All that I have to say is magnificent. It's hard to believe that he was a heavyweight. The greatest display of power and grace that I've ever seen in the ring. God bless that great man he was a one of a kind American original.
The Big Cat never gets as much love as he should. A physique like nobody of his era and outside of being owned by Sonny Liston who was too powerful for everyone in the early 60s, really had something special going before his injury. Fast, agile, strong and relentless.
One of the best fighters ever to not win a belt. Williams prime was between about 1958, and his KO win over Ernie Terrell in 1962. Maybe up until the win over Daniels in 1964, just before he was shot and nearly killed. Unfortunately for Williams, Patterson nor Johansson had any interest in fighting him, and the actual best fighter in the world during that time, Liston, stood in the way, beating him twice.
@@PhilAndersonOutside He was very agile for a big man,liston was the slower man then he is ,but liston was much more technical and had bombs In both hands, while williams was agile with his footwork he was also adept at throwing fast left hook. Ultimately the fight is won by who fall first in which liston beat williams twice proving that he was no man that you could go toe to toe with.
@@randomdude5545 I watched those fights and I never understood why Liston got Williams in the end. Williams landed so much. Was it only because the chin?
@@crabb9966 Yeah I think liston has the better chim I mean William really did rocked liston he shook him up, Liston neck is measured around 18 inches that probably why he can take a good amount of punishment
As great as Ali was on this night (and he was The Greatest in my book) even he wasn't proud of this fight, and later said so, rarely talking about it. He knew that Williams, like Zora Folley, was past his prime. In fact, Williams was way past his prime. Both Williams and Folley should have gotten a title shot against Patterson, or Johansson, but never did. So Ali at least gave them that chance. Ali may not have proved anything by winning, but he gained respect in the inside boxing world more than many ever knew.
Unbelievable indeed..Sugar Ray Robinson was quick and powerful, but for a 6 foot 210 lb man to dance, throughout a fight as Ali did, is no small feat..
That’s what made Ali so successful in the ring. He was just simply faster than his opponents. He made everyone he fought look slow. Plus Ali had a hell of a chin. He took shots from Earnie Shavers that would have KO’ed a horse.
@@fiucik1 Wilder weighed 209 pounds at the fight. That doesnt matter. Ali was featherfisted. Just look at his KO percentage above certain opponent weights and compare it thru the ages. His ko% above 230 lbs is useless today.
I have long said this Ali's best exibition of how unbeatable he was in his prime. Certainly Frazier took him places unimaginable, but Ali was different and fought different after his suspension.
Williams was mentally and physically wrecked before this fight. His immobility and lack of motivation made Ali's considerable skills look better than they actually were.
I think being shot in the stomach with a. 357 magnum and having 10 ft of his small intestines removed, along with his right kidney the year before this fight didn't help. The bullet was still lodged in his hip.
The years Ali didn't fight, 1968 and 1969, would have been his prime years. The years he wasn't allowed to fight because he had refused to be inducted into the armed forces. 1968 until about 1971 would have been his prime. As good as he was- he could have been even better.
@@crabb9966 Yes- but that fight came after Ali's 31/2 year layoff. From 1967 until 1970 he wasn't allowed to fight at all. What I'm saying is, if he hadn't been stripped of his boxing license, his prime years would have been 1968 until about 1971. In 1971- Joe was in his prime. He was a great fighter, but he was never the same after that fight.
@@timhall5382 They would have been his prime years, Tim. When he fought Williams- he was still getting better. The fact that he was able to come back after a 3 year layoff and still beat a whole new generation of fighters, including winning back the title from undefeated George Foreman, tells you how good he could have been- if he hadn't had his title taken away from him.
The first knockdown at 8:30 was while Ali was backing up. It reminded me of the second Liston fight knockdown, it was so quick it was hard to see what happened.
I agree that Cleveland was well past his best and that Ali was at his absolute peak but even so the absolute masterclass of destruction that ensued showed Ali to be a sporting genius. Power, precision and grace all combined.
Plus Cleavland was hasn’t recovered from being shot by a cop the bullet was still in him and it really messed up Cleavland cause other fights before getting shot he was fast on his feet and with his hands and hit as hard as sonny Liston.
Nice work Rich. I've seen this fight a good number of times, but never get bored of watching Ali, at his physical best. It took many years before he got the fans on side, but with a resumé like his, I suppose it was inevitable. Good stuff. Bless up bro 👊
You have been busy Rich 3 videos in a week. You have the best boxing channels on TH-cam don't know why people leaving your channel. 95% of boxing channels on TH-cam talk about Mike Tyson or Ali same stories just told differently. Thanks, Rich for making videos of boxers who I didn't know much about. Cheers 🍻 from Canada
This is certainly great to watch after rewatching your documentary on Cleveland Williams. The footage against Liston is impressive. Sad to consider what he could have done with a bit more luck on his side.
How about this! It's sad to consider what he could have done had America adhered to the consciences observer rule, and the 1st amendment. America screwed him!
Superb! A heavyweight who moved like Willie Pastrano combined with Sugar Ray. And hit very hard also! Did you know Ali learned some of his moves from Pastrano?
