Muhammed Ali is widely known as ‘The Greatest’, but it was more than just his skill that sent him to the top, it was also his confidence.
Muhammad Ali finished his career with an extremely impressive record of 56-5. He was able to avenge every loss except for the final two, against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick.
Famously, Mike Tyson promised Ali he would beat Holmes, a promise Tyson fulfilled in 1988.
Ali holds career-defining wins over the likes of George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and Floyd Patterson, the first heavyweight to lose and regain a world title following a letter from his rival Archie Moore.
One of Ali’s career-defining moments came when he defeated a feared champion to become the best heavyweight in the world, though doctors feared for Ali’s heart in the days leading up to the fight.
Muhammad Ali’s heart rate skyrocketed at Sonny Liston weigh-in
Sonny Liston is someone whose bouts with Ali, for many, fail to represent his true ability. Liston fought Ali twice, with the first bout ending in the sixth round due to an injured shoulder and the second by stoppage in the very first round.
Liston was a highly intimidating heavyweight and had spent years in prison before taking up boxing. Liston also struck fear into America when he dressed as Santa for an Esquire magazine cover.
In 1964, when Ali and Liston weighed in for the championship fight, Ali launched into a tirade of screaming and calling Liston a “big, ugly bear”.
Ali was acting so erratic that doctors felt it necessary to read his pulse, which showed an astounding 120 beats per minute, leading medical professionals to believe Ali was having an anxiety attack.
Though the impact of the weigh-in seemed to wash off of Ali as soon as he left the room and his heart rate returned to normal, Liston was left feeling nervous, believing Ali was either supremely confident or a madman.
Ali was the underdog going into the fight but declared himself ‘The Greatest’ after defeating Liston.
Muhammad Ali on how The Beatles helped him beat Sonny Liston
In 1964 before his fight with Liston, Ali was involved in a photoshoot with The Beatles.
According to Biography, Ali didn’t know who The Beatles were initially, and asked who “those little sissies” were. Despite this, the group all got along and George Harrison said: “Muhammad Ali was quite cute”.
Ali is said to have improvised a freestyle which went as follows: “When Liston reads about The Beatles visiting me / He’ll get so mad, I’ll knock him out in three!”
Ringo Starr also joked: “I taught [Ali] everything he knew!”
Muhammad Ali’s encounters with musicians are not always positive, and Frank Sinatra is one musician Ali never forgave after his poor treatment of an opponent.