Exactly 40 years to the day, on November 14, 1966, 24 year old heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali took on Cleveland Williams. Forty-six sports writers and thirty-five thousand fans packed the Houston Astrodome to witness the dome's first ever heavyweight championship fight. For one night in Texas, the entire sports world held it's breath, because when Ali fought, the world stopped!
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This was a picture perfect performance for the dancing master. In this fight he barely misses a punch. Everything went right for him and wrong for Cleveland Willaims. Here Ali hit hard, real hard, and Williams feels it. Never in history could a fighter, especially a heavyweight look as good as Muhammad Ali looked forty-years ago, today.
Seven minutes and fifty-one seconds after Cleveland Willams charged from his corner, seeking the heavyweight championship of the world, the speed and grace of the champion's feet left the Big Cat dizzy and confused, and the streaked lightning and thunderous power of Muhammad Ali's fists, stretched the challenger on the floor. Four times in those thrilled-jammed minutes Ali smashed at Williams with the homicidal fury that had felled Sonny Liston in a round. The Houston Astrodome was bedlam. A vast roar swept from wall to wall and reverberated from the steel beams, as the champion moved irresistably to the attack as certainly as darkness follows daylight. Finally, when Ali stepped back from his beaten foe, his hand raised in victory, all joined in tumultuous applause for the man who has defended his championship 7 times, and is regarded as invincible!
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The Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams fight has become the measuring stick by which all fighters are judged. It is the gold standard of perfect boxing, of which all fighters strive to equal. That's why this fight is forever known as...
Picture Perfect!
http://www.ideageneration.co.uk/press%20office/Ali_exhibition/NEW%20PORTRAIT%20WEB%20JPGS/exclusivies/ALI-Williams-MEM33.jpg
Bump... This is the 1yr. anniversary of this thread, and I guess the 41st anniversary of the fight. Here's the full fight from the original broadcast by the legendary Don Dunphy.
Williams had a mediocre chin for sure. If you can argue Williams had a strong chin, you can argue the same about ANYONE who supposedly had chin problems. Butterfly, you claim that Jersey Joe Walcott had a glass chin yet I'd rate his chin as no worse than William's. Now I don't think Williams had a glass chin but he was not a durable heavyweight. He would get blown out fby a good punch by Marciano, Dempsey, Louis, Foreman, etc.
I'd just like to add that Satterfield was a diesel puncher; I'd say he hit every bit as hard as Liston, regardless of his weight.
I think Walcott was put down way more times than Williams was. I would say Williams had the slightly better chin.
Williams had a mediocre chin for sure. If you can argue Williams had a strong chin, you can argue the same about ANYONE who supposedly had chin problems. Butterfly, you claim that Jersey Joe Walcott had a glass chin yet I'd rate his chin as no worse than William's. Now I don't think Williams had a glass chin but he was not a durable heavyweight. He would get blown out fby a good punch by Marciano, Dempsey, Louis, Foreman, etc.
I'd just like to add that Satterfield was a diesel puncher; I'd say he hit every bit as hard as Liston, regardless of his weight.
Well, he was too green against Satterfield, and Satterfield was a good experienced opponent. And Foster, Jones, and Lewis got him when he was completely washed up. And he was also past it vs. Ali, so only Liston ko'd him in his prime, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Also Ali beat a decent version of him.
they still stopped him.
liston (twice), mac foster (twice), bob satterfield, muhammad ali, al jones, and alvin lewis all stopped williams.
Well, he was too green against Satterfield, and Satterfield was a good experienced opponent. And Foster, Jones, and Lewis got him when he was completely washed up. And he was also past it vs. Ali, so only Liston ko'd him in his prime, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Also Ali beat a decent version of him.
I don't think his chin was that weak. Besides Ali only Liston and Mac Foster ko'd him, and they both are murderous punchers.
liston (twice), mac foster (twice), bob satterfield, muhammad ali, al jones, and alvin lewis all stopped williams.
cleveland williams was a tragic underachiever with a weak chin. he had plenty of courage, power, and decent enough skill. too bad this massacre is the only thing hes remembered for.
I don't think his chin was that weak. Besides Ali only Liston and Mac Foster ko'd him, and they both are murderous punchers.
cleveland williams was a tragic underachiever with a weak chin. he had plenty of courage, power, and decent enough skill. too bad this massacre is the only thing hes remembered for.
I wish ESPN classic would show ringside Muhammad Ali soon, I want to tape that.
Also ESPN Classic doesn't show Ali-Williams at all. I don't know why, though.:confused:
ok and? why is this so symbolic?
It's Ali at his peak. It's the blueprint of a perfect fight performance. It's Louis-Schmeling II, Dempsey-Willard, Johnson-Jeffries, Tyson-Spinks, and Foreman-Frazier I all rolled into one! No one looked as magnificent than Ali did 40 years ago On November 14, 1966.
most die hard Ali fans around here consider that his best KO. this fight really did show what Ali was all about
For real, he was down to business here at his finest. His most destructive of bouts were the Floyd Patterson and Ernie Terrell bouts though, those were sadism at it's core.
19y ago
40th Anniversary of Muhammad Ali-Cleveland Williams | BoxingScene Community
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