Boxing career of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is widely regarded by boxing commentators and historians as the greatest professional boxer of all time. Boxing magazine The Ring named him number one in a 1998 ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras.[3] In 1999, The Associated Press voted Ali the number one heavyweight of the 20th century.[4] In 1999, Ali was named the second greatest boxer in history, pound for pound, by ESPN; behind only welterweight and middleweight legend Sugar Ray Robinson.[5] In December 2007, ESPN listed Ali second in its choice of the greatest heavyweights of all time, behind Joe Louis.[6]

Muhammad Ali
Ali in 1976
Statistics
Nickname(s)The Greatest
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[1]
Reach78 in (198 cm)[1]
NationalityAmerican
BornCassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
(1942-01-17)January 17, 1942
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJune 3, 2016(2016-06-03) (aged 74)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record[2]
Total fights61
Wins56
Wins by KO37
Losses5
Websitemuhammadali.com
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
1960 Rome Light-heavyweight
Intercity Golden Gloves
1959 Chicago Light-heavyweight
1960 New York Heavyweight
Chicago Golden Gloves
1959 Chicago Light-heavyweight
1960 Chicago Light-heavyweight
US National Championships
1959 Toledo Light-heavyweight
1960 Toledo Light-heavyweight

Boxing style
See also: Muhammad Ali's Training Camp and Slipping
Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves are preserved in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History.

Ali had a highly unorthodox boxing style for a heavyweight, epitomized by his catchphrase "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Never an overpowering puncher, Ali relied early in his career on his superior hand speed, superb reflexes and constant movement, dancing and circling opponents for most of the fight, holding his hands low and lashing out with a quick, cutting left jab that he threw from unpredictable angles. His footwork was so strong that it was extremely difficult for opponents to cut down the ring and corner Ali against the ropes. He was also able to quickly dodge punches with his head movement and footwork.

One of Ali's greatest tricks was to make opponents overcommit by pulling straight backward from punches. Disciplined, world-class boxers chased Ali and threw themselves off balance attempting to hit him because he seemed to be an open target, only missing and leaving themselves exposed to Ali's counter punches, usually a chopping right.[61] Slow motion replays show that this was precisely the way Sonny Liston was hit and apparently knocked out by Ali in their second fight.[62] Ali often flaunted his movement by dancing the "Ali Shuffle", a sort of center-ring jig.[63] Ali's early style was so unusual that he was initially discounted because he reminded boxing writers of a lightweight, and it was assumed he would be vulnerable to big hitters like Sonny Liston.

Jimmy Jacobs, who co-managed Mike Tyson, used a synchronizer to measure young Ali's punching speed versus Sugar Ray Robinson, a welter/middleweight who was considered pound-for-pound the best fighter in history. Ali was 25% faster than Robinson, even though Ali was 45–50 pounds heavier.[64] Ali's punches produced approximately 1,000 pounds of force.[65] "No matter what his opponents heard about him, they didn't realize how fast he was until they got in the ring with him", Jacobs said.[66] The effect of Ali's punches was cumulative. Charlie Powell, who fought Ali early in Ali's career and was knocked out in the third round, said: "When he first hit me I said to myself, 'I can take two of these to get one in myself.' But in a little while I found myself getting dizzier and dizzier every time he hit me. He throws punches so easily that you don't realize how much they hurt you until it's too late."[10]

Commenting on fighting the young Ali, George Chuvalo said: "He was just so damn fast. When he was young, he moved his legs and hands at the same time. He threw his punches when he was in motion. He'd be out of punching range, and as he moved into range he'd already begun to throw the punch. So if you waited until he got into range to punch back, he beat you every time."[38]

Floyd Patterson said, "It's very hard to hit a moving target, and (Ali) moved all the time, with such grace, three minutes of every round for fifteen rounds. He never stopped. It was extraordinary."[38]

Darrell Foster, who trained Will Smith for the movie Ali, said: "Ali's signature punches were the left jab and the overhand right. But there were at least six different ways Ali used to jab. One was a jab that Ali called the 'snake lick', like cobra striking that comes from the floor almost, really low down. Then there was Ali's rapid-fire jab—three to five jabs in succession rapidly fired at his opponents' eyes to create a blur in [the latter's] face so he wouldn't be able to see [Ali's] right hand coming behind it."[67]

Footwork
See also: Footwork (martial arts)

An unconventional "dancing" style of footwork was popularized by Ali in the 1960s. He moved side to side, and forward and back, while bouncing on the balls of his feet and dancing around his opponents. This allowed him to quickly move to wherever he wanted in the ring. He also occasionally shuffled his feet back and forth quickly, confusing his opponents before landing a blow, a move called the Ali shuffle.[68][69] His unconventional footwork was referred to as the "dancing legs" at the time.[70]

Ali's footwork notably influenced martial artist and actor Bruce Lee, who studied Ali's footwork and incorporated into his own Jeet Kune Do style of hybrid martial arts in the 1960s.[71]

Trash-talk
See also: Trash-talk

Ali regularly taunted and baited his opponents—including Liston, Frazier, and Foreman—before the fight and often during the bout itself. He said Frazier was "too dumb to be champion", that he would whip Liston "like his Daddy did", that Terrell was an "Uncle Tom" for refusing to call Ali by his name and continuing to call him Cassius Clay, and that Patterson was a "rabbit." In speaking of how Ali stoked Liston's anger and overconfidence before their first fight, one writer commented that "the most brilliant fight strategy in boxing history was devised by a teenager who had graduated 376 in a class of 391."[64]

