Cassius Clay was not a complete unknown. ... Ali 1942-2016 48 photos Hardly anyone gave the 22-year-old a chance in the championship fight against the fearsome Sonny "Big Bear" Liston, ...

What happened in the first fight between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali? Clay (19-0, 15 KOs) weighed in at 210½ pounds, while Liston (35-1, 24 KOs) came in at 218.

When Clay knocked out Liston in one round in 1965, a new force in boxing had eclipsed Sonny. Liston's story came to a sudden end when his wife found him dead in their Las Vegas home on Jan. 5, 1971.

By the time he left the ring, Cassius Clay was well on his way to becoming arguably the greatest boxer in history. From the beginning of the fight on February 25, 1964, something was different ...

Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) backs Sonny Liston into the ropes and flails away with both fists during the heavyweight championship fight in Miami Beach, Florida on Feb. 26, 1964.

Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay signed Tuesday for a mid-February heavyweight championship bout, but the actual date and site remain as much up in the air as ever. Definite announcement of a site ...

Cassius Clay lived in Overtown, and became Muhammad Ali in Brownsville. He owned a duplex in the City of Miami, was loved by the local black community, and could often be found entertaining ...

Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) was that young, charismatic contender, and the supposed invincible champ, Sonny Liston, found out that night that “The Greatest” was only beginning. Clay ...

FILE - In this Feb. 25, 1964 file photo, Cassius Clay, left, who later became Muhammad Ali, fights Sonny Liston during their heavyweight title match in Miami Beach, Fla. Newly-surfaced FBI reports ...

Liston had a huge fifth round, outlanding the vision-challenged Clay 37-1. Clay landed 21 of 42 jabs in round six. Scoring after six rounds: 57-57; 58-56 Liston; 58-56 Clay.

What happened in the first fight between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali? Clay (19-0, 15 KOs) weighed in at 210½ pounds, while Liston (35-1, 24 KOs) came in at 218.