February 1964 will forever be remembered as the month that catapulted
five men to unparalleled fame in their respective fields of
entertainment. Three weeks after four mop-topped musicians made their
debut on Ed Sullivan's television show, young Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
(right) shocked the world when he knocked out heavyweight champ Sonny
Liston in Miami Beach's Convention Center on Feb. 25.
It was believed that the foreboding Liston would not only knock out the boisterous "Louisville Lip," but also seriously hurt him. (Years later the challenger even admitted it was the only time he was ever scared going into a fight). Liston, who was the best heavyweight in the world in the late-50s, was avoided by champion Floyd Patterson until 1961. And with good reason; when the two did fight Liston overwhelmed Patterson twice via first round knockouts.
It was clear from the outset that the 22-year-old challenger was too quick for the champion who was 10-years his senior. The fleet-footed Clay, a 7-to-1 underdog, scored repeatedly with jabs and combinations to Liston's head and easily dominated the first four rounds. In Round 5, Clay was temporarily blinded by a foreign substance that was used on Liston's cuts. But by the next round, Clay had recovered his vision and resumed control and Liston had had enough; he quit before the seventh round claiming an injured shoulder. Boxing had a new world heavyweight champion.
But within days, Clay announced that he was a member of the Nation of Islam, a hate-based religious group that shared many beliefs of orthodox Islam, and changed his name to Cassius X and then later, Muhammad Ali. Thus began a 14-year odyssey in which be became not only the greatest heavyweight champion, but the most famous athlete in history.
