Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II: A Controversial Encore
Front page of the Daily News newspaper, February 26, 1964
Donated by Henry Korn in 2017.
The New King of the Ring
Even as an 8-1 underdog, Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay, Jr.) ultimately defeated Sonny Liston by technical knockout when the older boxer did not answer the bell for the seventh round after complaining of a shoulder injury. Ali danced around the ring with his arms raised above his head in celebration, proclaiming, "I shook up the world!" The very next day, he announced his conversion to Islam, confirming what many had already suspected, and two weeks later, he re-introduced himself to the world as Muhammad Ali.
Despite earning the title of Heavyweight Champion, many sports journalists and boxing experts still felt that Ali had something to prove, that perhaps the fight was fixed and Liston's ties to the mob were behind it. This, coupled with his conversion and name change, ultimately overshadowed his accomplishment in most print media. Immediately following the fight, the Miami Beach Boxing Commission began an investigation into the integrity of Sonny Liston, causing his purse to be witheld until he was examined by selected doctors.
