Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II: A Controversial Encore

On February 25, 1964, Muhammad Ali fulfilled a promise he made when he was only 12 years old--he became the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. This victory not only marked the beginning of a new era in professional boxing, but also a new era of the young champion's life. Now that he had proved he could beat the biggest and strongest boxer the sport had seen in years, he now faced several new opponents in the forms of international media, the World Boxing Association, and the federal government of the United States. Ali's journey to becoming Heavyweight Champion may not have been easy, but he would find that keeping the title may have been even harder.

In the months leading up to the highly contested rematch between Ali and Sonny Liston, each boxer faced challenges from legal battles, media scrutiny, and more. Liston was arrested, Ali had an unexpected operation, and the fight was inevitably kicked out of the state of Massachusetts. When the fight finally did happen, its ending only began a new wave of controversy.

In recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the infamous rematch, Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston: A Controversial Encore examines the crucial moments between the conclusion of the first fight to the aftermath of the negatively-received rematch of two of the greatest heavyweight boxers in modern history.