The world never got to see the best of Ali because of his refusal to be inducted in the United States service. "The time he was out would have been like watching a master at work.What you got was plenty ,but the world didn't see the best of Ali " Angelo Dundee spoke those words.
Answer: Yes. This is Ali at his all-time best. Also, it could be construed that this is the only time in his career that he really demonstrated punching power.
The knockdown at 9:10 is one of the Best in Ali's career. Ali never threw bombs, but his punches were fast, precise, and hard. Trust me, you didn't want to get hit with those shots.
Thanks for posting this fight. I have not viewed it even though I’m old Enough to remember when the Astrodome was the 8th wonder of the world. I’m shocked that Williams Corner let him out after three knockdowns for round 3. Unnecessary. Out of curiosity does anyone know the Cats cutmans name? Looks very familiar. Thanks again for posting.
I honestly dont know of a single heavyweight in boxing history who could have beaten this Ali. Dempsey, Lewis, Marciano, Tyson... I just don't see how to beat him.
He was a vessel for a physical wisdom that only comes from 1 place. That place tells you where to be and when. At getting out of the way and channeling that force… Ali is the Greatest
release anything you like for the benefit of the channel. I'll likely rewatch even simple untouched reuploads even. You have such vast wisdo of the science, possess a clear passion for the art. Boxing on TH-cam (and i do not mean TH-cam boxing) needs you to succeed, spread your knowledge of the sport far and wide and educate the *shudder* oh so ignorant masses. Thanks as always rich. Definitely want success for you. Even have selfish reason of continued getting to enjoy a great channel sticking around to watch.
Beautiful I agree with you Rich the best Ali.I don't think anyone could beat him this night. It took me yrs to where I really appreciated him what a boxer he was. Thanks buddy I liked this one also
Props to the OP for finding such old and rare footage 👏, Ali's best fighting weight was 208-215 he would have busted up a prime 1955 Marciano and stopped him on cuts!
Rocky was cut too easy by lesser fighters (Ezzard Charles). Would have been Henry Copper all over again. Can't argue a Rocky win by KO. He did not hit harder than Shavers or Foreman. No one did
You're way too good for me to let you down. Hehehe! I'll wait until you're ready to post more docs and everyone should do the same. All your docs are worth the wait. This is Ali's best demonstration of talent, for sure. Unfortunately, Williams was so over the hill at that time.
Best version of Ali but definitely worst version of Cleveland Williams. In 1964 he was shot in a struggle with the police causing a permanently broken hip joint. His kidney has to be removed in 1965. Had to remove some of his small intestine and nerve damage above his knee. Overall the injuries cause paralysis to certain parts of his muscles. He’s a warrior for getting back in the ring with a monster like Ali in ‘66 💯.
Ali was at his best, but let’s not forget Cleveland was at his worst and in physical decline here. This was only a couple of years after a cop blasted his guts out at point blank range with .357 bullet from a Magnum revolver. Man should have died, but he lived, and was a shadow of the boxer that fought Ali.
Happy New Year rich I wish you a peaceful prosperous healthy and productive year in years to come thank you for all of the hard work that you do and I believe that this was Muhammad Ali at his best at his finest Sharp floating like a butterfly and sting like a bee
This, I believe, was Muhammad Ali's best fight. Man, could he throw them hands. He was throwing five to six punch combinations as a heavyweight. I also noticed how the lead announcer called Ali by the name Clay.
Definitely one of his best if not his best career KOs. What I found most annoying was the fight commentator's persistence in calling the Champ by his birth name Cassius Clay instead of his chosen name Muhammad Ali. A true sign of the times and a blatant disrespect. Thanks for posting the fight.
Oh take off. If a man chooses to call a man by the name his father and mother gave him then that is his choice and liberty. It’s the year 2023 and I still call him Cassius Clay because I don’t respect Islam or the nation of Islam (the organization that provided him that moniker) and I think it’s a much cooler name. If you want to call him Muhammad Ali go for it. Don’t talk down to other people for not going along with the program. We don’t owe Cassius Clay or you or anybody that kind of deference. Got it? Y You respect Cassius Clay so much that you kowtow to his demand. Did you know that he cheated on every single wife he had dozens of times? Did you know that he practically worshiped Elijah Muhammad as a prophet of God despite the fact that Elijah Muhammad had 43 illegitimate children whose mothers he left in the lurch? Did you know that Cassius Clay publicly humiliated Joe Frazier over and over again despite the fact that it was Fraser who labored harder than anyone to get Clay reinstated in boxing? If you want to respect someone who thinks and behaves like that then such is your purview. Don’t sanctimoniously preach to other people about how they need to follow suit. Cassius Clay is one of the best boxers of all time and a man with God-given talents. I give him that without pause. I give him nothing else whatsoever. The fact that you call him Muhammad Ali and I call him Cassius Clay doesn’t make you a better person no matter what idiocy you have worked out in your so-called mind.
America was definitely different then. They would yell and scream about the 1st Amendment until you did not play by their rules. Who was in charge anyway? The democrats or the republicans?
