Feb. 25, 1964, young boxing phenomenon Cassius Clay first gained the heavyweight title when he knocked out which champion?

On that date in 1964, the world of boxing was turned on its head in a legendary upset. The reigning heavyweight champion was Sonny Liston, an intimidating and powerful fighter who was a 7-to-1 betting favorite. His opponent was a brash, 22-year-old challenger from Louisville, Kentucky, whose poetic boasts were dismissed by most experts as youthful arrogance.

Proving his doubters wrong, the young Cassius Clay used his superior speed and agility to dominate the champion. The bout ended when Liston, complaining of a shoulder injury, refused to answer the bell for the seventh