Europe on Ali-Liston Rematch: “60-Second Stinker”

May 26, 1965 - European papers and fans delivered an angry verdict today against that “60-second stinker,” that “squalid little shemozzle,” and that “biggest clownery in the history of boxing.”These epithets summed up the reaction to last night’s fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, which had drawn unusually wide interest.

The London Evening News, which had covered the fight from ringside, said: “Clay, the brashful one who preached his infallibility, was still the heavyweight king. God save the king. And heaven save boxing.”

The Evening Standard said the fight was a “shambling apology for a world championship.”The Finnish press had wide coverage. Most of it was negative, with one paper going so far as to label the bout a fake.

In France, the Paris Press said, “No one can say if Liston was really knocked out.”

France-Soir commented: “Boxing, already in a state of confusion in the States, had no need of this new blow below the belt.”

The fight was not available live on television, but films of the Early Bird relay were shown at the French radio and television network’s headquarters in Paris.

The Soviet Government paper suggested that detectives might be called to investigate the fight. In a dispatch from its Washington correspondent, Isvestia asked:“What happened to Liston? To this question no one can give a sensible answer yet. It is not impossible that more efforts will be needed not only from boxing experts but from investigatory organs.”

In West Germany, the main argument among fans centered on the time of the knockout and whether it had constituted a record.

In Geneva, La Suisse printed a headline that said in protest: “Parody of a Fight.”

The News, an English-language Mexican paper, said: “Sonny’s swan dive tarnishes the title totally.”

Cubans, who are fight fans, learned nothing about the bout today, as the press and radio ignored it.

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