Fixed fights were common back than, and.........

...in those days a lot of fights were fixed, including my uncles. Ali was payed off to lose to Foreman (and I thought EVERYBODY knew that one). Its in his book. Foreman gave Ali a mill when he found out & stayed by his side in the hospital.


In 1964 on the evening of February 25 in Miami, Florida he fought against Cassius Clay, whom odds-makers made a distant 8-1 underdog. Liston lost his title when he shockingly quit in his corner before the start of the seventh round, claiming he had hurt his shoulder. However, by that point in the fight it had become clear that Liston had no answer for Clay's speed.


On May 25, 1965, Liston would encounter Clay again, now known as Muhammad Ali. The bout was originally scheduled for Boston, Massachusetts, but Ali, a week before the fight, was hospitalized with a hernia. The rescheduled match was held in the city of Lewiston, Maine.

Less than two minutes into the fight, while he was pulling away from Liston, Ali hit Liston with an extremely quick punch which didn't seem to have much weight behind it. However, Liston awkwardly went down, first lurching forward to the canvas then sprawling out onto his back, spread-eagled. In the total shambles that followed, referee Jersey Joe Walcott never counted over Liston and never made Ali go to a neutral corner, while Ali yelled hysterically at Liston, running around the ring, arms aloft. During this time Liston made an attempt to get back to his feet, before again rolling onto his back.

After Liston finally got up, ringside boxing writer Nat Fleischer, who had no authority, informed Walcott that Liston had been on the canvas for over 10 seconds (during which time the fight briefly resumed), and that the fight should be over. Walcott then waved the fight off. The photograph of the knockdown of this fight and is one of the most heavily promoted photos in the history of the media, and was even chosen as the cover of the Sports Illustrated special issue,













"You make your life what it is but there's always a point where fate steps in"