Clay’s parents, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay, emphatically approved fight commentators choice of birth name. Clay was a draft dodger. He wanted the benefits of representing the US without having to face the same ordeals as poor white people who were being inducted into United States Army. Your anticipated opinion of Vietnam has no bearing on Clay’s justly imposed prison sentence. Plenty of “blatant disrespect” to go around.
Incredible speed by Ali..he did a double-shuffle and a one two, before the big Cats brain registered what was going on...never saw a Heavyweight move so fast.👀
Ali loved to play with his food. Made Williams look like a novice. I remember watching Ali fighting in the 1970’s when i was a kid. He looked nothing like he did in this fight. Too bad he did not know when to hang up the gloves.
Saw this fight as a child in a barbershop. I think it was the ESPN classic version though. I couldn’t understand why Williams couldn’t react. A guy in the shop was like “Imagine trying to counter punch raindrops.” 😂 That’s how fast Ali was at his best.
And yet henry cooper was able to get to him with that left hook and drop him! And was very much in the fight when it was stopped on cuts! I think that's when Dundee dialed him in . That's when he started floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee 👊
@@tracymurray9798 Ali never did solve the left hook. I think Ali backed off Cooper because of his prediction. Instead of going to finish he eased up and got knocked down.
@@ComeOnEh maybe I'm gonna watch it again tonight . I think maybe he thought he was better than he was at that point and got his head rocked he was rubber legged goin to the corner that's when Dundee split the glove to give him more time to recover! FACT! ANGIE DUNDEE knew all the tricks
Willams was his best fight as champion but per Angelo Dundee, "What we saw of Ali was great, but the world never saw him at his best, his prime. He was robbed of his true prime years. Which would've been from 1967 to 1970, maybe 1971"
I have almost all available Ali fights. And yes I believe this is Ali at his finest! You could argue that the Big Cat was past his prime and he was. In fact he had been shot by this point. But Ali is so fast and deadly against a guy who gave a prime Sonny Liston a hard fight twice!
@@mr.eggplant866 I dont think you can compare eras. As I said Ali is really a little more than a blown up light heavy when he beat Liston. They would not be the same weight class today. That being said Ali beat Foreman and no way Lewis beats Foreman. Lennox big flaw? His chin. One of George's best qualities? His chin and legendary power
A prime Cleveland Williams had that quick and powerful left hook . He could triple up on it and hurt you quick and fast . Against Ali that ability was gone and Ali's jab and right cross were landing with speed and accuracy . Cleveland started having success with the jab but he was hurt and fighting on instinct . A prime Cleveland might not have beaten Ali but he would've gave him hell . Greatness of the future crossing paths with echoes of greatness of the past ; a profound moment . R.I.P to Ali and Cleveland, you guys were great🙏🙏👍
Easy to say this was Ali at his best, but not many know the background. Cleveland Williams had partial paralysis in his right hip, half his small intestine gone, one kidney and a bullet pressing against his hip. Ali was definitely in his peak, but that’s hardly the same Williams that fought Liston.
I feel the same as many commenting. CW was way past his prime here. I think Ali really proved his mettle when he beat Liston and slapped the heavyweight division silly in the 60s (Ernie Terrell) but MOSTLY when he won the title in 74 and his defenses against Frazier and Ernie Shavers which showed that he really was what Mike Tyson said of him- a beast, a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Cleveland Williams had been shot in the gut by a cop and had to go through a long brutal recovery process before this fight. He was definitely not 100%. If you want to see a good Cleveland Williams you should watch his fight versus Sonny Liston. Even though Liston knocked him out he beat the shit out of Sonny. Cleveland was strong as shit. And could hit like a Mack truck. He bloodied Sonny. I’m not saying Ali wouldn’t have beaten Williams but he would have had a harder time of it.
I've been a boxing fan for a long time. I cannot see another heavyweight throughout history that would've challenged Ali on this night. Cleveland Williams was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Or the right place at the wrong time. Or, perhaps, the wrong place at the right time. You might even say the right place at the right time (to get a massive beating).
Cleveland williams lost a kidney due to being shot in a traffic stop. It took him about 2 years to recover. He was well past his sell by date fighting Ali. It showed. Fight should have been stopped well before it ended.
Rich love the video as always... but how comes the title 'all-time best'? 🙂especially given that Ali would not agree & the brilliant background context you already covered on the Cleveland Williams video.🥊
I never really appreciated how much faster, elusive and better conditioned Ali was before the layoff. Sure, Williams was not the same after his injuries, but Ali was noticeably quicker on his feet, his hands and evading punches pre-layoff.
Anyone please help me understand when Rich says "boost it [the channel] back up to TH-cam algorithm." I assume when there are more views, certain positive outcomes occur, but I don't fully understand the implications here. Anyway, tank you, and thank you, Rich. I just appreciate these videos so much.
I had laid off making videos and when I started back up again...The videos were not getting the same amount of reach as before. TH-cam was not informing a large number of my subscribers that a new video had dropped...
@@RichtheFightHistorian I wish those announcers would have stopped calling him Clay. It happened a lot at during that time. Even at his post fight press conferences, he would have to correct the media about his name. Even in the early 70's, there would be posters with Muhammad Ali but underneath his name it would say: AKA Cassius Clay.🤦🏾♂🤦🏾♂
@@RichtheFightHistorian Thanks for explaining, Rich. I was just hoping that you are not under any pressure. You are a class man and produce class content. I wouldn't want you to burn out because of You Tube demands. Cheers!