Ali typically portrayed himself as the "people's champion" and his opponent as a tool of the (white) establishment. During the early part of his career, he built a reputation for predicting rounds in which he would finish opponents, often vowing to crawl across the ring or to leave the country if he lost the bout.[32] Ali adopted the latter practice from "Gorgeous" George Wagner, a professional wrestling champion who drew thousands of fans to his matches as "the man you love to hate."[32] When Ali was 19, Wagner, who was in town to wrestle Freddie Blassie and had crossed paths with Clay,[12] told the boxer before a bout with Duke Sabedong in Las Vegas,[12] "A lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing and always be outrageous."[11]

ESPN columnist Ralph Wiley called Ali "The King of Trash Talk".[72] In 2013, The Guardian said Ali exemplified boxing's "golden age of trash-talking."[73] Bleacher Report called Clay's description of Sonny Liston smelling like a bear and his vow to donate him to a zoo after he beat him the greatest trash-talk line in sports history.[74]

Rope-a-dope
Further information: Rope-a-dope

In the opinion of many observers, Ali became a different fighter after the 3½-year layoff. Ferdie Pacheco, Ali's corner physician, noted that he had lost his ability to move and dance as before.[38] This forced Ali to become more stationary and exchange punches more frequently, exposing him to more punishment while indirectly revealing his tremendous ability to take a punch. This physical change led in part to the "rope-a-dope" strategy, where Ali would lie back on the ropes, cover up to protect himself and conserve energy, and tempt opponents to punch themselves out. Ali often taunted opponents in the process and lashed back with sudden, unexpected combinations. The strategy was dramatically successful in the George Foreman fight, but less so in the first Joe Frazier bout when it was introduced.

Later years

Of his later career, Arthur Mercante said: "Ali knew all the tricks. He was the best fighter I ever saw in terms of clinching. Not only did he use it to rest, but he was big and strong and knew how to lean on opponents and push and shove and pull to tire them out. Ali was so smart. Most guys are just in there fighting, but Ali had a sense of everything that was happening, almost as though he was sitting at ringside analyzing the fight while he fought it."[38]

In the mid-1970s, Ali took an interest in Asian martial arts, such as karate and taekwondo. The founder of American taekwondo, Jhoon Goo Rhee, coached Ali for several fights. A punching technique that Rhee taught him was the "accupunch", a technique that Rhee himself had originally learnt from Bruce Lee. The "accupunch" is a rapid fast punch that is very difficult to block, based on human reaction time—"the idea is to finish the execution of the punch before the opponent can complete the brain-to-wrist communication." Ali was reportedly unable to block the punch when Rhee first demonstrated it to him. Ali later used the "accupunch" to knockout Richard Dunn in 1975.[75]

Ali and his contemporaries

Ali and Frazier

Friendship

In an interview published in 2002, Joe Frazier recalled that he had first met Ali around 1968. At this time Ali was continuing his legal fight to get his boxing license back, and Frazier was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Frazier stated that he had campaigned vigorously for Ali to get his license; this included going to Washington and meeting the president to lobby on Ali's behalf. Frazier also lent Ali some money at this time.[76]

According to Dave Wolf, former sports editor of Life and a member of Frazier's entourage, Frazier was keen for Ali's return to boxing, because he believed that beating Ali would win him unambiguous acknowledgement as the "best."[77] According to Wolf, Frazier was also kind to Ali during this time—agreeing to participate in staged confrontations, which enabled Ali to get publicity and earn money giving lectures. Wolf states that Frazier had deep respect for Ali's religious beliefs, and even participated in Muslim services at Ali's suggestion. Until Ali got "nasty" before their first fight, Frazier endorsed Ali's refusal to be drafted; Wolf recalls: "I remember [Frazier] telling me, 'If Baptists weren't allowed to fight, I wouldn't fight either'."[77]

Ali and Frazier knew they would become wealthy if Ali returned to the ring.[78][79] Prior to their first fight, both had expressed a liking for each other.[80] In 1970, Ali had stated: "Me and Joe Frazier will be buddies. I just want it to go down in history that I didn't sell out or Uncle Tom when I got famous, and I don't think Joe Frazier's going to do that either. He ain't dumb."[80]

Opponents

Ali and Frazier fought three fights in the span of five years; the first and third of these are widely regarded to be among the greatest of all boxing bouts, and the Ali-Frazier rivalry has been hailed as one of the greatest any sport has seen.[81][82] Writing in Sports Illustrated, William Nack commented:

Of all the names joined forever in the annals of boxing—from Dempsey-Tunney to Louis-Schmeling, from Zale-Graziano to Leonard-Hearns—none are more fiercely bound by a hyphen than Ali-Frazier. Not Palmer-Nicklaus in golf nor Borg-McEnroe in tennis, as ardently competitive as these rivalries were, conjure up anything remotely close to the epic theater of Ali-Frazier.[82]

