Sept. 13, 1964 - Muhammad Ali (pictured with new bride Sonji), world heavyweight champion, expressed deep hostility toward Floyd Patterson, former world champion, today at Logan Airport.
“I want him, and I want him bad,” said Muhammad in a low voice, far different from his usual lilting braggadocio.
“When I fight him, I won’t knock him out quick. I’ll take him 10 rounds, and I’ll cut him up, and I’ll talk low and mean to him, and I’ll stick my tongue out at him. I’ll keep hurting him round after round.
“Maybe I’ll end in the 10th round, and I might stomp him. I’ll just kill him. I’ll kill.”
When asked why this hatred for Patterson, Ali said, “What he said about my religion. A man’s religion is his own business.”
Before Cassius Clay became both Muhammad Ali and world champion, he had joined the Black Muslims, and Patterson attacked him on this matter.
Muhammad arrived in Boston about three hours before Sonny Liston checked into town to sign for their return fight that will be staged at the Boston Garden either Nov. 16 or 17.
The signing will take place tomorrow at the Logan International Airport Motel.
Dethroned champion Liston flew in from Denver and held his press conference at the motel.
He said the return fight would have a different ending, that he was strong, that he had been blinded by something on Ali’s gloves in their first fight, and that he still hadn’t collected any of the $500,000 due him from the Miami bout.
He was quoted at length until the champion arrived and held his press conference in Northeastern’s VIP room.
With him were his bride, the former Sonji Roi, his brother Rudolph, and three men described as “aides.”
“Let’s get this understood right now,” the champion said, “my name is Muhammad Ali, M-U-H-A-M-M-A-D. It’s not Cassius Clay.
Muhammad means praiseworthy and worthy of praise. Ali means all-highest, and I am all-highest worthy of praise.”
He introduced his bride and posed for photos.
He talked about himself, how he had grown from 175 pounds in 1960, when he won an Olympic championship, to 230 pounds.
“But I’m fast as a middleweight and strong as a heavyweight, and I’m getting stronger all the time. I’m not making any prediction about the round I’ll knock out Liston, but no heavyweight in the world can go 15 rounds with me.”
There was more of the same, and then he was asked his plans beyond the Boston Garden fight. Would he fight Patterson?
“She’s talking about fighting me,” Ali said, referring to Patterson. “She’s talking about me. I won’t even call Patterson a man or a fighter. He’s a sissy. A sissy who says terrible things about my religion. I hate him so much I’d kill him. I’d kill him.”
There was a stunned silence, and then local promoter Sam Silverman said, “I guess that’s all for now, Cassius.”
“Muhammad Ali,” corrected the champion, who took his wife by the arm and headed for the Statler Hilton.
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