Fifty Years

Has it been fifty years?  I guess it has.

Liston was the most intimidating fighter of his day, and considered by some, at the time of the Clay fight, as among the best heavyweights of all time. Many were reluctant to meet him in the ring. Henry Cooper, the British champion, said that if Clay won, he was interested in a title fight, but if Liston won, he was not going to get in the ring with him. Cooper's manager Jim Wicks said, "We don't even want to meet Liston walking down the same street."

But, after seven rounds, Liston couldn't answer the bell and a young upstart named Cassius Clay became the heavyweight champion of the world.  Two weeks later, Clay changed his name to Mohammed Ali.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.