Being a great Liston fan, and a medical professional of 25 years, it is my understanding that the Ali hernia issue was known before the fight and planned on being repaired before its rupture 2 days before the fight. however, I need hard evidence for that so all you Liston experts , Please help me out
Fake, phony and fraud. The reason that the 'mystery hernia' developed, The new 'Tax Laws' came into effect, meaning that fighters would be allowed to keep more of their money in 1965. So the Monday Night - November 16, 1964 bout 'scheduled for the 'Boston Garden' was changed to May 25, 1965. Check the release of the 'Tax Laws'. The Tax Reform Act of 1964, cut the top marginal tax rate to 70%, meaning the two fighters and managers would keep more of their money in 1965. That sir, is a 100% True Fact.
I've always found it odd that such a fit and beautiful young specimen (as Ali was at that time) would be afflicted with a hernia. Boston would have been a better venue than Lewiston, Maine though.
Not Really Legend X, As of Friday, November 13th - the pre-fight 'ticket sales' before the Monday Night on November 16, 1964 bout were 'pathetic, as less than 2000 tickets had been purchased. Also, the 'closed circuit' operations were reporting 'dismal ticket purchases, leading the promoter (Fred Barnes) to question 'out loud' whether the fight between Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston II was really worth it.
Oh yeah, I said the venue would have been better. The sad fact is no one wanted the fight. :good After the first farce in Miami, I don't blame them. And they turned out to be right. I pity anyone who bought a ticket to the thing that occurred in Lewiston, Maine.
They witnessed history being made. That fight had garnered more comment than any fight since Dempsey-Tunney's long count. I would have liked to have seen it.
First-round knockouts by Jimmy Ellis and Amos Lincoln on the undercard were worth the price of admission. Notably, there was a live card in Boston that date, four fights in the Garden. I'm guessing it was a 'iive undercard' to the title fight on closed circuit.
The complete fight card for the Monday Night - November 16, 1964 at the Boston Garden was cancelled. Both fighters - Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston were reimbursued for 'training expenses', and the promoter 'Fred Barnes' was covered for losses by a 'insurance loss policy'. Later, a Fred Barnes Promotion representative said that the cancellation of the bout was 'the best thing that could have happened', otherwise the fight promotion would have taken 'the proverbial bath'. The box office ticket sales were dismal, and the closed circuit theatre managers were reporting minimal 'early ticket purchases'. In other words, nobody cared about the Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston II 'rematch'. Soon after, Boston District Attorney - Garrett H. Byrne started to investigate deeply into this fight promotion. What he discovered, was disturbing, as multiple contracts and numerous agreements in back-room dealings were uncovered, leading all the way back to the original fight in Miami Beach in February 1964.
