Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He began boxing at the age of 12, when a kid stole his bicycle, and he wanted to learn how to fight to get it back. A Louisville cop named Joe Martin the first one to suggest he become a boxer, and Cassius soon made his amateur debut against Ronnie O’Keefe in 1954. He won by a split decision, but went on to win eight different Golden Gloves titles, two AAU national titles and the U.S. Olympic Trials. He represented the United States at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy, and brought home the light heavyweight gold medal.
Clay won his first professional bout on October 29, 1960 over Tunney Hunsaker at Freedom Hall in Louisville. His first trainer was Archie Moore, but Cassius left him after one fight, and signed with Angelo Dundee. He had more fight that year, a fourth round TKO of Herb Siler on December 27 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Now based in Miami Beach and fighting out of the 5th Street Gym, Cassius fought eight times in 1961, stepping up his competition in each bout. There were now veterans like LaMar Clark, Alex Miteff and Willi Besmanoff on his resume, and he began 1962 with a professional record of 10-0, with 6 knockouts.
Clay’s first fight of 1962 was on February 10 against Sonny Banks at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Cassius hit the deck in the opening round, put Banks down in the second, and stopped him in four. Just 18 days later, he stopped Don Warner in four as well, this time back home in Miami Beach. Two months later, it was out to the Sports Arena in Los Angeles to knock out George Logan in four again.
Cassius was now known as the “Louisville Lip”, with his gift of gab, his ability to make people laugh, and the poems he recited before his bouts. He brought life into a dead sport, and he had the ability to back up his bragging. I’m sure the old-school boxing fans at the time didn’t like him, but Clay was destined to be a star no matter what they thought.
After two more victories, Cassius took on his former trainer, veteran Archie Moore. Clay predicted he would stop Moore in four on November 15, 1962 at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, and did just as he said. He dropped Archie three times in the fourth round, forcing the referee to call the bout, to further build up the hype and momentum Clay was building.
Floyd Patterson was the reigning heavyweight champ at the time, and Angelo Dundee wanted Cassius to get another year of seasoning under his belt, before he tried to pursue a title shot. On January 24, 1963, Clay stopped Charlie Powell in three rounds at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, then traveled back to Madison Square Garden in March for his next bout.
The bout with Doug Jones on March 13, was much harder than anticipated, with Cassius winning a unanimous, but tough decision. Some started to question whether he was ready for a title shot, thought he might be more hype than hope, but there will always be critics. After Sonny Liston destroyed Floyd Patterson twice, win both 1962 and 1963, Clay and his camp had their eyes set on a shot at Liston’s title in early 1964.
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