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- [00:00]
Lindsey Graham
There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts@intohristory.com It's February 6, 1967 in Houston, Texas. A record breaking crowd has filled the Houston Astrodome to watch two powerhouse black athletes go head to head. As he waits for the eighth round to start, Muhammad Ali glares across the ring at his opponent, ernie terrell, a 6 foot 6 giant from chicago's south side. Terrell has something that belongs to Ali. The World Boxing Association's title of heavyweight Champion of the world. Ali never lost it to Turell or anyone else in his 27 previous matches, but last year the World Boxing association stripped Ali of his title after he had joined a controversial religious and political organization called the Nation of Islam. Today, Ali intends to take the title back. As the eighth round starts, Ali gets aggressive. He throws a jab, then another and another. And each time he he punctuates his punches with the words what's my name? As he punishes Tirrell with his fists, he yells over and over again, what's my name? Ali is in total control of the fight, but Terrell refuses to go down. So for seven more rounds, Ali will make him suffer. At the pre fight press conference, Ernie Tirrell called Ali by his given name, Cassius Clay. Ali renounced Cassius Clay as a slave name when he joined the Nation of Islam. Many view the Nation as an extremist anti white cult. But for Ali, the Nation is unapologetically pro black at a time when black people are still fighting for basic freedoms in the United States. Before the fight, Ali asked Tyrell, why do you call me Clay? You know my right name is Muhammad Ali. Tyrell replied, I met you as Cassius Clay. I'll leave you as Cassius Clay. Ali responded by calling Tyrell an Uncle Tom. When the fight is over, the judges unanimously declare Ali the winner, making him the undisputed heavyweight champion once again. But long before he took back the title as Muhammad Ali, he was a young up and comer desperate to be the heavyweight champ. A feat that he would achieve for the first time years earlier, on February 25, 1964. Racket.
- [02:44]
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- [03:26]
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- [04:19]
Lindsey Graham
From Noser and Airship I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History. Daily history is made every day on this podcast. Every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is February 25, 1964. Cassius Clay becomes heavyweight champion of the world. It's 1960 in Louisville, Kentucky, almost four years before Cassius Clay's first title fight. The 18 year old Clay holds a gold medal in his hand and stares out over the Ohio River. He recently returned from the Rome Olympics a champion boxer. He was proud to bring the gold home for his country and hoped that honor might finally win him some respect as a black man in his hometown. And when he arrived back in Louisville, he recited a poem to a crowd of adoring fans. To make America the greatest is my goal. So I beat the Russian and I beat the Pole and for the usa won the medal of gold. Italian said, you're better than the Cassius of old. Cassius was so proud of his medal, he even wore it to bed. But one day with the medal hanging around his neck, he was refused service at a segregated restaurant. A stark reminder that even winning gold means nothing and that in the eyes of his country, he is still A second class citizen. Today, as he stands near the river, Clay looks at the metal in his hands. It no longer fills him with pride, but rather anger and shame. So he walks to the middle of the bridge over the Ohio. And without a word, Clay throws his gold medal into the water. It did not earn him the respect he feels he deserves, so instead, Clay vows to demand respect. It's March 13, 1963, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, almost one year before Klay's first title fight. Klay is now 17 0. He's gaining a reputation for his speed and power, but he's also earned a nickname, the Louisville Lip. For his braggadocious swagger. Clay consciously cultivates an arrogant Persona, modeling it after an infamous professional wrestler named Gorgeous George. Klay understands that in boxing, the real goal isn't to win fights, but to sell out seats. And playing the role of heel is one way to do that. Love him or hate him, plenty of people will buy tickets just to see what he does next. So Clay tells anyone who will listen that he is unbeatable. And given his record, it's starting to look that way. But his undefeated record means nothing to him. What Clay wants is a chance to fight for the heavyweight title. Tonight, in an effort to prove his readiness, Clay is facing off against Doug Jones. Jones is a veteran boxer with years of pro fighting under his belt. But Klay continues his habit of predicting knockouts in early rounds. Before tonight's fight, Klay told Jones he would knock him out in four. But Jones, the number three ranked fighter, isn't going down so easy. And as the fight drags on, Jones is standing strong, leaving Clay mentally and physically deflated. At the end of the seventh round, Clay's trainer warns him if he