"57 years ago today, Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston by TKO at the Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, winning his first heavyweight title at the age of 22.
The fight: Clay was a 7-1 underdog against the 29-year-old Liston, who'd compiled a 35-1 record and hadn't lost in nearly a decade. In a pre-fight poll of 46 writers, only three picked Clay.
Still, even as a kid, Clay was his brash, confident self, and he used his youth and speed to set the tone for most of the fight.
In the sixth round, Clay pummeled Liston to the point that the latter didn't answer the bell for the seventh, resulting in a TKO.
The rematch: 15 months later, Ali knocked out Liston in the first round, which produced one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century." Axios
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside