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Experts Confounded by Clay Victory

Feb. 25, 1964 - The experts were wrong. Forty-three of 46 boxing writers at ringside were sure Sonny Liston was going to win. Most of them said it would be by a knockout inside of six rounds. The best laugh of the early evening was provided by one writer who announced, “It’s even money Clay won’t last the National Anthem.” Such pre-fight polls are a tradition at heavyweight championship bouts. UPI, which conducted this one, said the vote was the most lopsided on record.

Only one of the writers picked Cassius Clay by a knockout. He was Bob Waters of Newsday, Garden City, L.I. Leonard Koppett of The New York Times also picked the new champion, but hedged on whether he would gain the crown by a knockout or decision. Bill Wise of True Magazine said Clay would win by a decision. The “fearless three” were quietly respectful when their older and wiser colleagues called them “attention seekers” and “Johnny-Come-Latelys.” Those who jeered did not stop to recall that Koppett, last spring, had picked the Dodgers to win the 1963 World Series.

Wrong guessers were primarily influenced by Liston’s pair of savage one-round knockouts of Floyd Patterson. And, although glad to have the ebullient Clay generate story after story, they preferred Liston’s more traditional approach to the bout — long workouts, frequent scowls, and few words. Furthermore, many of the New York writers had seen Clay in action only once — his unconvincing 10-round decision over Doug Jones at Madison Square Garden last March.

As usual, Clay had the last word. In the ring, after his hand was raised in victory, he looked down at the hard-typing, mildly red-faced working press and shouted: “Eat your words!”



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