Known simply as ‘The Greatest’, fans new to boxing could be forgiven for thinking that he breezed through his campaign with little trouble, but the truth makes his story much more enthralling.

There are many notable moments from a career that transcended the sport. In a feature with The Ring Magazine, the one Ali called most challenging was The Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman.

“There was probably no bigger challenge in my career than the one George Foreman posed in Kinshasa, Zaire. Strangely, although regaining my crown will remain one of my greatest thrills, it wasn’t one of my toughest fights.”

He recognised the toughest fight as one that came a decade prior – his first world title bout against feared heavyweight Sonny Liston. Known as Cassius Clay at the time, he stepped through the ropes a 7-1 underdog. The sportswriters present had prepared for a short night at the office and Liston looked to deliver.

“Sonny came out at the bell looking to take me apart. I moved and stuck, knowing that I was going gaining control in the second round. But the “Bear” was always dangerous. Stalking, glaring, mean.

About the fourth round my eyes stated burning. Finally, when I came back to my corner, I couldn’t see at all. I figured Liston had something on his gloves and asked Angele [Dundee] to cut my gloves off. He didn’t but gave my eyes a good wash, checked Liston’s corner, talked to the referee and tried to stall for more time.”

Many felt Liston and his cutman had deliberately blinded young Clay whilst others felt sweat in the clinches was the cause. Either way, the man from Louisville Kentucky fought on. Liston, exhausted, would retire on his stool.

“Like a wounded animal, with eyes swollen and cut, Sonny came out with a surge in the sixth round and connected with a good right hand but he couldn’t keep it going and I ended the round feeling like I was the new champ. But I was still very relieved to see big Sonny remain on his stool when the bell rang for the seventh. I still respect him as one of the truly great heavyweights of all time.”

Ali’s pre-fight prediction went as follows: Then Clay lands with a right, what a beautiful swing, And the punch raised the bear clear out of the ring. It wasn’t as on the money as some of his later ones, but he took the belts home with an early finish. He would stop Liston in the first round of their rematch, a result that was then shrouded in match-fixing allegations directed at the challenger.