Boxing
How Time Flies! It’s 60 Years Since The Famous Mohammad Ali- Sonny Liston Fight That Shaped Boxing –
Sunday, 25 February, marked 60 years since a 22-year-old named Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) defeated the favourite Sonny Liston, whom he had humiliated and beaten for the title of heavyweight champion.
On that day, “The Greatest” became a social icon, paving the way for a career that would make him one of the greatest boxers of all time.
It was no ordinary fight. It wasn’t just a boxing match. Young Cassius Clay upset the favourite Sonny Liston on 25 February 1964.
Within hours, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He declared war on one of the most powerful countries in the world, as AFP recalls.
He humiliated his opponent, took the heavyweight title and changed history from that day on. Last Sunday marked 60 years since that event.
Sports Illustrated named it one of the four most influential sporting events of the 20th century.
The American boxer, always arrogant and outspoken, was no longer just an image. He became a symbol of the fight against racism, especially in a powerful country whose society had always been racist towards blacks.
His strategy was always to attract attention and be the centre of attention; he achieved this with his eccentric personality, combined with immense talent, making him one of the greatest boxers in history.
Ali rose to stardom after other black boxers had succeeded: Floyd Patterson, always respected, and Sonny Liston himself, a boxer with a fearsome appearance and controlled by the dark side. They were world champions, like Ali himself. But they were not representative of what was to come.
Today marks 60 years since Ali defeated the ‘Ugly Bear’, as he nicknamed Liston. He won thanks to unparalleled talent and an eccentric, chaotic but intelligent strategy. His victory is still hard to comprehend, because he didn’t stand a chance. Nobody bet on him.
Then came his association with the Black Muslims, his relationship with Malcolm X and his connection with Africa. What he said, gestured and did. All to prove in the ring that he was the best.
He had 61 fights. He won 56 of them, 39 by knockout, and lost only five. But his figure transcended all that. His influence extended beyond boxing.
However, the fight with Liston can be seen as the beginning of it all. The contract for the fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay was signed on 5 November 1963.
The fight was to take place at the Convention Center in Miami Beach. The year before, Liston had beaten Patterson. He had become world champion.
Liston was someone who didn’t like to laugh. He didn’t make many public appearances or joke around.
On the other side was a 22-year-old arrogant young man. He danced in the ring and never stopped talking. Always joking and always saying eccentric things.
On the day of the fight, Clay was nervous about weighing in. His heart was racing and some doctors even said he was unbalanced.
The odds were a clear 7-1 in favour of Liston. Clay had converted to Islam before the fight, but didn’t announce it until afterwards.
The boxing world looked at the fight with its eyes wide open, but with a very clear point of view: Liston was the favourite.
The Convention Centre was packed. Miami Beach was the epicentre of world boxing.
From the start, it was Ali (then Clay) who danced. He kept Liston at bay with his famous fast and continuous jabs.
As the rounds went on, Ali continued to rack up points. In the third and fourth rounds everything changed.
It was Clay who was winning the rounds, and he was even giving Liston trouble.
The sixth round was decisive. Once again, the Lousville native began to dominate and began to control the fight.
At the end of the round, “The Big Bear” told his trainer that he couldn’t continue. He didn’t come out for the seventh.
A shoulder injury had stopped the champion and Clay took the belt and title.
The rematch took place a year later. This time Liston only lasted one round against Ali, who was already a legend and had his whole career ahead of him.
Ali won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. As a professional, he won the undisputed heavyweight championship in 1964 at the age of 22.
He became the only boxer to have won the linear championship three times (1964, 1974 and 1978) and the undisputed heavyweight championship (1964, 1967 and 1974).
He was also the first to win the World Boxing Association heavyweight title four times (1964, 1967, 1974 and 1978). Muhammad Ali is regarded as a social figure who transcended the world of sport.
Since the 1960s, his decision not to be drafted into his country’s armed forces for the Vietnam War has been a symbol. He declared himself a conscientious objector. He was also a member of the Nation of Islam.
That fight changed everything. Even the figure of the heavyweight champion, who until then had always been a serious person, introverted, more inclined to action in the ring than to speeches.
He was better known for what he did outside the ring. Other champions before him included Jack Dempsey, Primo Carnera, Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano.
They will all be remembered for their no-holds-barred fights. But Ali added to his talent an inimitable ability to be different, to be loved and hated.
For a heavyweight contender, it was this unusual and very special way of behaving that made him so popular.
His speeches on racism and black/white equality attracted the curiosity of the likes of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Elijah Muhammad, and from there his persona took off.
He retired in 1981. Although he had not yet been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, his physical decline was already evident.
–insidethegames
British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is set to make his long-awaited homecoming fight in Nigeria in early 2026, according to Nigerian promoter, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, a serial entrepreneur, investor and son of Nigerian sports administration legend, Dr Amos Adamu..
Adamu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Balmoral Group, revealed that discussions with Joshua’s camp had been positive and that plans are underway to stage the bout at the 50,000-capacity Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Speaking to The Punch, the promoter disclosed that Joshua has always expressed his desire to fight in Nigeria before the end of his career.
“I spoke with him, I spoke with his team, and they already said to me, ‘If we had an offer from Nigeria, it’s a match made in heaven,’” Adamu said.
He added: “Joshua has always said that before he ends his career, he wants to fight in Nigeria, and we are going to make that fight happen.”
The proposed fight, expected in the first quarter of 2026, would likely feature Joshua against another African opponent. Adamu hinted at possible names, including France’s Tony Yoka, Congo’s Martin Bakole, and former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who also has Nigerian heritage.