This dude Cleveland never slipped or ducked a single shot. He needs to touch up that God awful defence I can tell by looking at him probably a big puncher and thought he could just ko everyone.
If this truly was Ali at this best, then can we assume that he was already past his absolute prime in his next two fights against Terrell and Foley? We often hear how we never saw him at his best because of his exile years, which never made sense to me if he wasn’t still improving after the Williams fight, pre-exile.
They shouldn’t have come out for the third round. You can’t realise how much weight Ali got in his punches, as they were so quick and could be delivered while going backwards. He was so accurate, even though Williams had his hands up, but Ali just went straight through.
This Ali is scary, and so beautiful to see, How sad to be robbed of 3 years and 7 months of his prime, he could easily have surpassed Joe Louis' 25 defenses.
I grew up watching ali in the 70s and never knew how great he was in his prime ....probably best boxer ever in his weight class (210) , constant movement, super fast ...I don't think smoking joe could've beat 1967 ali.
Cleveland Williams 69-6-2 10 years older than Ali! Williams was shot by police 2 years prior with a 357 magnum ( bullet stillin his body) couldnt train because he was hospitalized with kidney; and nerve damage his intestines and 1kidney removed only a shell of his former self took the fight because he needed the pay he only weighted 212 normal weight is 232 lbs just a sad sad story
All that I have to say is magnificent. It's hard to believe that he was a heavyweight. The greatest display of power and grace that I've ever seen in the ring. God bless that great man he was a one of a kind American original.
The Big Cat never gets as much love as he should. A physique like nobody of his era and outside of being owned by Sonny Liston who was too powerful for everyone in the early 60s, really had something special going before his injury. Fast, agile, strong and relentless.
One of the best fighters ever to not win a belt. Williams prime was between about 1958, and his KO win over Ernie Terrell in 1962. Maybe up until the win over Daniels in 1964, just before he was shot and nearly killed. Unfortunately for Williams, Patterson nor Johansson had any interest in fighting him, and the actual best fighter in the world during that time, Liston, stood in the way, beating him twice.
@@PhilAndersonOutside He was very agile for a big man,liston was the slower man then he is ,but liston was much more technical and had bombs In both hands, while williams was agile with his footwork he was also adept at throwing fast left hook. Ultimately the fight is won by who fall first in which liston beat williams twice proving that he was no man that you could go toe to toe with.
@@randomdude5545 I watched those fights and I never understood why Liston got Williams in the end. Williams landed so much. Was it only because the chin?
@@crabb9966 Yeah I think liston has the better chim I mean William really did rocked liston he shook him up, Liston neck is measured around 18 inches that probably why he can take a good amount of punishment
Never got his shot until way too late…
As great as Ali was on this night (and he was The Greatest in my book) even he wasn't proud of this fight, and later said so, rarely talking about it. He knew that Williams, like Zora Folley, was past his prime. In fact, Williams was way past his prime. Both Williams and Folley should have gotten a title shot against Patterson, or Johansson, but never did. So Ali at least gave them that chance. Ali may not have proved anything by winning, but he gained respect in the inside boxing world more than many ever knew.
Ali was the only man to offer title defences to those men.
Those who know, know... well written Mr. Anderson.
Williams & Folley where ranked contenders at the time, Ali decided not to trash talk those opponents because he was clearly aware of their history.
Yes, But, Ali was nearly 33 when he KOD George foreman
Yup
Unbelievable for a big man Ali moved like a welterweight
Unbelievable indeed..Sugar Ray Robinson was quick and powerful, but for a 6 foot 210 lb man to dance, throughout a fight as Ali did, is no small feat..
That’s what made Ali so successful in the ring. He was just simply faster than his opponents. He made everyone he fought look slow. Plus Ali had a hell of a chin. He took shots from Earnie Shavers that would have KO’ed a horse.
Ali was a modern day cruiser. He even weighed 201 lbs in 66 at his peak. He could almost have made light heavy with that.
@@anul6801 Wilder dropped Fury twice while weighting 212lb which is the same as Ali against Williams.
@@fiucik1 Wilder weighed 209 pounds at the fight. That doesnt matter. Ali was featherfisted. Just look at his KO percentage above certain opponent weights and compare it thru the ages. His ko% above 230 lbs is useless today.
I have long said this Ali's best exibition of how unbeatable he was in his prime. Certainly Frazier took him places unimaginable, but Ali was different and fought different after his suspension.
3 years for a heavyweight is a lifetime. Ali lost half a step that allowed the competition to hit him.
Frazier was nothing ask Foreman🤣
Williams was mentally and physically wrecked before this fight. His immobility and lack of motivation made Ali's considerable skills look better than they actually were.
Ken Norton beat Ali more than once. The judges were too star struck by Ali to give Norton the win.
The best version of Ali in my opinion! Big Cat just had to be the unlucky opponent to fight him . I don't think anybody beats Ali on that day !
