http://news.google.com/newspapers?n..._0cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B5sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3236,3414082 Him and Terrell for the vacant WBA heavyweight title was going to happen. Then Williams got shot, and the plan went out the window. Who wins this one?
Much ado about nothing! I think the Cat stopped Terrell a few years earlier and then they drew? Correct me if I'm wrong. Plus Cat had that bullet in him. If the WBA wanted to take Ali out of the picture due to the obvious prejudice, they could have done a much better job of it. Terrell wasn't bad, great jab, a decent right (when he could land it), good set of whiskers and Ali had this one right, "The Octopus", Mr. Boring. The whole WBA s**t 'title' fight was simply against the Ali controversy backlash. Look who Earnie fought? Machen in early 65 for the initial 'title'? Barely 6 months after Floyd handed him his ass in Sweden? Little Doug Jones? He could hold and hug that overblown LH at will. Chuvalo? Again, tie him up, land the jab, and coast to a UD.
The rematch was ruled a split decision win for Terrell. Opinions have varied over the years as to who the true winner should have been.. "Ernie Terrell, 198 1/2, fighting with a cut over his right eye, upset No. 4 ranked heavyweight contender Cleveland Williams, 210, Saturday night in a 10 round nationally televised bout at the Arena. Terrell won by a split decision. Terrell started off fast, winning the first two rounds. His best punch was his left jab which kept Williams off balance. Williams rallied strong in the 3rd round and stunned Terrell with a left hook which referee Pete Tomasco ruled a slip. After an even 4th round, Williams scored heavily in the 5th and opened the cut over Terrell's right eye. In the 6th, Terrell peppered Williams' right eye, and although it was not cut, it was so swollen he could hardly see out of it. Terrell rallied in the 9th which apparently won him the fight. He scored with a series of close combination punches. Williams won the 10th round over a tiring Terrell, who was physically exhausted at the end." - Associated Press Unofficial AP scorecard - 46-45 Williams
I'm honestly not sure who would have won had they met a third time.. Williams beat Terrell decisively the first time they met.. In their second meeting it reads on paper as being a very close and competitive fight that could have gone either way. Some ringsiders actually gave the fight to Williams despite the official ruling going Terrell's way.. Had they fought again you would have had two prime heavyweights who knew each other very well by that point and now battling it out for a title.. Terrell was starting to coming into his own though and was in the midst of a good winning streak that would last up until his meeting with Muhammad Ali in 1967. He had also filled out a bit physically.. Guess it could have been anyone's fight, but because of my previous statement I may be inclined to lean towards Terrell... Narrowly..
Liston beats Floyd twice, he's now champ, any argument there? Ali wins 1st Liston fight (I know, mob questions, linement in eye) and wins the rematch (even more controversial). But the WBA rushes a new "title" match (why so quickly?) with Machen? Why Terrell? Why Machen? for the reasons I mentioned earlier. Ali didn't rematch Sonny until AFTER the Terrell-Machen fight and Floyd also beat Chuvalo in Feb. 65 before the WBA 'title' scrap. Why so quickly? And why was it Earnie-Eddie. Terrell wasn't the #1 contender and Patterson kicked Machen's ass 6 months earlier. There's the controversy! A manufactured 'sell job' because of the Ali Muslim connection. Terrell's championship fights? Machen-Jones-Chuvalo? ALL guys tailor made for his style. A decent fighter Earnie but IMO that was one of the 1st 'stains' on boxing that's ultimately led to its demise. My $0.02