According to Ali, Frazier's style of boxing made him a tougher opponent for him than Liston or Foreman because he was vulnerable to Frazier's in-close left hook. Had he fought with Frazier before his three-and-half year break from boxing, when he was younger, "I'd have danced for fifteen rounds, and Joe wouldn't have ever caught me."[83][lower-alpha 1]

After Thrilla in Manila, Frazier called Ali "a great champion",[84] and, referring to Ali, graciously stated that "[m]y man fought a good fight";[85] while Ali declared Frazier to be "the greatest fighter of all time next to me."[86]

Trash-talk and altercations

In the buildup to their bouts, Ali called Frazier "dumb" and an "Uncle Tom" before their first, "ignorant" before the second, and a "gorilla" before the third.[87][88] Writers Dennis and Don Atyeo have noted that given Ali's warm words for Frazier in the past, his jibes about Frazier sounded hollow.[80]

On January 23, 1974, five days before their second fight, Ali and Frazier had a public altercation captured on television. ABC Sports' Howard Cosell had arranged for the two to come to the studio to comment on their first fight. Things went smoothly until Frazier commented about Ali having to visit a hospital after the fight. Ali immediately responded by claiming he had gone to a hospital for ten minutes whereas Frazier had been hospitalized for three weeks after the fight,[lower-alpha 2] and concluded by calling Frazier "ignorant."[90][91] Frazier then snapped; removing his studio earplug, Frazier reached across to Ali, protesting the use of the word "ignorant."[89][90] Soon the two were wrestling on the floor, until they were separated by onlookers.[90][92][lower-alpha 3]

According to veteran boxing commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz, during the buildup to Thrilla in Manilla, Ali once awakened Frazier in the middle of the night by constantly screaming. When Frazier appeared on the balcony of his hotel room, Ali pointed a toy gun at him and shouted: "I am going to shoot you."[85]

Immediately after Thrilla in Manilla, Ali summoned Frazier's son Marvis to his dressing room and apologized for the things he had said about Frazier.[94][lower-alpha 4] When Marvis conveyed Ali's contrition to his father, Frazier commented that Ali should have communicated this to him directly.[94] After returning to the United States, Ali called boxing promoter and manager Butch Lewis, and asked for Frazier's private number, saying he wanted to apologize to Frazier. However, when Lewis conveyed this request to Frazier, he was told not to share the phone number with Ali.[82]

Finale

In 1988, Ali and Frazier joined George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Ken Norton in Las Vegas for the making of the film Champions Forever. At a local gym, Frazier came across Ali before a crowd of spectators, and said: "Look at Ali. Look what's happened to him. All your talkin', man. I'm faster than you are now. You're damaged goods."[82] Ali, already afflicted with Parkinson's, insisted that he remained faster than Frazier and pointing to a heavy bag suggested the two compete to see which of them could hit the bag the fastest. Frazier immediately took off his coat, moved to the bag and threw a dozen rapid punches at it accompanied by loud grunts. Without removing his coat, Ali strolled towards the bag, held the ready stance, mimicked one of Frazier's grunts without throwing a punch, and then addressed Frazier with the words "Wanna see it again, Joe?" Everyone laughed, except Frazier.[82]

Later that day, Frazier started walking towards Ali after having had too much to drink. Ali biographer Thomas Hauser, who was present, recalled that for the next 10 minutes Larry Holmes positioned himself between Ali and Frazier, preventing Frazier from reaching Ali. George Foreman then took over and acted as Ali's shield for the next 10 minutes. Throughout this incident, Ali remained oblivious to what was going on.[82]

In his 1996 autobiography Smokin' Joe: The Autobiography of a Heavyweight Champion of the World, in which he always refers to Ali as Cassius Clay,[95] Frazier wrote:

Truth is, I'd like to rumble with that sucker [Ali] again—beat him up piece by piece and mail him back to Jesus. ... Now people ask me if I feel bad for him, now that things aren't going so well for him. Nope. I don't. Fact is, I don't give a damn. They want me to love him, but I'll open up the graveyard and bury his ass when the Lord chooses to take him.[82][96]

Commenting on Ali lighting the Olympic flame in 1996, Frazier stated that it would have been good if Ali had fallen into the cauldron after lighting the flame, and that he would have pushed Ali in himself if he had the chance to do so.[82][97][98] In a press conference held on July 30, 1996, Frazier accused Ali of being a "draft dodger" and a racist,[lower-alpha 5] and claimed he would have been a better choice to light the Olympic flame.[82] Also in 1996, Frazier claimed Ali was suffering from "Joe Frazier-itis" and "left-hook-itis."[82]

In a 1997 interview, Frazier expressed no regret for the words he had used for Ali at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. According to Frazier:

We weren't animals. We were human beings. He called me a gorilla. An Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom? I grew up so poor and so black in South Carolina, even the water we drank was colored. The only guy I 'tommed' for was him, giving in to him. God gave him so many gifts. Fast. Pretty. Smart. Strong. He didn't have to do what he did.[98]

In a 2001 interview with The New York Times, Ali again apologized to Frazier for calling him names which, Ali claimed, was done to promote their fights. Frazier initially accepted the apology saying it was time to put this issue behind them.[99] However, subsequently Frazier commented that Ali should apologize directly to him instead of apologizing through a newspaper. Reacting to this, Ali stated: "If you see Frazier, you tell him he's still a gorilla."[100]