I think being shot in the stomach with a. 357 magnum and having 10 ft of his small intestines removed, along with his right kidney the year before this fight didn't help.
The bullet was still lodged in his hip.
@@tracymurray9798 Not saying that Ali wasn't a sublime artist - and I do agree with your statement, my friend.
Totally agree. No one could compete with Ali at the time but Williams had no realistic chance after the gunshot injuries he suffered.
Rich, so enjoy your Channel. You are extremely talented and am always amazed at the quality and volume of the stories you continue to present. 🤙
I appreciate your support, D Man, thank you.
Thanks for posting this.
Ali always said about his speed, “how can you hit what your eyes can’t see”.
This is Ali's prime for sure. It's amazing to watch, almost doesn't look real.
The years Ali didn't fight, 1968 and 1969, would have been his prime years. The years he wasn't allowed to fight because he had refused to be inducted into the armed forces. 1968 until about 1971 would have been his prime. As good as he was- he could have been even better.
@@stuartperry1047 he still got beat by Frazier that year. Frazier is very underrated
@@crabb9966 Yes- but that fight came after Ali's 31/2 year layoff. From 1967 until 1970 he wasn't allowed to fight at all. What I'm saying is, if he hadn't been stripped of his boxing license, his prime years would have been 1968 until about 1971. In 1971- Joe was in his prime. He was a great fighter, but he was never the same after that fight.
@@stuartperry1047 hard to say it was his prime if he didn't fight.
@@timhall5382 They would have been his prime years, Tim. When he fought Williams- he was still getting better. The fact that he was able to come back after a 3 year layoff and still beat a whole new generation of fighters, including winning back the title from undefeated George Foreman, tells you how good he could have been- if he hadn't had his title taken away from him.
The first knockdown at 8:30 was while Ali was backing up. It reminded me of the second Liston fight knockdown, it was so quick it was hard to see what happened.
I agree that Cleveland was well past his best and that Ali was at his absolute peak but even so the absolute masterclass of destruction that ensued showed Ali to be a sporting genius. Power, precision and grace all combined.
you are absolutely right.
We never seen Ali at his peak
@@stevebechelli9163 true. Some of his best years were taken away by the whole Vietnam thing. He was still pretty damn good when he came back though.
Plus Cleavland was hasn’t recovered from being shot by a cop the bullet was still in him and it really messed up Cleavland cause other fights before getting shot he was fast on his feet and with his hands and hit as hard as sonny Liston.
big cat was one tough man shot with a 357 magnum and survived had a decent boxing career to boot only to be killed by a hit n run incident …. tragic
Nice work Rich. I've seen this fight a good number of times, but never get bored of watching Ali, at his physical best. It took many years before he got the fans on side, but with a resumé like his, I suppose it was inevitable. Good stuff. Bless up bro 👊
Thanks, Nick.
Simply The GOAT 👑
You have been busy Rich 3 videos in a week. You have the best boxing channels on TH-cam don't know why people leaving your channel. 95% of boxing channels on TH-cam talk about Mike Tyson or Ali same stories just told differently. Thanks, Rich for making videos of boxers who I didn't know much about. Cheers 🍻 from Canada
I appreciate the support, Mark. I don't think people are leaving the channel, the reach seems to have been suppressed by TH-cam.
R.i.p. Muhammad Ali the city misses you always will be the greatest to us
Great fight to come back wi, THANK YOU, Peace Gus fromEngland ;)
I dig your content and listen to your vids while driving to work or studying after work. Here's an engagement comment to help the YT algo along. ❤
Thanks for that!
Thanks for the amazing video Rich
Sure thing, John.
This is certainly great to watch after rewatching your documentary on Cleveland Williams. The footage against Liston is impressive. Sad to consider what he could have done with a bit more luck on his side.
How about this! It's sad to consider what he could have done had America adhered to the consciences observer rule, and the 1st amendment. America screwed him!
Amazing Performance by Ali, devastating KO
Superb! A heavyweight who moved like Willie Pastrano combined with Sugar Ray. And hit very hard also! Did you know Ali learned some of his moves from Pastrano?
Thanks for posting! I really enjoy the channel!
Thanks, Mark.
Accurate combinations with power is always great footage to watch. Hope your big project was successful, Rich.
Hey thanks, Glenn.
The world never got to see the best of Ali because of his refusal to be inducted in the United States service.
"The time he was out would have been like watching a master at work.What you got was plenty ,but the world didn't see the best of Ali " Angelo Dundee spoke those words.
Poetry in Motion, the greatest boxer of all time and never will we see another.
Answer: Yes. This is Ali at his all-time best. Also, it could be construed that this is the only time in his career that he really demonstrated punching power.
I never saw this fight before, Truly the greatest .
Man Cleveland was carved out of steel but Ali got right to work. Damn Ali was accurate as ever in this, hardly missed!
The knockdown at 9:10 is one of the Best in Ali's career. Ali never threw bombs, but his punches were fast, precise, and hard. Trust me, you didn't want to get hit with those shots.
Happy New Year Rich. All the best ~ Wolf
Thanks, Wolf. Happy New Year to you.
I was at this fight. My dad worked for former Rice All-Americans and they gave him two tickets. I was 13.
