Sept. 26, 1962 - There were reports last night that Cassius Clay had said he could knock out Sonny Liston, the new heavyweight champion, in four rounds. But the 20-year-old Olympic light heavyweight champion of 1960 denied it this morning in between boasts. “No, I didn’t say I’d knock out Liston in four,” said Cassius. “I said I’d knock out Archie Moore in four. Liston will take longer. I’ll knock him out in eight. What happened last night was an embarrassment to boxing. The champion of the world should be able to take a beating longer than two minutes.” Archie Moore, when told of Clay’s prediction as to the outcome of their fight, scheduled for November, said: “The most serious penalty that could be delivered to Clay is that he be condemned to 30 days of silence.”
