60 years ago

Date: 25th February 1964

Title: WBC & WBA World Heavyweight Titles

Promoter: Bill McDonald

Tv: Closed Circuit Television

Sonny Liston
( 35 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 218 lbs

Cassius Clay
( 19 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 210 1/2 lbs

It was a fight that went down in boxing history, Sonny Liston vs Cassius Clay on February 25, 1964. Clay, known for his quick feet and faster mouth, entered the ring as the underdog against the intimidating Liston, who had a record of 46-1-0. But as the fight began, Clay showed that he was not to be underestimated, using his lightning-fast jab and quick combinations to make it difficult for Liston to score.

The third round saw Clay take a more aggressive approach, hitting Liston with a flurry of punches that left him with a bruise under his right eye and a cut under his left. However, in the fourth round, Clay's eyes began to burn, and he complained to his corner that he couldn't see. His trainer, Angelo Dundee, quickly rinsed his eyes with a sponge and told him to stay away from Liston.

The fifth round saw Clay struggle to survive, but by the sixth, his eyes had cleared, and he was in control of the fight once again. It was then that Liston, complaining of a shoulder injury, retired at the end of the round, handing Clay the victory by technical knockout. Clay, in a moment that would become legendary, sprang to the center of the ring and declared himself "the greatest," shouting at the ringside media that he had "shook up the world!"

The fight between Liston and Clay was later named "Fight of the Year," "Fight of the Decade," and "Upset of the Decade" by The Ring. It was a match that would change the course of boxing history, and one that would be remembered for years to come.