Thanks for posting this fight. I have not viewed it even though I’m old Enough to remember when the Astrodome was the 8th wonder of the world. I’m shocked that Williams Corner let him out after three knockdowns for round 3. Unnecessary. Out of curiosity does anyone know the Cats cutmans name? Looks very familiar. Thanks again for posting.
His Prime. Beautiful!
Mr. Comentator, you had no respect, his name was not C. Clay, it is Muhammad Ali.
Prime Ali....ridiculously fast
I honestly dont know of a single heavyweight in boxing history who could have beaten this Ali. Dempsey, Lewis, Marciano, Tyson... I just don't see how to beat him.
Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see...
Hulk Hogan would beat Ali with a figure 4 leg lock 🔒
Hulk hogan couldn't beat my local bouncer. Wrester fake fighter.
He was a vessel for a physical wisdom that only comes from 1 place. That place tells you where to be and when. At getting out of the way and channeling that force… Ali is the Greatest
release anything you like for the benefit of the channel. I'll likely rewatch even simple untouched reuploads even.
You have such vast wisdo of the science, possess a clear passion for the art. Boxing on TH-cam (and i do not mean TH-cam boxing) needs you to succeed, spread your knowledge of the sport far and wide and educate the *shudder* oh so ignorant masses. Thanks as always rich. Definitely want success for you. Even have selfish reason of continued getting to enjoy a great channel sticking around to watch.
Thanks very much, Ryan.
Beautiful I agree with you Rich the best Ali.I don't think anyone could beat him this night. It took me yrs to where I really appreciated him what a boxer he was. Thanks buddy I liked this one also
Sure thing, Ron.
Props to the OP for finding such old and rare footage 👏, Ali's best fighting weight was 208-215 he would have busted up a prime 1955 Marciano and stopped him on cuts!
Rocky was cut too easy by lesser fighters (Ezzard Charles). Would have been Henry Copper all over again.
Can't argue a Rocky win by KO. He did not hit harder than Shavers or Foreman. No one did
This Ali would've beaten anybody
@D W Your probably right, too bad he lost his best years, 67-71 because the Government pulled his license
You have no way of knowing Clay would have defeated 1955 Marciano. Unverifiable speculation.
@@MyOneFiftiethOfADollar glad you could get your 2 cents in.
You're way too good for me to let you down. Hehehe! I'll wait until you're ready to post more docs and everyone should do the same. All your docs are worth the wait.
This is Ali's best demonstration of talent, for sure. Unfortunately, Williams was so over the hill at that time.
Best version of Ali but definitely worst version of Cleveland Williams. In 1964 he was shot in a struggle with the police causing a permanently broken hip joint. His kidney has to be removed in 1965. Had to remove some of his small intestine and nerve damage above his knee. Overall the injuries cause paralysis to certain parts of his muscles. He’s a warrior for getting back in the ring with a monster like Ali in ‘66 💯.
Ali was brilliant here. Big ups to him & Williams.
Ali was at his best, but let’s not forget Cleveland was at his worst and in physical decline here. This was only a couple of years after a cop blasted his guts out at point blank range with .357 bullet from a Magnum revolver. Man should have died, but he lived, and was a shadow of the boxer that fought Ali.
Happy New Year rich I wish you a peaceful prosperous healthy and productive year in years to come thank you for all of the hard work that you do and I believe that this was Muhammad Ali at his best at his finest Sharp floating like a butterfly and sting like a bee
Thanks, Samuel, happy new year to you.
This, I believe, was Muhammad Ali's best fight. Man, could he throw them hands. He was throwing five to six punch combinations as a heavyweight. I also noticed how the lead announcer called Ali by the name Clay.
A master of range and space and timing.
Yes, he was passed his prime, and he has been shot in recovery, but he would not have beaten this ALI, no matter what
No one is saying otherwise...they are saying Ali performance in this fight needs to be measured...cone on dude
@@robbie192 well, from some of the comments that’s not what a lot of people are saying
@@larrybscott8145 oh..well they are crazy then lol
Anyone notice a young Don king in the background during the post fight interview
Great fight
Racist people booing Ali because they hated seeing a black man who had pride in himself. Ali was the greatest.
Definitely one of his best if not his best career KOs. What I found most annoying was the fight commentator's persistence in calling the Champ by his birth name Cassius Clay instead of his chosen name Muhammad Ali. A true sign of the times and a blatant disrespect. Thanks for posting the fight.
Oh take off. If a man chooses to call a man by the name his father and mother gave him then that is his choice and liberty. It’s the year 2023 and I still call him Cassius Clay because I don’t respect Islam or the nation of Islam (the organization that provided him that moniker) and I think it’s a much cooler name. If you want to call him Muhammad Ali go for it. Don’t talk down to other people for not going along with the program. We don’t owe Cassius Clay or you or anybody that kind of deference. Got it? Y
You respect Cassius Clay so much that you kowtow to his demand. Did you know that he cheated on every single wife he had dozens of times? Did you know that he practically worshiped Elijah Muhammad as a prophet of God despite the fact that Elijah Muhammad had 43 illegitimate children whose mothers he left in the lurch? Did you know that Cassius Clay publicly humiliated Joe Frazier over and over again despite the fact that it was Fraser who labored harder than anyone to get Clay reinstated in boxing?
