On This Day in American History |
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On Feb. 25, 1964, boxer Cassius Clay, who later changed his name to Muhammed Ali, defeats highly favored heavyweight champion Sonny Liston and claims his first title. The 22-year-old Ali was already making a name for himself in and out of the ring as a boaster, and in the build up to the Liston fight, Ali proclaimed he would “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Ali defended his heavyweight crown numerous times and is considered one of the best boxers of all time. He died in 2016 at the age of 74. |
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