REZ, That photo is a fake. Everyone knows Muhammad used a 'Gibson Les Paul 58' Guitar. I think Muhammad played 'Shakin All Over' by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates that night. Muhammad Ali was the best lead guitarist in 1965. Challengers; Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page
sonny had dropped his harmonica on the ring apron and thats how he came to be knocked out, everybody knows this.
turpin, I heard that,,,,I think Sonny dropped the harmonica, then tripped trying to pick it up. if you listen closely to the audio, you can hear Howard Cosell say. 'Down goes harmonica, down goes harmonica' Muhammad then ran back to his corner, and hit the 'WA WA' pedal. The reverb noise coming out the amp was so loud, Sonny couldn't pick up the count, or the harmonica. Afterwards, Sonny said he was floored by Ali's fingering technique on the guitar. Sonny continued; "I was blown away"
thats exactly how i heard it.......ali's wa wa was so loud, cosell's hairpice ended up on nat fleischers head
I always thought Howard was going in as a convertible that night, didn't realize he left the top open, and it got caught by a gust from Ali's amp. Afterwards, Sonny said he was contacted by the U.S. Olympic Diving Team, and would be made the #1 high-diver. Jersey Joe commented, he thought he saw a rat fly across the ring, and onto Nat Fleischers head, and Nat was waving his hands in the air, thats why he stopped the fight, due to rat-infestation'
i think jersey joe was just looking for an alibi. fleischer had 7 horse shoes in his pocket from the dempsey willard fight and had thrown 3 at joe to get his attention to the fact that the fight had been over for an hour. poor joe
Joe was brought in at the last-minute to be the 'celebrity referee'. Joe thought Sonny going down was a trip, thats why he never started a count. Yes, he lost control. Joe never commented, and did not appear on Howard Cosell ABC Sports show 4-days later. More funny business. New York State Boxing Commissioner, Edmund Dooley, on hearing the results of the First Round fiasco. 'It went longer than I thought'
New York State Boxing Commissioner Edward Dooley, He would never license Sonny Liston, or would not sanction any of his bouts, due to his under-world ties. Famous after fight quotes by Dooley. 'The fight lasted longer than I thought' "I hope the promoters got the proper addresses to send the fight purse money too, in Chicago and Las Vegas". "I wouldn't even approve Sonny for the 'wrestling circuit.' 'I knew the fight would go long, as I heard Sonny was in shape'. 'I heard Liston had a new promoter, J & B.' 'Sonny dove down, faster than a Maine Lobster after a lobster trap'. 'A Clay vs Liston III. I bet Sonny doesn't make it out of the locker room.' 'I've heard Sonny's new Cadillac in Denver, was filled with breath mints, gum and scotch.