If you want to respect someone who thinks and behaves like that then such is your purview. Don’t sanctimoniously preach to other people about how they need to follow suit. Cassius Clay is one of the best boxers of all time and a man with God-given talents. I give him that without pause. I give him nothing else whatsoever. The fact that you call him Muhammad Ali and I call him Cassius Clay doesn’t make you a better person no matter what idiocy you have worked out in your so-called mind.
@@MaximusWolfe this essay is trash
America was definitely different then. They would yell and scream about the 1st Amendment until you did not play by their rules. Who was in charge anyway? The democrats or the republicans?
Clay’s parents, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay, emphatically approved fight commentators choice of birth name.
Clay was a draft dodger. He wanted the benefits of representing the US without having to face the same ordeals as poor white people who were being inducted into United States Army.
Your anticipated opinion of Vietnam has no bearing on Clay’s justly imposed prison sentence. Plenty of “blatant disrespect” to go around.
Incredible speed by Ali..he did a double-shuffle and a one two, before the big Cats brain registered what was going on...never saw a Heavyweight move so fast.👀
Ali loved to play with his food. Made Williams look like a novice. I remember watching Ali fighting in the 1970’s when i was a kid. He looked nothing like he did in this fight. Too bad he did not know when to hang up the gloves.
He fought for the people and went out on his shield
Saw this fight as a child in a barbershop. I think it was the ESPN classic version though. I couldn’t understand why Williams couldn’t react. A guy in the shop was like “Imagine trying to counter punch raindrops.” 😂 That’s how fast Ali was at his best.
That's a brilliant line that man said to you.
And yet henry cooper was able to get to him with that left hook and drop him! And was very much in the fight when it was stopped on cuts! I think that's when Dundee dialed him in . That's when he started floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee 👊
@@tracymurray9798 Ali never did solve the left hook. I think Ali backed off Cooper because of his prediction. Instead of going to finish he eased up and got knocked down.
@@ComeOnEh maybe I'm gonna watch it again tonight . I think maybe he thought he was better than he was at that point and got his head rocked he was rubber legged goin to the corner that's when Dundee split the glove to give him more time to recover! FACT! ANGIE DUNDEE knew all the tricks
Willams was his best fight as champion but per Angelo Dundee, "What we saw of Ali was great, but the world never saw him at his best, his prime. He was robbed of his true prime years. Which would've been from 1967 to 1970, maybe 1971"
Best version of Ali was the Liston rematch. Unbelievable skill, power and arrogance.
I have almost all available Ali fights. And yes I believe this is Ali at his finest! You could argue that the Big Cat was past his prime and he was. In fact he had been shot by this point. But Ali is so fast and deadly against a guy who gave a prime Sonny Liston a hard fight twice!
Yeah listen was old and Williams was recovering from a gun shot wound by the way Lennox Lewis would have killed clay.
@@mr.eggplant866 no Lewis wouldn't
you have clay vs don warner?
@@mr.eggplant866 I dont think you can compare eras. As I said Ali is really a little more than a blown up light heavy when he beat Liston. They would not be the same weight class today. That being said Ali beat Foreman and no way Lewis beats Foreman. Lennox big flaw? His chin. One of George's best qualities? His chin and legendary power
That is the best boxer to ever live!
Right!, It is the boxers who NEVER lived who would have give ALI trouble
Ol Cleve was 68 years old.... what was he thinking?
A prime Cleveland Williams had that quick and powerful left hook . He could triple up on it and hurt you quick and fast . Against Ali that ability was gone and Ali's jab and right cross were landing with speed and accuracy . Cleveland started having success with the jab but he was hurt and fighting on instinct . A prime Cleveland might not have beaten Ali but he would've gave him hell . Greatness of the future crossing paths with echoes of greatness of the past ; a profound moment . R.I.P to Ali and Cleveland, you guys were great🙏🙏👍
Yes! He took a load from a shotgun before this fight and wasn't really himself. This fight is Ali propaganda against a faded Williams.
Easy to say this was Ali at his best, but not many know the background. Cleveland Williams had partial paralysis in his right hip, half his small intestine gone, one kidney and a bullet pressing against his hip. Ali was definitely in his peak, but that’s hardly the same Williams that fought Liston.
I feel the same as many commenting. CW was way past his prime here. I think Ali really proved his mettle when he beat Liston and slapped the heavyweight division silly in the 60s (Ernie Terrell) but MOSTLY when he won the title in 74 and his defenses against Frazier and Ernie Shavers which showed that he really was what Mike Tyson said of him- a beast, a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Cleveland Williams had been shot in the gut by a cop and had to go through a long brutal recovery process before this fight. He was definitely not 100%. If you want to see a good Cleveland Williams you should watch his fight versus Sonny Liston. Even though Liston knocked him out he beat the shit out of Sonny. Cleveland was strong as shit. And could hit like a Mack truck. He bloodied Sonny. I’m not saying Ali wouldn’t have beaten Williams but he would have had a harder time of it.
