The Phantom Punch: Ali's Iconic Triumph Over Liston

On September 25, 1965, one of the most iconic moments in boxing history took place at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines. The fight, dubbed as the "Fight of the Century," was between the reigning heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and the former champion Sonny Liston.

The first meeting between the two had taken place the previous year, with Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) winning by technical knockout when Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round. The rematch was highly anticipated, with many questioning the legitimacy of Ali's victory in the first fight.

The atmosphere was electric as the two fighters entered the ring. Ali, known for his quick feet and hands, started the fight strong, using his speed to avoid Liston's powerful punches. Liston, on the other hand, was determined to regain his title and was aggressive from the start.

In the first round, Ali landed a series of quick jabs, but Liston managed to connect with a few heavy punches of his own. The second round saw Ali continue to use his speed to his advantage, dancing around the ring and peppering Liston with jabs and combinations.

It was in the opening seconds of the third round that the moment everyone remembers occurred. Ali threw a lightning-fast right hand that caught Liston flush on the jaw. Liston stumbled back and then fell to the canvas, where he lay flat on his back with his arms outstretched.

The crowd erupted as the referee began the count. Liston attempted to get up, but he stumbled and fell back down. The referee continued the count, and when he reached ten, the fight was over. Muhammad Ali had won by knockout in the third round, cementing his status as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

The image of Ali standing over the fallen Liston, with his arms raised in victory, has become one of the most iconic photographs in sports history. It captured the essence of Ali's style and personality - his speed, his power, and his unshakeable confidence.

The victory also solidified Ali's position as a cultural icon. He was more than just a boxer; he was a symbol of black pride and a voice for social justice. His refusal to be drafted into the U.S. military during the Vietnam War would cost him his title and his ability to fight for several years, but it only added to his legend.

The Ali-Liston rematch remains one of the most famous fights in boxing history, and the image of Ali standing over Liston is one of the most enduring images in all of sports. It was a moment that transcended the world of sports and became a cultural touchstone, a symbol of the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity and achieve greatness.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to This Moment in Sports History podcast. On September
twenty fifth, nineteen sixty five, one of the most iconic
moments in boxing history took place at the Aronetta Coliseum
in Kaezon City, Philippines. The fight, dubbed as the user
Fight of the Century, was between the reigning heavyweight champion

(00:20):
Mohammed Ali and the former champion Sonny Liston. The first
meeting between the two had taken place the previous year,
with Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, winning by technical
knockout when Liston failed to answer the bell for the
seventh round. The rematch was highly anticipated, with many questioning
the legitimacy of Ali's victory in the first fight. The

(00:40):
atmosphere was electric as the two fighters entered the ring. Ali,
known for his quick feet and hands, started the fight strong,
using his speed to avoid Liston's powerful punches. Liston, on
the other hand, was determined to regain his title and
was aggressive from the start. In the first round, Ali
landed a series of quick jabs, but Liston managed to

(01:02):
connect with a few heavy punches of his own. The
second round saw Olli continue to use his speed to
his advantage, dancing around the ring and peppering Liston with
jabs and combinations. It was in the opening seconds of
the third round that the moment everyone remembers occurred. Ali
threw a lightning fast right hand that caught Liston flush

(01:23):
on the jaw. Liston stumbled back and then fell to
the canvas, where he lay flat on his back with
his arms outstretched. The crowd erupted as the referee began
the count. Liston attempted to get up, but he stumbled
and fell back down. The referee continued the count, and

(01:44):
when he reached ten, the fight was over. Mohammed Ali
had won by knockout in the third round, cementing his
status as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
The image of Ali standing over the fallen Liston with
his arms raised in victory has become one of the
most iconic photographs in sports history. It captured the essence

(02:08):
of Alli's style and personality. His speed was power, and
his unshakable confidence. The victory also solidified Ali's position as
a cultural icon. He was more than just a boxer.
He was a symbol of black pride and a voice
for social justice. His refusal to be drafted into the U. S.
Military during the Vietnam War would cost him his title

(02:31):
and his ability to fight for several years, but it
only added to his legend. The Alley list In rematch
remains one of the most famous fights in boxing history,
and the image of Alis standing over Liston is one
of the most enduring images in all of sports. It
was a moment that transcended the world of sports and
became a cultural touchstone, a symbol of the power of

(02:52):
the human spirit to overcome adversity and achieve greatness. And
that wraps it up. Join us tomorrow and be sure
to him hit that subscribe button so you never miss
a daily slice of sports history. This has been a
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