Muhammad Ali claimed a victory over a boxer who’d apparently gotten the better of him in sparring.
Under the lights, ‘The Greatest’ was nothing short of exceptional, delivering iconic performances that fans still remember fondly to this day.
However, he wasn’t always at his best in the gym. Larry Holmes hit Ali with ‘right hands’ in sparring.
And while ‘The Easton Assassin’ was able to replicate that form when it really mattered, most couldn’t with fighters who thought they had the edge over Ali in the headguards falling short in a professional setting.
Muhammad Ali beat Alonzo Johnson after being ‘toyed’ with in sparring
On July 22, 1961, Muhammad Ali, who was known as Cassius Clay at the time, battled it out with Alonzo Johnson at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
However, this wasn’t the first time the pair had shared the squared circle.
In the moments before the fight, as documented in the Sports Illustrated Vault, Johnson’s coach, Bob Baker, opened up about a sparring session the two boxers shared.
He claimed: “Let him talk, let him talk, Clay still looks like an amateur, still is an amateur. Alonzo has been ranked sixth in the heavyweight division. He’s got nothing to worry about.
“Clay sparred with Alonzo down in Florida this spring, and he’s got the idea he had Alonzo going. Well, the truth is, Alonzo was toying with him, didn’t want to hurt the kid, you know. Oh, they say, ‘Clay is great’, but I don’t see it that way.”
Regardless, on fight night, it was Ali who came out on top, winning via unanimous decision.
Muhammad Ali knocked out fighter who dropped him in sparring
Johnson isn’t the only sparring partner Ali beat in his career.
On one occasion, he had to overcome what had happened in the gym to perform when it really mattered.
In a tremendous display, Ali stopped a fighter who dropped him in sparring.
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