doesn't pull off a comeback, he can say goodbye to the heavyweight title and to another goal Klay has in mind, buying a brand new bright red Cadillac convertible, which he plans to call Tomato Red. So at the start of the eighth round, Clay comes out energized. He thinks to himself, goodbye, Dougie. Hello, Tomato Red. In front of a sellout crowd, Clay quickly takes control of the fight. He lands 21 punches in the eighth round, 22 in the ninth. And in the 10th and final round, he unleashes a relentless 101 punches, landing 42. When the final bell rings, the crowd roars. The judges give the win to Clay in a unanimous decision. But many of the fans in the arena are furious. They came to see Doug Jones triumph. These angry fans rain beer cups, programs, peanuts and even a switchblade knife onto the ring. After the fight, Jones demands a rematch, but Clay says no. He only wants to fight the heavyweight champion, saying, I'm gunning for Sonny Liston. I want that big bear bad. But that fight will have to wait. The next day, Klay is still exhausted. His right hand is swollen and his ribs are bruised, and on the way to the airport to fly home to Louisville, he begins to ponder opportunities outside of boxing. He's only 21 years old and a rising celebrity. Perhaps there's a way to achieve fame and fortune without sacrificing his body in the process. But Klay is a long way from retirement, and now that he's beaten Doug Jones, he is a clear contender for the heavyweight title. Quitting now is not an option because not long after Klay's win over Doug Jones, Sonny Liston's manager announces that Liston will give Clay the fight he's been yearning for. Clay has been calling himself the greatest. To anyone who will listen. Now he will have to prove it. History Daily is sponsored by Indeed. 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Hiring Indeed is all you need.
- [10:40]
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- [11:28]
Lindsey Graham
It'S the middle of the night on November 4, 1963. Heavyweight champion Sonny Liston is awoken by a knock at his door. He then hears the honk of a horn outside and sees headlights flashing on and off through the window. Liston is confused, but he's not afraid. He's six foot one and serve time for armed robbery and assaulting a police officer. There's very little that scares him, so Liston gets up and goes to his front door. When he opens it, he sees a red and white bus covered with signs that read, the Greatest World's Most Colorful Fighter and Sonny Liston will go in eight. Standing at the curb is Cassius Clay shouting at him, come on out of there. I'm going to whip you right now. Liston has little patience for Clay's antics, and the white neighbors of his wealthy neighborhood have even less. Before long, seven police cars arrive and threaten with arrest. Clay boards his bus and drives away. The next day, the two fighters hold a press conference and officially announce the fight the boxing world has been waiting for. It's February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida. Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston stand face to face, waiting for the bell to start the first round. As the two men stare each other down, Clay feels his heart pounding, but he refuses to show any fear. He puffs up his chest and stands tall. He can hardly believe this moment is real. He only hopes that he can pull off the upset he's been promising for over a year. Clay is 190 with 15 knocks knockouts, but he's still an underdog in this fight. Liston is 35 1. His last loss was almost 20 years ago. He won his last two matches by first round knockouts, including against the former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson. Some sports writers even worry that Liston's dominance is so complete it may be harmful to the sport of boxing. If fans know Liston is going to win, they might stop buying tickets. And today the convention hall is only half full. Many fans felt tickets were overpriced, and most assumed Clay is no match for Liston. But then there are also others who refuse to watch the fight on principle. Clay and Liston are both controversial figures who often speak out about issues related to race in America. Last year, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four black girls and injuring many in the largely black congregation. Not long after, Liston remarked, I am ashamed to be in America. Many white boxing fans bristled, and many more disliked Clay because of his supposed arrogance. And leading up to the fight. Today, Clay has drawn even more criticism because of his new relationship with the Nation of Islam and its outspoken minister, Malcolm X. But outside of the arena, the fight has drawn a historic audience. The match is being broadcast to hundreds of thousands of viewers all across the country, the largest ever for a boxing match. And thanks to the National Aeronautics and Space association, or NASA, this is also the first sporting event broadcast live across the Atlantic. When the first round starts, Liston comes charging at Clay, ready to shut him up. After months of insults and bragging, the crowd is expecting to see Liston powerfully demolish Clay in seconds. But Clay is quick. He dances and