In his interview in Stephen Brunt's 2002 book Facing Ali, Frazier, referring to how he had contributed to Ali's infirmity, claimed he was sure Ali thinks of him whenever he gets out of bed, and that whatever Ali was undergoing was the will of God.[101][lower-alpha 6]

In a 2008 interview, Frazier stated he had forgiven Ali, but was unable to comment on whether Ali's present condition was due to divine punishment, as he had earlier stated, since "God works in a mysterious way."[102]

In 2011, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of his first fight with Ali, and the year of his death, Frazier reiterated that he had forgiven Ali.[98][lower-alpha 7] Frazier's funeral service was attended by Ali who reportedly stood and clapped vigorously when the Rev. Jesse Jackson asked the mourners to stand and bring their hands together one last time for Frazier.[103]

Titles in boxing
Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali, (second from right) at the 1960 Olympics

Major world titles

Other world titles

The Ring magazine titles

Lineal titles
  • Lineal heavyweight champion (3×)[104]

Regional titles

Honorary titles and awards

Accolades

Professional boxing record
Professional record summary
61 fights 56 wins 5 losses
By knockout 37 1
By decision 19 4
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Age Location Notes
61 Loss 56–5 Trevor Berbick UD 10 Dec 11, 1981 39 years, 328 days Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas
60 Loss 56–4 Larry Holmes RTD 10 (15), 3:00 Oct 2, 1980 38 years, 259 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC, vacant The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles
59 Win 56–3 Leon Spinks UD 15 Sep 15, 1978 36 years, 241 days Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Won WBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
58 Loss 55–3 Leon Spinks SD 15 Feb 15, 1978 36 years, 29 days Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Lost WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
57 Win 55–2 Earnie Shavers UD 15 Sep 29, 1977 35 years, 255 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
56 Win 54–2 Alfredo Evangelista UD 15 May 16, 1977 35 years, 119 days Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
55 Win 53–2 Ken Norton UD 15 Sep 28, 1976 34 years, 255 days Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
54 Win 52–2 Richard Dunn TKO 5 (15), 2:05 May 24, 1976 34 years, 128 days Olympiahalle, Munich, West Germany Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
53 Win 51–2 Jimmy Young UD 15 Apr 30, 1976 34 years, 104 days Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
52 Win 50–2 Jean-Pierre Coopman KO 5 (15), 2:46 Feb 20, 1976 34 years, 34 days Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
51 Win 49–2 Joe Frazier RTD 14 (15), 3:00 Oct 1, 1975 33 years, 257 days Philippine Coliseum, Quezon City, Philippines Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles;
RTD according to some contemporary sources
50 Win 48–2 Joe Bugner UD 15 Jun 30, 1975 33 years, 164 days Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
49 Win 47–2 Ron Lyle TKO 11 (15), 1:08 May 16, 1975 33 years, 119 days Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
48 Win 46–2 Chuck Wepner TKO 15 (15), 2:41 Mar 24, 1975 33 years, 66 days Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
47 Win 45–2 George Foreman KO 8 (15), 2:58 Oct 30, 1974 32 years, 286 days Stade du 20 Mai, Kinshasa, Zaire Won WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
46 Win 44–2 Joe Frazier UD 12 Jan 28, 1974 32 years, 11 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
45 Win 43–2 Rudie Lubbers UD 12 Oct 20, 1973 31 years, 276 days Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia
44 Win 42–2 Ken Norton SD 12 Sep 10, 1973 31 years, 236 days The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. Won NABF heavyweight title
43 Loss 41–2 Ken Norton SD 12 Mar 31, 1973 31 years, 73 days Sports Arena, San Diego, California, U.S. Lost NABF heavyweight title
42 Win 41–1 Joe Bugner UD 12 Feb 14, 1973 31 years, 28 days Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
41 Win 40–1 Bob Foster KO 8 (12), 0:40 Nov 21, 1972 30 years, 309 days Sahara Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
40 Win 39–1 Floyd Patterson RTD 7 (12), 3:00 Sep 20, 1972 30 years, 247 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
39 Win 38–1 Alvin Lewis TKO 11 (12), 1:15 Jul 19, 1972 30 years, 184 days Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
38 Win 37–1 Jerry Quarry TKO 7 (12), 0:19 Jun 27, 1972 30 years, 162 days Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
37 Win 36–1 George Chuvalo UD 12 May 1, 1972 30 years, 105 days Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Retained NABF heavyweight title
36 Win 35–1 Mac Foster UD 15 Apr 1, 1972 30 years, 75 days Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
35 Win 34–1 Jürgen Blin KO 7 (12), 2:12 Dec 26, 1971 29 years, 343 days Hallenstadion, Zürich, Switzerland
34 Win 33–1 Buster Mathis UD 12 Nov 17, 1971 29 years, 304 days Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
33 Win 32–1 Jimmy Ellis TKO 12 (12), 2:10 Jul 26, 1971 29 years, 190 days Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. Won vacant NABF heavyweight title
32 Loss 31–1 Joe Frazier UD 15 Mar 8, 1971 29 years, 50 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. For WBA, WBC, lineal, and vacant The Ring heavyweight titles
31 Win 31–0 Oscar Bonavena TKO 15 (15), 2:03 Dec 7, 1970 28 years, 324 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Won vacant NABF heavyweight title
30 Win 30–0 Jerry Quarry RTD 3 (15), 3:00 Oct 26, 1970 28 years, 282 days Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
29 Win 29–0 Zora Folley KO 7 (15), 1:48 Mar 22, 1967 25 years, 64 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
28 Win 28–0 Ernie Terrell UD 15 Feb 6, 1967 25 years, 20 days Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles;
Won WBA heavyweight title
27 Win 27–0 Cleveland Williams TKO 3 (15), 1:08 Nov 14, 1966 24 years, 301 days Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
26 Win 26–0 Karl Mildenberger TKO 12 (15), 1:30 Sep 10, 1966 24 years, 236 days Waldstadion, Frankfurt, West Germany Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
25 Win 25–0 Brian London KO 3 (15), 1:40 Aug 6, 1966 24 years, 201 days Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
24 Win 24–0 Henry Cooper TKO 6 (15), 1:38 May 21, 1966 24 years, 124 days Arsenal Stadium, London, England Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
23 Win 23–0 George Chuvalo UD 15 Mar 29, 1966 24 years, 71 days Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
22 Win 22–0 Floyd Patterson TKO 12 (15), 2:18 Nov 22, 1965 23 years, 309 days Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
21 Win 21–0 Sonny Liston KO 1 (15), 2:12 May 25, 1965 23 years, 128 days Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
20 Win 20–0 Sonny Liston RTD 6 (15), 3:00 Feb 25, 1964 22 years, 39 days Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. Won WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
19 Win 19–0 Henry Cooper TKO 5 (10), 2:15 Jun 18, 1963 21 years, 152 days Wembley Stadium, London, England
18 Win 18–0 Doug Jones UD 10 Mar 13, 1963 21 years, 55 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
17 Win 17–0 Charlie Powell KO 3 (10), 2:04 Jan 24, 1963 21 years, 7 days Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
16 Win 16–0 Archie Moore TKO 4 (10), 1:35 Nov 15, 1962 20 years, 302 days Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
15 Win 15–0 Alejandro Lavorante KO 5 (10), 1:48 Jul 20, 1962 20 years, 184 days Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
14 Win 14–0 Billy Daniels TKO 7 (10), 2:21 May 19, 1962 20 years, 122 days St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
13 Win 13–0 George Logan TKO 4 (10), 1:34 Apr 23, 1962 20 years, 96 days Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
12 Win 12–0 Don Warner TKO 4 (10), 0:34 Feb 28, 1962 20 years, 70 days Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
11 Win 11–0 Sonny Banks TKO 4 (10), 0:26 Feb 10, 1962 20 years, 24 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
10 Win 10–0 Willi Besmanoff TKO 7 (10), 1:55 Nov 29, 1961 19 years, 316 days Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
9 Win 9–0 Alex Miteff TKO 6 (10), 1:45 Oct 7, 1961 19 years, 263 days Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
8 Win 8–0 Alonzo Johnson UD 10 Jul 22, 1961 19 years, 186 days Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
7 Win 7–0 Duke Sabedong UD 10 Jun 26, 1961 19 years, 160 days Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
6 Win 6–0 LaMar Clark KO 2 (8), 1:27 Apr 19, 1961 19 years, 92 days Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
5 Win 5–0 Donnie Fleeman RTD 6 (8) Feb 21, 1961 19 years, 35 days Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
4 Win 4–0 Jim Robinson KO 1 (8), 1:34 Feb 7, 1961 19 years, 21 days Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
3 Win 3–0 Tony Esperti TKO 3 (8), 1:30 Jan 17, 1961 19 years, 0 days Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Herb Siler TKO 4 (8), 1:00 Dec 27, 1960 18 years, 345 days Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Tunney Hunsaker UD 6 Oct 29, 1960 18 years, 286 days Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.

