A dug up fact. Before the first Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay fight in Miami Beach in 1964. Floyd Patterson had placed several bets on Cassius Clay. When the fight was first signed in October 1963, the early odds where with Sonny Liston as a 17-1 favortite. Floyd, who was pretty rich himself, placed a $3000 bet on Cassius Clay, at 17-1 odds. He figured with those odds, it was worth the risk. As the long odds dropped as the fight drew nearer, Floyd Patterson also placed a $5000 bet on Cassius Clay with 9-1 odds, when he heard things weren't going so well in the Liston camp. After the Cassius Clay victory, Floyd cashed in by winning $94,000. Floyd was always a smart businessman.
janitor, I stumbled upon that article in the Poughkeepsie Journal awhile back. When the fight was first signed, early odds were 17-1. Floyd, a millionaire in 1964, had a betting contact in New Hampshire who talked Floyd into betting on Cassius Clay with those odds. Floyd put a 3-yard bet on Cassius, back in October 1963. Later as the odds dropped, Floyd said in the article, that rumors of Sonny having bad sparring sessions were flying all over the place. Floyd got in another 5-yard bet in early-February. Floyd almost laid another bet on Ali, 25-1 odds for a knock-out after 10 rounds.
For the fight in Miami Beach, LeRoy Green (5' 8" 180 lbs.) {Was used for a 3-Round punching bag} Leotis Martin (6' 1" 175 lbs.) {Was used for speed skills} Jesse Bowdry (5' 10" 175 lbs.) {Was used for a 3-Round punching bag} Allen Harmon (6' 0" 175 lbs.) {Was used for speed skills and stamina build-up} Howard 'Honey Boy' King (6' 2" 205 lbs.) {Used as an offensive fighter, to help Sonny's defensive skills} Jimmy McCarter (6' 2" 225 lbs.) {Inside fighting skills} Ed "Greatest' Crawford (6' 0" 175 lbs.) {Non-hitting sparring partner, used for footwork skills} Wendell 'Fig' Newton (6' 4" 210 lbs.) {Imitated Cassius Clay dancing, jabbing and movement}
