Few bouts have lived in the collective consciousness of fight fans as much as the second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston that took place for the NYSAC, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight world title. The first fight between the two was one of the most iconic moments in sports to date and one of the biggest upsets in boxing history at the time.

For the sequel, Ali had a new name, as he no longer went by Cassius Clay, better rather Muhammad Ali. Ali, who was an 8-to-1 underdog in the first fight, fought Liston on May 25th, 1965 in Lewiston, Maine. The outcome was unexpected and to some debated.

Ali would knock out the most feared puncher in the sport of boxing’s history to that point, Liston with one punch in the first round. It is one of the most famous punches in boxing history. It happened so fast, it left room for debate.

The fight signaled the start of the Ali era, as he had pulled off a shocking upset in the first fight, but not unlike Mike Tyson or Conor McGregor, Ali shocked the world with an outcome no one saw coming and became immortal.

After the fight

After the fight, Ali announced that he had become a black Muslim, and had become a social figure, who had inevitably would sit out for the prime of his career for social reasons as he didn’t want to fight in the Vietnam War.

Liston was arrested not long after with a laundry list of offenses about a driving violation including, speeding, careless and reckless driving without a license, and carrying a concealed weapon.

The bout had been long speculated around what happened. As some believe a punch never landed, and given Liston’s ties to organized crime - many wonders if the fight was fixed. This also should not be because the fight landed in Maine due to the unwillingness of many states to sanction a bout between the two fighters. As Governor John H. Reed stepped up and helped land the site for the fight on short notice.

The venue, is the Central Maine Youth Center, a junior hockey ice skating rink. The forgotten truth behind the fight was the ugly undertones. Ali had embraced Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam and turned his back on Malcolm X who had fallen out with Muhammad. As the cultural undertones weighed just as deep as the fight itself, as some feared Ali’s life might be in jeopardy as a rogue Malcolm X supporter might try to hurt him.

Did The Punch Land?

We will never know. A Liston jab was countered by an Ali right that knocked Liston down. The fight was over. Former world champion turned referee Jersey Joe Walcott, didn’t make things any better as he struggled to get Ali into the neutral corner, as Ali stood over Liston mocking him.

In the midst of that, Walcott had lost track of the count. The timekeeper Francis McDonough was critical of Walcott as McDonough stated Walcott looked to the crow and not him.

The unsavory ending led to the confusion that will always surround this fight as gym folklore will always recount tales of corruption around the knockout, given Liston’s past, yet it was never proven.

Liston had clear ties to the mob. Liston had never been knocked down like that - and many wondered simply ‘What happened?’

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