ducks. And then Clay really shocks the crowd when he shows them he can do more than dodge. Clay hits Liston with a left jab and then lands a powerful right cross. The bell rings, ending the first round, and Clay has not only lasted longer than expected, but he's winning. As the fight continues, the press is in shock. Over the last three and a half years, Liston's fights lasted a total of six rounds combined. Tonight, Klay is making him work. In the sixth round, Clay runs circles around Liston, who looks tired and slow. But Clay doesn't. He hits Liston with a furious flurry of punches. And when the round ends, Liston hobbles slowly back to his corner. His eyes are swollen. He can't seem to raise his left arm. A minute later, the bell rings to start the seventh round. Clay bursts from his corner, overflowing with confidence. But Liston doesn't move, recognizing Liston is done. The referee lifts Clay's arm into the air, declaring him the winner. Clay is jubilant, defiant and cocky as ever. He declares for the TV cameras, I'm the greatest fighter who ever lived. And then he shouts over and over, I shook up the world. Many had hoped Liston would have shut Clay up and push him out of the spotlight for good. But instead, Clay won a resounding victory and proved to the world he's not going anywhere. And he's never shutting up. In the coming weeks, Clay will reiterate his support for the Nation of Islam. And not long after, he accepts a new name from the Nation of Islam's leader, Elijah Muhammad. From that day forward, he declares, he will forever be known as Muhammad Ali. Soon after, the World Boxing association announces they are stripping Ali of his title. But Ali will not be silenced. In 1966, he refuses to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. In 1967, he will take back the heavyweight title that he was stripped of. And over the next decade, he will continue to speak out for racial equality. He will also accrue one of the most dominant records in the history of boxing.
- [17:09]
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- [18:08]
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- [18:33]
Lindsey Graham
Get started@HubSpot.com marketers It's October 1, 1975, in the Philippines. After a grueling technical knockout win over Joe Frazier, 33 year old Muhammad Ali faces a crowd of reports. He tries to put his exhaustion into words, saying, I'm sore all over. My arms, my face, my sides all ache. I'm so, so tired. Over the past decade, since his upset win over Sonny Liston, ali has fought 30 matches. He's won all but two of them, but his body has absorbed thousands of hits. His family, supporters and friends have begged him to give up boxing. And tonight, after a draining win, Ali admits it might be time, saying, there is a great possibility that I will retire. He might have seen the last of me, but Still, Ali will fight, returning to the sport after several retirement announcements. On December 11, 1981, almost 18 years after winning his first heavyweight title, Ali enters the ring for the last time. The fight takes place on the island of Nassau because, over concerns of Ali's health, no one will sanction the fight in the United States. And sure enough, Ali struggles throughout the match, and after 10 rounds, he loses to Trevor Berbick by unanimous decision. After the fight, Ali tells reporters in a slow and quiet voice, at least I didn't go down. Sportswriter Hugh McIlvany will later write that watching the fight was like watching a king riding into permanent exile. Ali did not suffer injury in the fight, but his body kept the score of his decades long boxing career. Three years later, in 1984, Muhammad Ali announces that he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder of the nervous system. It is widely agreed that the disease is a result of brain damage sustained from boxing. In 1996, Ali is given the honor of lighting the flame at the Atlanta Olympic Games. And in one of the final medal ceremonies, Ali receives a gold medal to replace the one he threw away decades earlier. Twenty years later, on June 3, 2016, Muhammad Ali passes away. Over the course of his career, Ali went from dismissed underdog to global icon, the only boxer to be a heavyweight champion three times, a journey that began when he won his first title against Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964. Next on History Daily February 26, 1995 one of Britain's oldest banks collapses after an employee runs up billion dollar losses on secret and unapproved investments. If you'd like to learn more about Muhammad Ali, check out season 60 of my other podcast, American Scandal. It tells the story of Ali's refusal to serve in the Vietnam War and the resulting controversy that led to his exile from the world of boxing. From Nouser and Airship, this is History Daily Hosted, edited and executive produced by Me Romance Lindsey Graham Audio editing by Molly Bach Sound design by Derek Barons Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written and researched by Ruben Abrams Brosby. Executive producers are Steven Walters for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Nouser Packages by Expedia.
- [22:18]
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