Television viewership
See also: Muhammad Ali § Television appearances

Muhammad Ali's fights were some of the world's most-watched television broadcasts, setting television viewership records. His most-watched fights drew an estimated 1–2 billion viewers worldwide between 1974 and 1980, and were the world's most-watched live television broadcasts at the time.[110]

DateFight(s)Region(s)ViewersSource(s)
February 25, 1964 Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston Western world 165,950,000
Europe 165,000,000 [111]
United States (PPV) 950,000 [112][113]
May 25, 1965 Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II Worldwide 80,000,000 [114]
United Kingdom 7,000,000 [115]
May 21, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II Worldwide 200,000,000 [116]
United Kingdom 21,000,000 [117]
United States 20,000,000 [118]
March 8, 1971 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (Fight of the Century) Worldwide 300,000,000 [119]
Italy 54,000,000 [120]
United Kingdom 27,500,000 [121]
South Korea 2,000,000 [122]
February 14, 1973 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Bugner United Kingdom 20,000,000 [123]
January 28, 1974 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II (Super Fight II) Worldwide 200,000,000 [124]
October 30, 1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman (The Rumble in the Jungle) Worldwide 1,000,000,000 [125][126]
United Kingdom 26,000,000 [127]
May 16, 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Ron Lyle United States 50,000,000 [128]
October 1, 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III (Thrilla in Manila) Worldwide 1,000,000,000 [129]
February 20, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman United States 40,000,000 [130]
April 30, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Jimmy Young United States 33,700,000 [131]
May 24, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Richard Dunn United States 65,000,000 [132]
June 26, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki Worldwide 1,400,000,000 [133][134]
Japan 54,000,000 [135]
September 28, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton III Worldwide 900,000,000 [136]
May 16, 1977 Muhammad Ali vs. Alfredo Evangelista United States 50,000,000 [137]
September 29, 1977 Muhammad Ali vs. Earnie Shavers United States 70,000,000 [132]
February 15, 1978 Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks United States 70,000,000 [138]
September 27, 1978 Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks II Worldwide 2,000,000,000 [139][140]
United States 90,000,000 [141][142]
October 2, 1980 Muhammad Ali vs. Larry Holmes (The Last Hurrah) Worldwide 2,000,000,000 [143]
Total viewership Worldwide 9,600,000,000

