Did it happen? Yes it did, obviously something was wrong with Ali's eyes. Was it done with intent? Doubtful I experienced something similar yrs ago sparring with my best friend, from gloves that were not rinsed after they were sanitized . There's no history of Liston using illegal tactics for an advantage.
Joe Polino...one of Liston's trainers told reporter Jack McKinney of the Philadelphia Daily News years later that between the 3rd and 4th round of the first Liston-Clay fight in Miami in Feb.1964 that Liston told him to "Juice The Gloves". He said that Sonny would tell his trainers to do that if Liston thought he was losing the fight. He said they also put a "stinging" substance on Liston's gloves for the Eddie Machen and Cleveland Williams fights. Polino didn't say what was put on Liston's gloves. What a FRAUD!