On this day in 1964 Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] backed heavyweight champion Sonny Liston into the ropes and flailed away with both fists to dominate the sixth round of the pair’s first bout at Miami Beach, Florida, which Clay won when Liston gave up at after suffering a shoulder injury, and failed to answer the bell for the start of the seventh round. Clay, who changed his name to Muhammad Ali shortly after their first fight, won their second fight in Lewiston, Maine, in 1965, with a first-round knockout. The two fights between Muhammad Ali, and Sonny Liston for boxing’s World Heavyweight Championship were among the most controversial fights in the sport’s history. 

Liston was the most intimidating fighter of his day, and at the time was considered as being amongst the best heavyweights of all time, having demolished the former champion Floyd Patterson by a first-round knockout in 1962. Ten months later the pair met again with the same result, Patterson was knocked out in the first round.

25 February, 2019