Today, 25 February, marks six decades since a 22-year-old named Cassius Clay defeated the favourite Sonny Liston, whom he had humiliated and beaten for the title of heavyweight champion. On that day, "The Greatest" became a social icon, paving the way for a career that would make him one of the greatest boxers of all time.
This was no ordinary fight. It wasn't just a boxing match. Young Cassius Clay upset the favourite Sonny Liston on 25 February 1964. Within hours, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He declared war on one of the most powerful countries in the world, as AFP recalls.
He humiliated his opponent, took the heavyweight title and changed history from that day on. Today marks 60 years since that event. Sports Illustrated named it one of the four most influential sporting events of the 20th century.
The American boxer, always arrogant and outspoken, was no longer just an image. He became a symbol of the fight against racism, especially in a powerful country whose society had always been racist towards blacks. His strategy was always to attract attention and be the centre of attention; he achieved this with his eccentric personality, combined with immense talent, making him one of the greatest boxers in history.
Ali rose to stardom after other black boxers had succeeded: Floyd Patterson, always respected, and Sonny Liston himself, a boxer with a fearsome appearance and controlled by the dark side. They were world champions, like Ali himself. But they were not representative of what was to come.
Today marks 60 years since Ali defeated the 'Ugly Bear', as he nicknamed Liston. He won thanks to unparalleled talent and an eccentric, chaotic but intelligent strategy. His victory is still hard to comprehend, because he didn't stand a chance. Nobody bet on him.
Then came his association with the Black Muslims, his relationship with Malcolm X and his connection with Africa. What he said, gestured and did. All to prove in the ring that he was the best. He had 61 fights. He won 56 of them, 39 by knockout, and lost only five. But his figure transcended all that. His influence extended beyond boxing.
However, the fight with Liston can be seen as the beginning of it all. The contract for the fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay was signed on 5 November 1963. The fight was to take place at the Convention Center in Miami Beach. The year before, Liston had beaten Patterson. He had become world champion.
Liston was someone who didn't like to laugh. He didn't make many public appearances or joke around. On the other side was a 22-year-old arrogant young man. He danced in the ring and never stopped talking. Always joking and always saying eccentric things.
On the day of the fight, Clay was nervous about weighing in. His heart was racing and some doctors even said he was unbalanced. The odds were a clear 7-1 in favour of Liston. Clay had converted to Islam before the fight, but didn't announce it until afterwards. The boxing world looked at the fight with its eyes wide open, but with a very clear point of view: Liston was the favourite.
The Convention Centre was packed. Miami Beach was the epicentre of world boxing. From the start, it was Ali (then Clay) who danced. He kept Liston at bay with his famous fast and continuous jabs. As the rounds went on, Ali continued to rack up points. In the third and fourth rounds everything changed.
It was Clay who was winning the rounds, and he was even giving Liston trouble. The sixth round was decisive. Once again, the Lousville native began to dominate and began to control the fight. At the end of the round, "The Big Bear" told his trainer that he couldn't continue. He didn't come out for the seventh.
