meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
History Daily

Cassius Clay Becomes Heavyweight Champion of the World

History Daily

Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History

4.42.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2025

⏱️ 21 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

February 25, 1964. A young Cassius Clay defeats Sonny Liston to become Heavyweight champion of the world. This episode originally aired in 2022.


  • Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.


History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.

Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad-free.

0:04.1

Listen with Wondry Plus in the Wondry app.

0:06.0

As a member of NoisorPlus at noisor.com or in Apple Podcasts,

0:10.6

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com.

0:28.9

Thank you. It's February 6, 1967 in Houston, Texas.

0:36.0

A record-breaking crowd has filled the Houston Astrodome to watch two powerhouse black athletes go head-to-head.

0:38.9

As he waits for the eighth round to start,

0:45.5

Muhammad Ali glars across the ring at his opponent, Ernie Terrell, a six-foot-six giant from Chicago's south side. Torell has something that belongs to Ali, the World Boxing Association's

0:51.9

title of heavyweight champion of the world. Ali never lost it to Tural or anyone else in his 27 previous matches.

0:59.0

But last year, the World Boxing Association stripped Ali of his title

1:03.0

after he had joined a controversial religious and political organization called the Nation of Islam.

1:08.0

Today, Ali intends to take the title back. As the eighth round starts,

1:15.8

Ali gets aggressive. He throws a jab, then another, and another, and each time he punctuates

1:21.9

his punches with the words, what's my name. As he punishes Terrell with his fists, he yells over and over again,

1:28.9

What's My Name? Ali is in total control of the fight, but Terrell refuses to go down.

1:35.3

So for seven more rounds, Ali will make him suffer.

1:40.6

At the pre-fight press conference, Ernie Terrell called Ali by his given name, Cassius Clay.

1:47.2

Ali renounced Cassius Clay as a slave name when he joined the nation of Islam.

1:52.0

Many view the nation as an extremist anti-white cult, but for Ali, the nation is unapologetically pro-black,

1:59.1

at a time when black people are still fighting for

2:01.7

basic freedoms in the United States. Before the fight, Ali asked Terrell, why do you call me Clay? You know

2:08.5

my right name is Muhammad Ali. Torel replied, I met you as Cassius Clay. I'll leave you as

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Airship | Noiser | Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Airship | Noiser | Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.