On This Day: Ernie Terrell comes up against Muhammad Ali

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ali cruelly taunted Terrell during their 1967 15-rounder
Terrell had known Ali as Cassius Clay for many years

Muhammad Ali, two years removed from his "slave name" of Cassius Clay, delivered one of the most savage beatings ever witnessed in a boxing ring against Ernie Terrell 50 years ago today. So what's in a name?

The dark cloud of the Vietnam War was looming over Ali, the reigning world heavyweight champion. The stance he bravely took against the conflict - "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong" - is today admired as his defining act of political activism, as significant as his sporting accomplishments, but in 1967 society viewed him differently.

His insistence on being called Muhammad Ali was widely dismissed by media on both sides of the Atlantic, who referred to him by his birth name. Fifty years ago Ernie Terrell, one of the 1960s' leading heavyweights, paid the ultimate price for failing to recognise Ali's evolution and his beliefs.

What ensued was a cruel, callous annihilation from Ali - taunting his bloodied rival midway through their 15 rounds - that did nothing for the public image of the champion who refused to go to war. Looking back, Ali's fight against Terrell was arguably the legend at his peak displaying footwork that he would never be able to duplicate, while simultaneously spreading his political message every time he snarled: "What's my name?"

Tale of the tape

Muhammad Ali Ernie Terrell
Record? 27-0 39-4
Weight? 212¼ 212½
Championship? WBC, The Ring, lineal WBA
Age? 25 27

The worst in Ali was brought out by Terrell's refusal to acknowledge his new name. The young heavyweights, each holding versions of the world title, had cut their teeth alongside each other on the amateur circuit. Terrell had grown up alongside Cassius Clay, but knew better than to keep using the name Ali had unceremoniously ditched - "I didn't choose it and I don't want it".

Terrell stood three inches taller and had boxed 16 more fights than Ali. He was, in his own right, a world-class competitor of the era but his legacy would become synonymous with bringing out the nasty side of the burgeoning icon Ali.

"My name is Muhammad Ali, and you will announce it right there in the centre of that ring after the fight, if you don't do it now," he screamed at Terrell on the Howard Cosell show. Terrell steadfastly refused to budge - he has mentioned several times since that he believed Ali's outrage to be a pre-meditated promotional tool.

How wrong he was. The unbeaten Ali was booed into the ring by a crowd suspicious of his political attitudes but he spat insults at Terrell as they met. That was just the start.

Ali vs Terrell

When? February 6, 1967
Where? Houston Astrodome, Texas
Result? Unanimous decision for Ali

But Ali in the rare role of pantomime villain is the memory that has lasted through generations. "He'd better pronounce my name right from now on," he growled afterwards amid accusations of gouging Terrell's eye.

Mixing savagery inside the ropes while influencing American society like no sportsman before him is a reminder of Ali's fascinating complexities, and why the 1967 fight against Terrell remains a pivotal part of the legacy he left.

[Keko]

I love this fight and the whole story about this fight.

[Kalan]

Terrell was pretty bad... He was the worst clincher and wrestler of the era... He was skinny and had no power... His right hand was particularly lame.

In the boxoff to determine a new Champion---a competition that was won by Jimmy Ellis who fought most of his career fights as a Middleweight---Terrell was beaten up and defeated by Thad Spencer... Spencer was a small Heavyweight lacking in skills, and was knocked out by Jerry Quarry in his next fight after trouncing Terrell... Terrell admitted that he was a better singer and musician than he was a boxer.

[davie]

Just watched this recently and I never thought the beating was that merciless.

Ali outclassed him and beat him fairly comprehensively.
He never stopped him, but a few far-from-great fighters managed to last the distance

Yes Ali said beqfore the fight that he would torture him but that was just talk

As Ali himself said, was he to be admonished for not hitting the guy hard enough? Would they prefer him to hit him harder and do real damage.