Pay-per-view bouts

The earliest form of pay-per-view boxing telecasts was closed-circuit television, also known as theatre television, where fights were telecast live to a select number of venues, mostly theaters, where viewers paid for tickets to watch the fight live. The use of closed-circuit for boxing telecasts peaked in popularity with Ali in the 1960s and 1970s.[144][119] Most of Ali's closed-circuit telecasts were handled by his promotion company Main Bout.[28] The following table lists known ticket sales/buys for Ali fights at closed-circuit venues/theaters:

Closed-circuit theatre television
DateFightBilling[145]Region(s)BuysRevenueRevenue (inflation)
March 13, 1963 Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones Clay vs. Jones United States 150,000[146] $500,000[147] $4,200,000
February 25, 1964 Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston Greatest Fight In History United States 700,000[112] $5,000,000[112] $41,200,000
May 25, 1965 Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II Champion vs. Ex-Champion United States 630,000[114] $4,300,000[144] $34,900,000
November 22, 1965 Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson Ali vs. Patterson[148] United States 500,000[149] $4,000,000[144] $32,500,000
March 29, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo The Second Reckoning United States 46,000[150] $230,000[150] $1,810,000
May 21, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II Friday Night of the Century England 40,000[151] $1,500,000[151] $11,800,000
August 6, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Brian London Ali vs. British Bulldog England 38,000[152] $300,000[151] $2,400,000
November 14, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams Ali vs. Williams United States 500,000[151] $3,750,000[151] $30,400,000
February 6, 1967 Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell The Battle of Champions United States 800,000[153] $4,000,000[153] $31,500,000
January 20, 1970 Muhammad Ali vs. Rocky Marciano The Super Fight Western world $5,000,000[154] $32,900,000
United States 500,000[155][156] $2,500,000[155] $16,500,000
October 26, 1970 Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry Return of the Champion United States 630,000[157][112] $3,500,000[158] $23,000,000
March 8, 1971 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier Fight of the Century Anglosphere 2,590,000 $45,750,000 $300,000,000
United States 2,500,000[159] $45,000,000[160] $284,000,000
London 90,000[161] $750,000[162] $4,700,000
February 14, 1973 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Bugner Fight of a Lifetime United Kingdom 30,000[163] $300,000[163] $1,700,000
January 28, 1974 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II Super Fight II United States 1,100,000[164] $17,000,000[164] $88,100,000
October 30, 1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman The Rumble in the Jungle Worldwide 50,000,000[165] $100,000,000[166][167] $520,000,000
United States 3,000,000[119] $60,000,000[119] $311,100,000
March 24, 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner Chance of a Lifetime United States 500,000[168] $5,000,000[169] $23,800,000
October 1, 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III Thrilla in Manila Worldwide 100,000,000[170] $100,000,000 $500,000,000
United States 3,000,000[119] $60,000,000[119] $285,000,000
June 26, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki War of the Worlds United States 2,000,000[171] $20,000,000[172] $90,000,000
September 28, 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton III Ali's Revenge United States 1,500,000[173] $33,500,000[174][175] $150,500,000
March 31, 1985 WrestleMania I WrestleMania United States 1,000,000[176] $10,000,000[177] $23,800,000
Total sales Worldwide 162,154,000 $364,380,000 $1,901,930,000

Professional boxing was introduced to pay-per-view home cable television with several Muhammad Ali fights, especially the Thrilla in Manila fight between Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975, which was transmitted through HBO.[178][179] Ali had several fights broadcast on early pay-per-view home television:

Pay-per-view home television
DateFightBilling[145]NetworkRegion(s)BuysRevenueRevenue (inflation)
March 13, 1963 Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones Clay vs. Jones United States [147]
February 25, 1964 Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston Greatest Fight In History WHCT[180] United States 250,000[113] $750,000[181][182] $6,200,000
November 22, 1965 Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson Ali vs. Patterson United States $150,000[183] $1,200,000
May 21, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II Friday Night of the Century Pay TV United Kingdom 40,000[118] $448,004[184][185] $4,000,000
November 14, 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell The Battle of Champions Hartford United States [186]
October 1, 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III Thrilla in Manila HBO United States 500,000[187] $10,000,000[188] $47,500,000
December 11, 1981 Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick Drama in Bahama SelectTV United States [189]
Total sales 790,000 $11,348,004 $56,100,000