Superb performance - he was at his brilliant best.
Brilliant 👏
Thank you Rich 👍
Sure thing, Nicholas.
Ali is THE Greatest 👑
Wow that was like the worst time ever to be saved by the bell now he has to go back for another round 😱
I've been a boxing fan for a long time. I cannot see another heavyweight throughout history that would've challenged Ali on this night. Cleveland Williams was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Or the right place at the wrong time. Or, perhaps, the wrong place at the right time. You might even say the right place at the right time (to get a massive beating).
"Ali at his all-time best?" Not only that: Boxing at its all-time best.
Cleveland williams lost a kidney due to being shot in a traffic stop. It took him about 2 years to recover. He was well past his sell by date fighting Ali. It showed. Fight should have been stopped well before it ended.
M.Ali forever
Rich love the video as always... but how comes the title 'all-time best'? 🙂especially given that Ali would not agree & the brilliant background context you already covered on the Cleveland Williams video.🥊
A lot of fans feel that this was Ali's greatest performance.
@@RichtheFightHistorian That's really interesting - because it's effectively a fight against a double crippled man (physically & mentally)
Amazing hand speed
I never really appreciated how much faster, elusive and better conditioned Ali was before the layoff. Sure, Williams was not the same after his injuries, but Ali was noticeably quicker on his feet, his hands and evading punches pre-layoff.
Which year?
Amazing Cassius Clay
Anyone please help me understand when Rich says "boost it [the channel] back up to TH-cam algorithm." I assume when there are more views, certain positive outcomes occur, but I don't fully understand the implications here. Anyway, tank you, and thank you, Rich. I just appreciate these videos so much.
I had laid off making videos and when I started back up again...The videos were not getting the same amount of reach as before. TH-cam was not informing a large number of my subscribers that a new video had dropped...
@@RichtheFightHistorian I wish those announcers would have stopped calling him Clay. It happened a lot at during that time. Even at his post fight press conferences, he would have to correct the media about his name. Even in the early 70's, there would be posters with Muhammad Ali but underneath his name it would say: AKA Cassius Clay.🤦🏾♂🤦🏾♂
@@RichtheFightHistorian Thanks for explaining, Rich. I was just hoping that you are not under any pressure. You are a class man and produce class content. I wouldn't want you to burn out because of You Tube demands. Cheers!
This dude Cleveland never slipped or ducked a single shot. He needs to touch up that God awful defence I can tell by looking at him probably a big puncher and thought he could just ko everyone.
Youzzz da man lol thanx Rich
Anyone who thinks any modern day heavyweight could beat this version of Ali must be blind.
If this truly was Ali at this best, then can we assume that he was already past his absolute prime in his next two fights against Terrell and Foley? We often hear how we never saw him at his best because of his exile years, which never made sense to me if he wasn’t still improving after the Williams fight, pre-exile.
Many experts consider this fight as peak Ali, how well would he have done, without 4 years out of boxing that followed. Not same speed after.
They shouldn’t have come out for the third round. You can’t realise how much weight Ali got in his punches, as they were so quick and could be delivered while going backwards. He was so accurate, even though Williams had his hands up, but Ali just went straight through.
Williams was recovering from a gunshot wound not long ago before this fight otherwise the outcome might have been different.
💯; prime Cleveland Williams would have given absolute trouble.
No, Cleaveland would have lost as would everybody else including "a prime Mike Tyson."
He survived a 357 round. that thing can kill bears.
@@357SWAGNUM_MAGA_X Yes he did. Never would have won that night under any circumstances, tough guy though he was.
This Ali is scary, and so beautiful to see, How sad to be robbed of 3 years and 7 months of his prime, he could easily have surpassed Joe Louis' 25 defenses.
Ali had great speed in his prime when he came back from exile he easily lost 25% of that speed
I grew up watching ali in the 70s and never knew how great he was in his prime ....probably best boxer ever in his weight class (210) , constant movement, super fast ...I don't think smoking joe could've beat 1967 ali.
Uf ..
Ali just beat up one of my favorite boxers, interesting as a story about him as well as in the ring.
Speed really kills. Ali just annihilated this guy. I felt bad for this dude
This Ali would have been impossible for anyone to beat. Just too much speed, range, and angles. I think only Vitali Klitschko could have beaten him.
Any idea who Ali is jawing at after the fight? Maybe Terrell?
It looks like Terrell at 22:18
If you look at 13.20 onwards you will see Don King before the hair.
Cleveland Williams 69-6-2
10 years older than Ali!
Williams was shot by police 2 years prior with a 357 magnum ( bullet stillin his body) couldnt train because he was hospitalized with kidney; and nerve damage his intestines and 1kidney removed only a shell of his former self took the fight because he needed the pay he only weighted 212 normal weight is 232 lbs just a sad sad story
Thanks, I think Ali was at his best during this fight.
Why is this on a boxing channel ? It should be on an ART channel !
video begins at 4-30
After watching Ali knock out Zora Foley with the same short right on the chin that floored Sonny Liston, I can see why people missed it
The sportscaster shows no respect for Ali by calling him Clay! He had been known as Ali for over 2 years at this point.