For a fight that barely lasted a minute, the rematch between heavyweight greats Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston sure has lived long in the memory of boxing fans; this for six decades. It was on this day – May 25, 1965 – when Ali and Liston met in their return fight. Ali, still known as Cassius Clay at the time, had “shook up the world” by defeating the “invincible” Liston in February of the previous year.
Now, a hernia operation later, Ali, who had changed his name after beating Sonny, with him having adopted the Muslim faith prior to the fight that saw him become world champion, was in there with Liston again. So many people had issues with the first fight between the two: had Liston lost the fight on purpose, this due to his mob handlers ordering him to go in the tank so they could pick up a bundle at the bookies? Had Liston and his team tried to blind Ali, this by placing an undetermined substance on the champ’s glove, designed to blind Ali when they knew the 7/1 underdog was about the cause the sensation and win the fight?
And there were so many more questions.
But if anyone was hoping there would be closure and a clear sense of who the better man was in the rematch, these folks would be frustratingly disappointed. The rematch and its result would prove to be even more controversial, debatable, and just plain unacceptable to all.
Liston, who had whipped himself into superb shape ahead of the original date for the rematch with Ali (and check out Paul Gallender’s book, along with his online interviews, to read more on how ready Liston was going into the Ali rematch, set for November 16 of 1964, before it was postponed), was devastated when he heard news that Ali had suffered a hernia and that the fight would be delayed.
Liston may have undergone the last great, serious training camp of his life over the course of the late summer, early autumn/fall of ’64. All to no avail. Liston was of course an “old man” by this time, and when he did get his chance at revenge over Ali, this 60 years ago this very day, he may have been 50 years old or more.
And Ali, blinding fast and ever so hard to hit, ended the rematch in a flash. A chopping right hand appeared to barely flick Liston, but down Sonny went, with the former champ then rolling around on the canvas, then falling a second time, before being stopped whilst he was on his feet. Fellow former champ Jersey Joe Walcott had lost any and all control of the fight, as an animated Ali was leaping all over the ring, bellowing at Liston to “get up, nobody will believe this!”
And then, as Liston finally did get up, with him putting his dukes up as Ali advanced on him, Ring Magazine editor Nat Fleischer, who had no business doing what he did, told Walcott to stop the fight as Liston had been down for ten seconds. And Walcott, who never refereed a fight again, did what he was told.
And the true story behind what happened in this fight was destined never to be known. Apart from that, what we can learn from writer Gallender, who has devoted decades to researching Liston and trying to get the truth out. Were Liston’s wife and child held at gunpoint the day of the Ali rematch, with Sonny told to take a dive or else he would never see either loved one again; this with Ali having no knowledge of this, as must be pointed out? Again, read Gallender’s superb book and make up your own mind.
But today, Liston’s image is largely defined by that famous Neil Leifer photo, of him stretched out on the canvas, with Ali demanding him to get up.
Liston was a far greater fighter than so many fans realise. Whether you believe Ali’s first-round KO – or actually TKO – was on the level or not, it cannot be denied that this fight and it’s ability to inspire so much talk, debate, anger, suspicion, and other things makes it one of a kind. And not in a good way.
What really happened that day in Lewiston, Maine, as a mere 2,500 boxing fans looked on?