See also

Notes
  1. [Frazier] was harder for me than Liston or Foreman, because he had what I was vulnerable to—a good in-close left hook. Foreman wasn't an infighter or a hooker. He was an uppercutter with a right hand and a jab, always looking you in the eye. Liston was scarier than Frazier, but I fought Liston when I was young. Joe stayed on me, always on my chest, and from out of nowhere he'd throw the hook. If I was young, I'd have danced for fifteen rounds, and Joe wouldn't have ever caught me. But the first time we fought, I was three-and-half years out of shape.
    — Muhammad Ali[83]
  2. According to Dave Wolf, the reason for Frazier's hospitalization was hypertension from which he had been suffering before the fight.[89]
  3. Larry Holmes commented that instead of letting Ali's words upset him, Frazier's response to Ali calling him ignorant should have been: "Yeah, okay, I might be ignorant, but this ignorant man is going to kick your ass."Eig[93]
  4. Ali asked for me to come to his dressing room before any of the press arrived. I went in there and Ali was real tired and he hugged me and apologized for what he'd said about my father before the fight. He said, 'Tell your father he's a great man'.
    — Marvis Frazier[94]
  5. In the 1996 press conference, Frazier stated that "[Ali] didn't like his white brothers."[82] Prior to their first fight, Frazier had questioned Ali's commitment to blacks, given "a lot of guys around him are white."[80]
  6. In his book, Brunt notes Frazier's struggle of revealing his genuine beliefs about Ali, and being savvy, because by now he had people looking after his commercial interests, and "somebody probably had a talk with him about image and public relations and how they relate to earning potential ... Still, even the new, polished, packaged Frazier has his moments."[101]
  7. In a column in the Hartford Courant, published the day after Frazier's death, Jeff Jacobs wrote: "I hope Smokin' Joe did [forgave Ali]. I hope he let every inch of hate go. The Greatest and The Greatest Opponent deserve to join gloves and walk together into immortality.[98]

