The young Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, knocked out his opponent Sonny Liston to win his first world boxing title on this day in history, February 25, 1964.
Twenty-two-year-old Clay accomplished the unthinkable by dethroning Liston, who was then the world heavyweight boxing champion, according to History.com.
Ali beat the long odds by winning the fight by TKO in the seventh round.
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The fight drew 8,300 fans to the Convention Hall in Miami Beach, Florida, to watch the showdown between Liston and Clay, whose nickname at the time was “Louisville Lip.”
Liston was an eight-to-one favorite after earning a reputation for defeating other champions like Floyd Patterson, History.com reports.
Cassius Clay, right, in action against Sonny Liston in the world heavyweight title fight on February 25, 1964, at Convention Hall in Miami, Florida. (Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Before the historic bout, Clay predicted that he would knock out Liston in the eighth round and that he would “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
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But it turned out that Clay needed less time to defeat Liston, who complained of a shoulder injury suffered in the first round.
Boxer Cassius Clay punches boxer Sonny Liston in the sixth round during their fight on February 25, 1964 in Miami, Florida. (Getty Images)
This reportedly caused Liston to throw a few unsuccessful punches while Clay delivered “rapid, punishing blows” to Liston's head, History.com noted.
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Clay celebrated his world title at a private after-party in Miami.
Among those in attendance was civil rights leader Malcolm X, a friend of Clay's.
He started boxing at the age of 12.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942, Clay began boxing at age 12, according to History.com.
By the age of 18, Clay had achieved more than 100 victories in amateur competitions.
Clay won the Golden Gloves international heavyweight title in 1959 and a gold medal in the light heavyweight class at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Cassius Clay raises his hands in victory over Sonny Liston (not pictured) in their world heavyweight title fight on February 25, 1964, in Miami, Florida. (Focus on sport/Getty Images)
After the Olympics, Clay went undefeated in his first 19 bouts as a professional boxer, leading to the famous showdown with Liston.
Two days after the fight, Clay announced that he was joining the Nation of Islam and spoke about the personal importance of the Muslim religion.
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That same year, Clay rejected the name slave owners gave his family and adopted the Muslim name Muhammad Ali.
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The three-time heavyweight champion boxer whose electrifying prowess in the ring and controversial outspokenness outside of it made him one of the world's most recognizable personalities of the 20th century, lived to be 74.
He passed away in 2016 after a battle with respiratory illness in a Phoenix hospital.
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