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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!
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!
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...
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!
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!
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