Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Career Wins

When you think boxing, you think Muhammad Ali.

A true ring icon, Ali transcended his sport to become one of the greatest and most prominent athletes in sporting history.

From his blistering speed in his earlier days to the heroic mettle in later battles, ‘The Greatest’ cemented his legacy with many incredible victories.

Here, look back at the Muhammad Ali best wins throughout a legendary career which spanned 21 years.

Many feared for Ali heading into ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ showdown against devastating undisputed heavyweight champion, George Foreman.

The reigning title holder had gone 40-0 with 37 knockouts and was entering on the back of brutal stoppages of Ken Norton and Joe Frazier.

Ali, six years older than Foreman at 32, had just avenged his loss to Frazier and travelled to Zaire as a typically confident underdog.

What unfolded in the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time became part of boxing folklore, as Ali withstood the onslaught (via so-called 'rope-a-dope' tactics) and remarkably knocked Foreman out in the eighth round.

It became and still stands today as one of the greatest triumphs of any fighter in the history of boxing. 

It was on this night in Miami Beach, Florida, that Ali, then still known as Cassius Clay, first ‘shook up the world’.

Climbing into the ring as a brash-talking, hugely confident 8-1 underdog, the 22-year-old Olympic Gold medallist made history against the avoided defending heavyweight champion.

Sonny Liston was widely regarded as the most intimidating and feared fighter on the planet before meeting Ali, coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts of former champion Floyd Patterson during his reign.

‘The Big Bear’ had also beaten eight of the top 10 ranked contenders in the division and many others were reluctant to face him. Not Ali. He upset the odds to prevail, as Liston famously failed to come out for the seventh round.

“I'm the greatest. I shook up the world,” Clay yelled, as a new era in heavyweight boxing history had just begun. 

Universally remembered as one of the greatest and most brutal fights of all time, Ali battled past long-standing career rival Joe Frazier to win ‘The Thrilla in Manila’.

Held in the Philippines, it was estimated that a billion people cast their eyes on this third and final showdown between the two renowned greats.

Having avenged his ‘Fight of the Century’ defeat to Frazier with a rematch success the year prior, Ali then rallied to a ferociously contested 14th-round victory to lead their now acclaimed trilogy.

Unbeknownst to Frazier’s corner and esteemed trainer, Eddie Futch, Ali had reportedly told his own coach, Angelo Dundee, to cut off his gloves and end the ruthless third meeting.

Fortunately for Ali, Dundee ignored him, as Futch called time on Frazier’s superhuman efforts before the final round began to see ‘The Greatest’ triumph in the deserved 1975 Fight of the Year.

“It's all over. No one will forget what you did here today,” Futch told ‘Smokin’ Joe’ on his stool. No one ever did, nor will they ever. 

Ali was two years into his dominance of the heavyweight division since dethroning Liston when arguably his most eye-catching and ‘peak’ performance came in the win over Cleveland Williams.

Many, including Mike Tyson, regard Ali’s dazzling three-round demolition job of tough contender Williams as the finest of his career, while still in his prime condition before exile.

Ali landed over 100 punches on a tough but outclassed Williams and scored four knockdowns in a three-round masterclass.

The following year, Ali would infamously spend over three years out of the ring after being stripped of his titles for draft evasion, but he looked at his fleet-footed best here in Houston, Texas.

‘Big Cat’ Williams proved helpless against the supreme skills of a young reigning champion, in a fight in which he first made ‘The Ali Shuffle’ famous and successfully retained his crown in style.

It may not have seemed possible, but there was even more controversy surrounding Ali’s second victory over Liston a year on from his maiden success at the unlikely fight location of Lewiston, Maine.

With what has become remembered as ‘The Phantom Punch’, Ali floored Liston with a rapid straight right hand to secure him a monumental first-round knockout and defend his title.

Ali danced around the downed Liston screaming at him to “get up sucker”, as a visibly confused referee and former heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott waved off the bout following botched communication with the timekeeper.

Myths and conspiracy theories have been rife since the unusual circumstances of Ali’s one-round triumph, particularly given Liston’s deep connections with the mob.

But it still stands as one of Ali’s most prominent and greatest victories from an iconic and transcendent ring career.

Header image: Len Trievnor/Express