On this date in 1965, Muhammad Ali’s opponent was accused of being a tyke by the media.
‘The Greatest’ wasn’t known for being the kind of fighter that would take it easy on opponents once he smelled blood in the water.
In 61 professional bouts, he produced 37 knockouts, including one against the man that Mike Tyson named the ‘scariest’ boxer of all time.
Ali famously taunted George Foreman, before stopping him at the end of a performance he considered to be among his best.
In one of his most dominant victories, which was initially questioned, the boxing legend’s actions were characterized by mercy, not complacency.
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Muhammad Ali did not want to say anything against Floyd Patterson, who was injured.
After beating Sonny Liston in back-to-back bouts, Muhammad Ali’s next outing saw him defend his WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles against Floyd Patterson.
His opponent was ranked the number one contender going into the fight at the Las Vegas Convention Center on November 22nd, 1965.
Ali used his jab to dominate the fight, which was ruled off by the referee in the 12th.
Patterson’s chances of winning took a drastic dive when he suffered a lower back injury in the first round that significantly impacted his ability to keep up with his opponent.
While Ali was criticized by the media for not putting a compromised Patterson away sooner, ‘The Greatest’ later explained in an interview with Howard Cosell that he chose not to do this due to the injury.
Ali beat Patterson faster in the rematch, which took place seven year later. But their mutual respect was also a key factor.
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Muhammad Ali with Floyd Patterson during their 1965 fight. Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Muhammad Ali organized a rematch against Floyd Patterson to get him out of his tough situation
When speaking on their first fight, Floyd Patterson’s biographer, W.K. Stratton said that the tension between the opponents was there only to sell the fight.
Stratton says that Muhammad Ali, who had shown mercy to his opponent the first time they met in 1972, arranged a rematch for his 1972 match with his rival to help his fellow…
2025-11-22 15:00:00