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    154. "Ali vs. Marciano: Who wins?". The Enterprise. September 1, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
    155. Sullivan, Russell (2002). Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times. University of Illinois Press. p. 286. ISBN 9780252027635.
    156. "Dayton Daily News". Dayton Daily News. January 21, 1970.
    157. "Ali wants Frazier after TKO over Quarry". Auburn Citizen. October 27, 1970.
    158. "Clay-Quarry fight to gross $3.5 million". Battle Creek Enquirer. November 10, 1970.
    159. Frazier, Joe; Berger, Phil (2013). Smokin' Joe: The Autobiography of a Heavyweight Champion of the World, Smokin' Joe Frazier. AudioGO. p. 104. ISBN 9781620642160.
    160. Ryan, Joe (2013). Heavyweight Boxing in the 1970s: The Great Fighters and Rivalries. McFarland. p. 65. ISBN 9780786492497.
    161. "The Promoters Loved the Fight But Some Fans Call It 'a Bore'". Detroit Free Press. March 10, 1971.
    162. "'Bugner's British Bunch' Travels To See Ali Bout". The News-Press. February 2, 1973.
    163. "Ali—Old Punch Gone—Still Gets Big Offers". The Philadelphia Inquirer. February 16, 1973.
    164. "Ali-Frazier show is a hit". Lompoc Record. January 29, 1974.
    165. "Zaire's fight promotion opens new gold mines". The Morning Herald. November 18, 1974.
    166. "New Times". New Times. New Times Communications Corp. 3: 116. 1974. No, if the Ali-Foreman story is just going to be about Race and Religion, forget the millions of dollars this fight can make, forget the shot in the arm this championship bout will give to boxing, forget gigundo grosses from the documentary movies of the fight, the training camps and that three-day black music festival in Zaire, forget that possible total of $100 million in revenues
    167. Kabanda, Aloys (1977). Ali/Foreman: le combat du siècle à Kinshasa, 29-30 octobre 1974 : introduit par une étude sur la République du Zaïre (in French). Naaman. Soit, pour Don King et ses amis, c'est la fin de leurs dépenses d'énergie pour trouver de l'argent nécessaire pour le coup le plus formidable jamais réalisé dans le show-boxing business et il prévoit une recette pouvant aller de 35 à 100 millions de dollars.
    168. "All batters Wepner in 15-round win". The Capital. March 25, 1975.
    169. "Promoter likes format used for Mon. fight". Traverse City Record-Eagle. March 26, 1975.
    170. "Karriem Allah". Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc.: 35 1976.
    171. Stravinsky, John (1998). Muhammad Ali. Literary Express. p. 133. ISBN 9781581650457. Probably the dullest event in sports history, it was watched by millions over closed-circuit television as well as by suckers in Tokyo who forked over $1,000 per ringside seat.
    172. Bull, Andy (November 11, 2009). "The forgotten story of ... Muhammad Ali v Antonio Inoki". The Guardian.
    173. "Ali Wins On Decision". The Bee. September 29, 1976.
    174. "Ali, Norton meet Tuesday in title fight". Hattiesburg American. September 26, 1976.
    175. "Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton (3rd meeting)". BoxRec. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
    176. "Wrestlemania In Photographs: 1-10". Sportskeeda. April 1, 2017.
    177. "St. Cloud Times". St. Cloud Times. April 1, 1985.
    178. Steve Seepersaud. "Money in Boxing: The Pay-Per-View Craze". Ca.askmen.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
    179. Steve Seepersaud. "Money in Boxing: The Pay-Per-View Craze". Ca.askmen.com. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
    180. "Can the fine arts find a home on television?" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Incorporated. 83: 38. 1972. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2019-04-15. Noting that many in the arts community have rested their hopes on pay cable, Mr. Jencks recalled that during a pay-TV experiment over WHCT(TV) Hartford, Conn., 96% of all viewing time was devoted to motion pictures and sports events. A single boxing match between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali, Mr. Jencks said, attracted nearly four times as many subscribers as the cumulative total of all 50 "educational features" offered by WHCT over a two-year period.
    181. "Pay Television on Trial". The Pittsburgh Press. February 4, 1963.
    182. Subscription Television (STV - Pay TV) (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. December 1976. p. 6.
    183. "Need Convincing Fight to Restore Confidence". Independent Press-Telegram. November 21, 1965.
    184. "BKSTS Journal". BKSTS Journal. British Kinematograph, Sound and Television Society. 55: 46. 1973. In 1966 Pay TV started a 3-year experiment in transmitting films, minority appeal programmes, sporting events and local programmes for which the viewer paid for the period of time during which he was actually viewing. This varied from six shillings for a film to £4 for the entire boxing show which included Cassius Clay v. Henry Cooper.
    185. "Pacific Exchange Rate Service (0.35714 GBP per USD)" (PDF). UBC Sauder School of Business. University of British Columbia. 1966. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
    186. Ezra, Michael (2013). The Economic Civil Rights Movement: African Americans and the Struggle for Economic Power. Routledge. p. 115. ISBN 9781136274756.
    187. Smith, Ronald A. (2003). Play-by-Play: Radio, Television, and Big-Time College Sport. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 101. ISBN 9780801876929.
    188. "The Morning News". The Morning News. November 30, 1975.
    189. "Cable packaging next Ali fight". Lowell Sun. November 28, 1981.
    Sporting positions
    Amateur boxing titles
    Previous:
    Kent Green    		 U.S. Golden Gloves
    light heavyweight champion
    1959    		 Next:
    Jefferson Davis
    Previous:
    Sylvester Banks    		 U.S. light heavyweight champion
    1959, 1960    		 Next:
    Bob Christopherson
    Previous:
    Jimmy Jones    		 U.S. Golden Gloves
    heavyweight champion
    1960    		 Next:
    Al Jenkins
    Regional boxing titles
    Vacant
    Title last held by
    Leotis Martin    		 NABF heavyweight champion
    December 17, 1970 – March 8, 1971
    Lost bid for world title    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    George Foreman
    Vacant
    Title last held by
    George Foreman    		 NABF heavyweight champion
    July 26, 1971 – March 31, 1973    		 Succeeded by
    Ken Norton
    Preceded by
    Ken Norton    		 NABF heavyweight champion
    September 10, 1973 – October 30, 1974
    Won world title    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    Ken Norton
    World boxing titles
    Preceded by
    Sonny Liston    		 WBA heavyweight champion
    February 25, 1964 – 1965
    Stripped    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    Ernie Terrell
    WBC heavyweight champion
    February 25, 1964 – March 11, 1969
    Stripped    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    Joe Frazier
    The Ring heavyweight champion
    February 25, 1964 – February 3, 1971
    Vacated
    Undisputed heavyweight champion
    February 25, 1964 – February 3, 1971
    Titles fragmented
    Lineal heavyweight champion
    February 25, 1964 – February 3, 1971
    Vacated
    Preceded by
    Ernie Terrell    		 WBA heavyweight champion
    February 6, 1967 – April 27, 1968
    Stripped    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    Jimmy Ellis
    Preceded by
    George Foreman    		 WBA heavyweight champion
    October 30, 1974 – February 15, 1978    		 Succeeded by
    Leon Spinks
    WBC heavyweight champion
    October 30, 1974 – February 15, 1978
    The Ring heavyweight champion
    October 30, 1974 – February 15, 1978
    Undisputed heavyweight champion
    October 30, 1974 – February 15, 1978
    Lineal heavyweight champion
    October 30, 1974 – February 15, 1978
    Preceded by
    Leon Spinks    		 WBA heavyweight champion
    September 15, 1978 – October 18, 1979
    Vacated    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    John Tate
    The Ring heavyweight champion
    September 15, 1978 – September 6, 1979
    Retired    		 Vacant
    Title next held by
    Larry Holmes
    Lineal heavyweight champion
    September 15, 1978 – September 6, 1979
    Retired
    Awards
    Inaugural award United Press International
    Athlete of the Year
    1974    		 Next:
    João Carlos de Oliveira
    Previous:
    Olga Korbut    		 BBC Overseas
    Sports Personality of the Year
    1973, 1974    		 Next:
    Arthur Ashe
    Previous:
    Niki Lauda    		 BBC Overseas
    Sports Personality of the Year
    1978    		 Next:
    Björn Borg
    Records
    Previous:
    Ernie Terrell    		 Oldest living
    world heavyweight champion
    December 16, 2014 – June 3, 2016    		 Next:
    George Foreman
    Olympic Games
    Previous:
    Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway    		 Final Olympic torchbearer
    Atlanta 1996    		 Next:
    Midori Ito
    Previous:
    Antonio Rebollo    		 Final Summer Olympic torchbearer
    Atlanta 1996    		 Next:
    Cathy Freeman
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