ALI, MUHAMMAD ORIGINAL WIRE PHOTO (1964-AT LISTON II PRESS CONFERENCE)

On May 25, 1965 World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali defended his title for the first time against the man he had won it from a little over a year earlier, Sonny Liston, in one of the great upsets in boxing history. This fight was originally slated for Boston, but delayed due to an injury and moved to the unlikely setting of Lewiston, Maine. The fight ended in the first round. Ali landed what many observers coined a phantom punch to put Liston away while a confused referee Jersey Joe Walcoot lost track of the count. Many people insisted the fight was thrown by Liston, long known to have mob ties, but Ali defended the punch that ended it. That controversy lives on to this day. Offered here is an original wire photo of Muhammad Ali taken at an initial press conference for the second fight with Sonny Liston on October 15, 1964 in Miami in which he displays his big right hand and championship belt.
This is an original United Press International wire photo with their stamp and caption on the back. Bold, clear image. Clean front and back. Not creased or torn. Minor edge and corner wear. Minor print marks on border. 8" x 10."