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The Greatest – when The Beatles met Muhammad Ali
On February 18th, 1964, two of the greatest cultural icons of the 20th century stood face-to-face in a Miami boxing ring. The Beatles had only been in America for 11 days when they found themselves herded into Miami Beach’s 5th Street Gym for a photo opportunity with 22-year-old boxer, Cassius Clay.
Clay was busy preparing for his big fight with Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston, he was a 7-1 underdog and anxious to drum up some ticket sales and press attention. The Beatles on the other hand were in town to film their second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The Fab Four were happy to meet with the boxer and get their pictures in the papers during what was their first visit to the US, but let it be known that they would rather have met Liston and not, as John Lennon said, the “loudmouth who’s going to lose”.
Clay went on to win the bout, when Liston gave up in the seventh round. He also won the rematch in May 1965, knocking out Liston in the first round. The fights were among the most anticipated, watched and controversial fights in boxing’s history.
The Beatles must’ve remained a fan of Sonny Liston to include a wax model of the boxer on their iconic sleeve cover for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967, seen at the far left of the front row wearing a white and gold robe.
Ali passed away on 3 June 2016 widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century, known as an inspiring, controversial and polarizing figure both inside and outside of the ring.
Today, the famous photographs of The Beatles with Muhammad Ali, taken by Harry Benson, have inspired a cultural exchange to take place between Liverpool and Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
The musical and sporting exchange will involve Carly Johnson, an up-and-coming singer and Beatles fan from Louisville, travelling to the Liverpool City Region to play gigs with her band at the world-famous Cavern Club and Sound City festival on 4th and 5th May.
In return, a group of boxers from the Liverpool City Region will travel to Louisville, to train at the TKO gym and visit the Muhammad Ali Centre, whose mission it is to preserve and share the legacy and ideals of Muhammad Ali, to promote respect, hope, and understanding, and to inspire adults and children everywhere to be as great as they can be.
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Beatle John Lennon with then Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali
CLICK PHOTO TO SEE YELLOW SUBMARINE VIDEO
The Beatles were huge boxing fans. So much so that they added former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston to their iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover at a prominent place right alongside the Beatles on the left. (CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO)
Click photo to see Ticket to Ride video.
Ringo and Sugar Ray Robinson (CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW RINGO’S “RORY AND THE HURRICANES” SONG)
The Beatles and Muhammad Ali in 1964.(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO)
The beatles and Muhammad Ali in 1964.(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO)
John and Alex Rinaldi at Beatlefest in 1991. Click Photo to view video of Hey Bulldog from Yellow Submarine.
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand – Performed Live On The Ed Sullivan Show 2/9/64)
Click to View Nowhere Man Video
The Beatles agreeing that Muhammad Ali is the Greatest.
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing Something)
The Beatles with Muhammad Ali. (CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO)
Heavyweight contender Henry Cooper presents the Getaway trophy to the Beatles in 1964.
The 1969 Beatles in a Boxing poses.(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles’ 1968 “Hey Jude performance on The David Frost Show , which marked the band’s first live audience appearance in over a year – a tremendous occasion, considering the band had all but stopped performing live. For many fans, it was the beginning of the end – less than two years later, the band would sign the document that effectively dissolved The Beatles forever – but for a brief moment, the band’s appearance on The David Frost Show gave a glimmer of hope that maybe all really wasn’t lost, after all. Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios, “Hey Jude” was paired with “Revolution” as a promotional film for the band, and required at least three takes over the course of a day to capture the final, most commonly seen version that debuted on September 8, 1968.)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO singing Free as a Bird)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing She Loves You when they performed two shows at Manchester’s ABC Cinema on the 16th date of their 1963 Autumn Tour.)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of the Beatles in A HARD DAY’S NIGHT singing Can’t Buy Me Love)
The Beatles at the Ali-Superman bout.(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing – A Hard Day’s Night)
Sugar Ray Robinson and Ringo Starr.
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles – Yellow Submarine)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles – And Your Bird Can Sing)
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(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of All You Need is Love Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The Beatles performed the song over a pre-recorded backing track as Britain’s contribution to Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by over 400 million in 25 countries.)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing I Should Have Known Better from the film A Hard Days Night colorized)
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(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing Strawberry Fields Forever)
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(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles singing – Twist & Shout – Performed Live On The Ed Sullivan Show 2/23/64)
Muhammad Ali vs. Superman video. (CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO)
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles – Help! at Blackpool Night Out, ABC Theatre, Blackpool, United Kingdom)
CLICK PHOTO TO SEE VIDEO OF THE BEATLES SINGING – Revolution
CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO of The Beatles Don’t Let Me Down on the rooftop.
Superman Ringo Star Comic Book page
CLICK TO PICTURE TO SEE BEATLES SINGING TICKET TO RIDE LIVE
(CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO The Beatles singing You’re Gonna Lose That Girl)
