Sugar Ray Robinson was born Walker Smith on May 21, 1989 in Ailey, Georgia. His family later moved to Detroit, Michigan and began perhaps the most successful amateur career in boxing history. His record is a reported 89-0, although some say he actually lost 2 bouts. He captured 2 golden gloves championships in 1939 and […]
Howard Cosell was born on March 25th, 1918 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He graduated law school and practiced it before becoming a sports writer and television reporter in New York City. He covered all sports, but his claim to fame began when he met Muhammad Ali. Ali and Cosell were an odd couple from
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Dr. Ferdie Pacheco was born as Fernando Pacheco Jimenez on December 8, 1927 in Tampa, Florida. Although he was a cut doctor for other fighters, he came to fame by being assistant cornerman to Angelo Dundee in Muhammad Ali’s career. Ali’s home base for training was the 5th street gym in Miami Beach from the
Muhammad Ali was enjoying the fame and fortune that comes with being heavyweight champion of the world. He was good looking, had a gift of gab, and was improving as a fighter by the day. After the second Liston fight, Ali signed to fight former champ Floyd Patterson in November. The bout was set for
Immediately after the Liston fight, Cassius Clay announced that he was now a member of the Muslim sect ‘The Nation of Islam’. Now following the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, he wanted to be known as Muhammad Ali from that point forward. Much of this was treated by the press as folly, with the important news
Cassius had won 2 big fights in 1963 against contenders Doug Jones and Henry Cooper. His title shot was set for February 25, 1964 in Miami Beach, Florida against feared Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston. Liston had destroyed Floyd Patterson in one round twice, and was listed as an 8-1 favorite over what sportswriters had labeled the
Cassius Clay made his debut as a professional on October 29, 1960 against Tunney Hunsaker, and won it by a unanimous decision at Freedom Hall in is hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Angelo Dundee was hired as his trainer, and would remain in his corner until his last bout in 1981. Clay would have one more
Cassius Marcellus Clay was born on January 17, 1942 in Louisville. Kentucky. He began boxing at age 12 when a kid stole his bicycle, and a local policeman named Joe Martin told him that he should learn how to fight before he went to beat anyone up. It was the birth of a spectacular amateur
Floyd Patterson was heavyweight champion of the world in 1962. He was a good fighter but no one really gave him much of a chance against the brutish Sonny Liston. His own trainer Cus D’Amato did not want him to fight Liston, but Floyd insisted on the fight. It took place on September 25th of
Try and find a birthday for Sonny Liston and you can’t. He himself said he didn’t know it. He grew up under difficult circumstances to say the least. He spent 2 years in prison from 1950 to 195, and turned pro the following year. His age was estimated to be about 25 at the time,
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