The Fight That Shook Up the World! Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay, Jr.
Miami Herald Newspaper Clipping, November 28, 1962
Muhammad Ali was not the only one bragging on his abilities. This article by Jimmy Burns pits comments from Sonny Liston's advisor, Jack Nilon, against Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee. It includes this quote from Dundee:
"Cassius could do the same thing to Patterson that Liston did, knock him out in the first round."
Donated by Phillip Faversham in 2015.
The Buildup
Shortly after making his debut in professional boxing, Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, Jr., began catching the attention of sports journalists, both nationally and internationally. News spread quickly of the brash, boisterous young fighter that was letting everyone know who the next Heavyweight Champion would be (him, of course) and no one was going to stand in his way.
For the first two years of Ali's professional career, the title was held by Floyd Patterson, who earned the title in 1956 at 21 years old. Ali told True Magazine in 1962, "Floyd made history when he won it so young, but he'd just went up there and won it without saying nothing. But me, three years I been saying I'll do it by the time I'm 21, so when I do it that ain't just going to be history. Man, that will be double history!"
Then, in September of 1962, Charles "Sonny" Liston knocked Patterson out in one round, thus becoming the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. Naturally, Ali had to shift his attention to the new champion.
Immediately after his victory against his former trainer, Archie Moore, on November 15, 1962, Ali told reporters that he was ready for Sonny Liston. Since he had accurately predicted he would defeat Moore in four rounds, Ali decided to once again speculate on his chances against Liston, saying the current champion "Must fall in eight!"
Clay Ready for Liston in '63? - Miami Herald Newspaper Clipping, November 28, 1962
