s hurt Liston with three or four punches. What a first round Clay is having here ... [r2] ... Look how confident this boy is ... All those lefts picking up points for Clay into the face of Liston ... [r3] ... Doing remarkably well ... And Liston is cut under his left eye ... And now he is punishing the champion heavily ... [r4] ... That left hand is drawn towards Liston’s face ... Making those young legs keep him clear of trouble ... [r5] ... Cassius Clay has amazed the world of Boxing tonight ... Clay is screwing up his face in pain ... Clay complains that he can’t see properly. He’s blinking and he’s got something in his eyes ... Clay’s corner are complaining ... He’s still standing up there and he’s still playing around with Liston ... He‘s just pushing his left glove into Liston’s face ... [r6] ... Still squinting ... It’s all Clay and his corner are jubilant ... He’s making the champion look like a sparring partner ... Liston looking all at sea ... Clay is now coming forward ... [r7] ... And what’s happened? Clay has won! ... A sensation to end all sensations ... And Cassius Clay is Heavyweight champion of the world … Harry Carpenter, UK fight commentary
21) Sonny Liston KO1: Bert Randolph Sugar - Muhammad Ali - US Fight Commentary TV -
More chaos than KO. Bert Randolph Sugar
Get up, sucker! Muhammad Ali
I was telling the bum to get up and fight. Muhammad Ali
v Sonny Liston II 25th May 1965 St Nicholas Arena Lewiston Maine [r1] ... They are staring each other down ... Here we go ... A knockdown, ladies and gentlemen, a right-hand shot, a right hand shot on the chin. Jersey Joe Walcott! Sonny cannot move. Check the time … US fight commentary
Nat Fleischer, former editor of The Ring, informed referee Jersey Joe Walcott from ringside that Liston had already been down for the count of ten. Classic Sports banner, cited Boxing: First Round Knockouts
22) Floyd Patterson TKO12:
23) George Chuvalo Points15:
24) Henry Cooper TKO6: When Ali Came to Britain TV - Muhammad Ali -
This fight captured the imagination of the boxing public. The self-proclaimed greatest in a fifteen round rematch with the best of British. When Ali Came to Britain
The fight was staged at Arsenal’s Highbury football ground in front of a sell-out audience of 40,000 boxing fans. Cooper couldn’t get close to Ali. ibid.
Ali appeared as a guest on the Eamonn Andrews Show alongside Noel Coward, Dudley Moore and Lucille Ball. ibid.
I hate the sight of blood. Muhammad Ali, Eamonn Andrews Show
25) Brian London KO3: Desmond Lynam - Brian London -
London was a goodish heavyweight – very strong, physically powerful man – but he didn’t have anything like the skill to cope with Ali at the time. Desmond Lynam
And he could punch. And I was smaller, fatter and couldn’t punch! Brian London
26) Karl Mildenberger TKO12:
27) Cleveland Williams TKO3 *****
28) Ernie Terrell Points15: Muhammad Ali - Muhammad Ali & Howard Cosell TV - Ali or Tyson: Who Was Greatest? TV -
You keep saying Cassius Clay. My name is Muhammad Ali. And you will announce it right there in the centre of that ring after the fight if you don’t do it now. You are acting just like an old Uncle Tom. Another Floyd Patterson. I’m going to punish you. Muhammad Ali to Ernie Tyrell
What’s my name? Muhammad Ali to Ernie Terrell throughout fight
Terrell will catch hell at the sound of the bell.
Ernie Terrell thinks he is a championship fighter,
But when he meets me he will fall twenty pounds lighter.
He may come in the ring looking clean and neat,
But if he’s not cool they will carry him out by his feet.
Now he’s gone around saying that he’s the real heavyweight champ, But after I’m finished he will only be a tramp.
Now I don’t want to be a drag, and I’m not here to brag,
But it’s Terrell’s jaw I’m out to tag.
Now I understand he wants to stand toe to toe,
And with me trade blow for blow,
But if he’s hip, he will take a dip,
Because I plan to bust his lip.
And after the fight he will know he was in a scuffle,
Because he couldn’t master the Ali shuffle. Muhammad Ali, pre-fight interview Harry Carpenter
v Ernie Terrell 6th February 1967 Houston Texas [r1] ... There – I’ve just hit him with a flurry of punches ... I understand that his intentions were to corner me ... He can’t hit me ... He’s rabbit-punching me now ... He hasn’t touched my face yet ... He caught me with very few jabs ... He’s just missed that ... I always move ... I respect all of my opponents ... [r8] ... I will say that the ring was no place to stop fighting and start talking ... It’s done now and it’s over. There – he’s missing jabs as you see. There – he’s just had the palm of his glove in my face. And many people are saying, Howard, that I shouldn’t have beat him like this – that I shouldn’t have beat him for fifteen rounds like this, but I want to say it’s my job to fight ... A good hook ... Not yet ... Right now I’m asking him, What’s my name? ... I do remember him saying Muhammad Ali ... I have to apologise on this show because I was wrong for talking ... He was a man. He did take it, Howard ... There – I’m asking him, What’s my name? – which is wrong ... This is weak excuse for the press to use ... I’m out to be cruel – that’s what the boxing game is about ... It’s my job to woop him. Thank you, Howard. You are not as dumb as you look ... I tried but he wouldn’t go ... [r15] ... I’m telling the truth, that’s all ... You’ve had your say ... If I’m going to be judged to be talking to a man ... I don’t pay no attention to them [press] ... Why make such an issue of talking? ... You’re using the talking as an excuse, so I don’t want to get hot here on the show. I have to say, he is really a man, Howard ... He still kept coming. He just wouldn’t quit, and he took my best ... Muhammad Ali post-fight video analysis with Howard Cosell, ABC’s Wide World of Sports
Muhammad Ali promised to punish Terrell and Ali was a man who kept his promises. By the seventh round Ernie Terrell’s left eye had closed leaving him to the mercy of Ali’s lightning fast strikes. As Ali pummelled his opponent he yelled, ‘What’s my name!’ again and again ... Ali or Tyson: Who Was Greatest?