Main content

Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston World Heavyweight Championships 1964

How the young Muhammad Ali became boxing world champion after two deeply controversial fights.

In February 1964, Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston fought the first of two of the most controversial boxing bouts in history. The 22-year-old Ali - then still known as Cassius Clay - was the young pretender taking on a veteran with a reputation for knockouts. He became world champion in circumstances that are still disputed to this day. Witness speaks to an American sportswriter with a ringside seat.

PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sun 2 Mar 2014 04:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 1 Mar 2014 22:50GMT
  • Sun 2 Mar 2014 04:50GMT

Featured in...

Olympic history

Olympic history

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

Sporting Witness Films

Sporting Witness Films

Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement

Podcast