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Originally Posted by haitiwebs ah, I am beginning to believe lavalaskiller... I give up. |
Ye!!!!TICAM IS THE WINNER! (or the loser by 500 points)
Go to that same site you will find that
Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Banks
New York, 10th February, 1962.
Brenner's opportunity came a little more quickly than he had expected. A Heavyweight bout he had made for the Garden fell through at five day's notice. He rang Angelo Dundee and asked him if Clay would fight Sonny Banks in a replacement fight. Dundee was flattered by Brenner's offer. Here was a major acknowledgment of Clay's ability and widespread appeal. But he asked Brenner for some time to discuss the opportunity with Bill Faversham.
The pair were confident that Clay could handle Banks, who had only two more pro fights than Clay, but they had to consider the downside too. A defeat at the Garden on National Television would cause considerable damage to Clay's confidence. After all, he had been a pro fighter for less than a year and a half. In the end they decided to back their man. They accepted the fight, figuring the experience and the exposure offered a fine return on their risk.
In truth, the New York boxing scene was shady and still whiffed of the Mob involvement that had blackened boxing throughout the 1950's. Cassius Clay hit the city hard. He showed up at the monthly lunch on the New York Boxing/Writers' Association at Jack Johnson's restaurant on Broadway in a rented tuxedo and offered the assembled journalists his manifesto. He was going to be the Heavyweight Champion of the World, perhaps the youngest ever to hold the title. He described exactly what he was going to do to Sonny Banks. 'The man must fall in the round I call, he rhymed. 'In fact Banks must fall in four.'
It was manna from heaven, a story that came and slapped itself down right there on the hungry hacks plates. For the next few days, the papers were full of Gaseous Cassius, the Louisville Lip and Mighty Mouth.
The fans rolled up at the Garden eager to see 'The Lip' get knocked flat on his back. They were not to be disappointed. Clay allowed himself to be carried away by his own guile.
Banks was overmatched, but he could punch. Clay began round one by mugging and sticking out his chin.
Banks hit him on the chin with a long left hand and Cassius Clay hit the deck for the first time in his life. 'On the way down his eyes were closed,' remembered Dundee, ' but when he hit the canvas he wokeup'. Clay's cornerman Gil Clancy recalled Dundee turning white as his man fell.
But 'The Lip' was more shocked than hurt. He jumped up and began to dance around Banks. Within a couple of rounds he had regained his senses. He waited until the 26th second of round four to drop Banks, whose own powers of recovery could not match those of his opponent. Clay was not slow to let the reporters know about his correct call. 'I told you. The man fell in four!'
10-22-05, 08:08 PM
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