The promoter dismissed rumours that Ghana could host Joshua’s African debut. “I heard rumours about Joshua fighting in Ghana, and I laughed it off because, for me, where is the story in there? Joshua is Nigerian. Now we have a big promotion, and Nigeria is the biggest market. It’s a no-brainer for Joshua to fight in Nigeria,” he insisted.
Joshua, born in Watford, England, spent part of his childhood in Nigeria and proudly wears a tattoo of the country’s outline on his right shoulder.
Adamu maintained that Nigeria has both the infrastructure and the market to become a hub for global boxing.
“We’ve got the population, we’ve got the infrastructure, and we’ve got the technical know-how. This is just the start. October 1 (Chaos in the Ring event in Lagos) is only a sneak peek of what we can make happen,” he told The Punch.
Joshua’s long-time promoter, Eddie Hearn, had previously suggested the possibility of staging a fight in Africa, but Adamu’s plan now appears to be the most concrete yet. If successful, the 2026 bout would mark a historic milestone for African boxing and pave the way for more high-profile contests on the continent.
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British boxing great Ricky Hatton, a former two-division world champion, has died at the age of 46, the World Boxing Association said on Sunday.
Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, Hatton won the WBA, IBO and IBF light-welterweight titles and the WBA welterweight world championship during his 15-year professional career before retiring in 2012.
He had been due to make a comeback for an event in Dubai this year.
“A true champion, an indomitable spirit and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world,” the WBA posted on Instagram.
Greater Manchester Police said that a body had been found on Sunday morning at an address in Hyde in the northern English city.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious,” a police spokesperson said.
Hatton had 45 wins in 48 bouts over his career but in the years after he retired he said he had tried to kill himself several times and had been open about his struggle with depression, drink and drugs.
“I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train,” he told BBC radio in 2016.
Hatton became an ambassador for the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably in 2023.
The crowning moment of Hatton’s career in the ring came in 2005 when he stopped Australian Kostya Tszyu in a brutal duel in Manchester to add the IBF light-welterweight title to the WBU belt he already held.
He had a perfect 43-0 record until he was floored by Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007 and was never the same again.
Hatton’s second loss came in 2009, when Manny Pacquiao knocked him out.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Ricky Hatton. He was not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life,” Pacquiao wrote on X.
“We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honour the respect and sportsmanship he showed.”
British former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan described Hatton as “a friend, a mentor, a warrior.”
“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what’s possible … you’ll always have your place in the ring of our memories,” Khan said on X.
Hatton was a lifelong Manchester City fan and wore sky blue shorts, matching the soccer club’s colours, in most of his bouts.
The Premier League club held a thunderous minute’s appreciation ahead of their derby against Manchester United on Sunday with both sets of supporters paying their respects.
“Ricky was one of City’s most loved and revered supporters … everyone at the club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” City added.
-Reuters
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Boxing
Excitement As Nigeria’s Ibeabuchi, Former Mike Tyson’s Conqueror, Danny Williams Clash in Comeback Fight In Lagos
The boxing world is abuzz with anticipation as legendary heavyweight, Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi (20-0, 15 KOs) prepares to make his highly anticipated return to the squared circle against British knockout specialist Danny “The Brixton Hammer” Williams (55-33, 42 KOs).
This monumental clash, a true spectacle of power and resilience, is set to ignite Lagos, Nigeria.
This event will be live on pay-per-view streaming on www.Prizefighting.tv only on August 23, 2025, at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Surulere.
The times for the event are 1:00 PM New York, 6:00 PM London, noon Dallas, and 10:00 AM Los Angeles.
Ibeabuchi, a fighter revered for his explosive power and unblemished professional record, will step back into the ring after a lengthy hiatus, ready to remind the world of the immense talent that once captivated boxing fans globally.
His return to his ancestral homeland of Nigeria adds an even deeper layer of significance to this historic event.
Facing “The President” will be the formidable Danny Williams, a seasoned veteran known for his knockout power and the monumental upset of Mike Tyson in 2004.
“The Brixton Hammer” brings a wealth of experience and a relentless fighting spirit, promising to test Ibeabuchi’s comeback every step of the way.
This is more than just a fight; it’s a homecoming, a testament to perseverance, and a chance for ‘The President’ to once again showcase his abilities on the world stage. To do this in Lagos, in front of his people, is an incredible honour.
“Danny Williams is a tough opponent, with a very respectable career, but Ike Ibeabuchi is here to make a statement. “The Brixton Hammer’ will be sent back to England hammerless. Danny Williams will be knocked out,” Ibeabuchi has said in what is seen by many as a pre-fight hype.
Danny Williams expressed his readiness for the challenge, “Ike Ibeabuchi is a legend, and I know he’ll be coming to fight.
“But ‘The President’ will not be returning on my timeline. I will come to his hometown, drop the hammer on him and send him back into exile. That will become a fact mate,” Williams has been quoted as saying.
Promoters are anticipating a jam packed arena and a global viewership as fans eagerly await to see these two big punchers. Prizefighting.tv states “pig punchers do not lose power with age.”
With these two big punchers there is no way this fight is going the distance. This fight will end in a knockout.”
Ike Ibeabuchi is an undefeated Nigerian-American heavyweight boxer with a professional record of 20 wins and 0 losses, with 15 knockouts.
He is the biggest “what if’s” in heavyweight championship history.
Danny Williams is a British professional boxer with a record of 54 wins and 33 losses, with 43 knockouts. He is best known for his shock win over the famed Mike Tyson in a non-heavyweight title fight in 2004.
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