Championship Fights: Cassius Clay vs. Floyd Patterson

8MM

Boxing

Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali); Floyd Patterson

130 minutes

1965

Merit Productions, Inc.

On November 22, 1965, Patterson fought Ali for the first time. Patterson lost by technical knockout at the end of the 12th round, going into the fight with an optimistic view. Instead of scoring a quick knockout, Ali mocked, humiliated and punished Patterson throughout, before the referee stopped the fight in the 12th round. A New York Times reporter complained that the fight was like watching someone "pulling the wings off a butterfly."