It's an odd thing to berate a fighter for punching his opponent too often. Back then they just wanted any reason to hate Ali.

The version I had of the fight had Howard Cosell and Ali commenting over it and Cosell basically wanted Ali to apologise, even for taunting Terell (Ali always talked to opponents in the ring), but Ali nailed it when he told him that he was telling him off for talking, but not for the whuppin he was dishing out

[Ambling Alp II]

Terrell wasn't a pretty fighter to watch, but he was fairly effective. He had been on a roll for the previous 5 years. He had wins over Jones, Chuvalo, Machen, Folley, and Williams. His career fell apart, but for a while he was pretty successful.

[Kalan]

Terrell was knocked out by a prime Cleveland Williams... After Williams had been knocked out a few times Terrell managed a SD over 10, but barely finished the fight on his feet... All scores were a round difference and the AP scored for Williams.

William was shot by a cop and very nearly died... His weight went down to 150 before he started recovering with steroids.. He was out for a year and a half then and fought a series of easy victims in 1966 prior to fighting Ali.. He was a wreck and had no chance whatever.. He never beat a good fighter have he suffered the gunshot.. Terrell was Ali's next opponent after Williams.

[BoxBuzz]

Terrell was knocked out by a prime Cleveland Williams... After Williams had been knocked out a few times Terrell managed a SD over 10, but barely finished the fight on his feet... All scores were a round difference and the AP scored for Williams.

William was shot by a cop and very nearly died... His weight went down to 150 before he started recovering with steroids.. He was out for a year and a half then and fought a series of easy victims in 1966 prior to fighting Ali.. He was a wreck and had no chance whatever.. He never beat a good fighter have he suffered the gunshot.. Terrell was Ali's next opponent after Williams.

Actually you are playing the part of a real goofball here. Williams had a very healthy rehab and though we may agree he never returned to top form, he actually rebounded rather miraculously. However if you were intellectually honest about this, you'd have to search elsewhere for a lot of your talking points. And that takes time and effort, and a commitment to excellence, that you may not have the energy for.... in your advanced years.

[Kalan]

I don't know why I bother. You're so stupid you always miss the point of my argument -- which is: Williams was a slowed and easy opponent after a very serious gunshot wound that almost killed him.. Williams recovery wasn't miraculous... One leg was always smaller than the other after that and he could only manage to beat easy opponents.. He was handed the Ali fight without earning it.. He was a flagrant cherry-pick.

"Williams was shot point blank by a .357 magnum. The bullet tore through Williams's intestines, and lodged in his right hip. Williams underwent four operations in the next seven months for colon damage and a severely damaged right kidney. The right kidney had to be removed in June 1965, but doctors could not take out the patrolman's bullet, which had broken his right hip joint and caused partial paralysis of Williams' hip muscles. His injuries, surgeries, and subsequent convalescence caused Williams to lose over 60 pounds, and over 17 months of his career."

Muscles in Williams' right hip and leg atrophied. His right leg lost 3 inches of girth and his movements were slowed and painful. He returned to his boxing career because that's all he knew.

[BoxBuzz]

I said rather miraculously, you've probably never had to bounce back, because you've never bobbed up. But he did a rather remarkable thing despite your inaccurate descriptor.

I don't miss your points, but some of them are as lame as you imagined Williams to be.

[Kalan]

I said rather miraculously, you've probably never had to bounce back, because you've never bobbed up. But he did a rather remarkable thing despite your inaccurate descriptor.

I don't miss your points, but some of them are as lame as you imagined Williams to be.

1. Rather miraculous means miraculous -- just like rather difficult means difficult... 2. You like to make things personal, but you know nothing about my career... 3. Williams never did anything remarkable. He was knocked out by the top boxers he faced (Ali and Sonny) and made extremely poor showings in those 3 fights before his exits... 4. You deliberately missed my point which is how you roll.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Ali cruelly taunted Terrell during their 1967 15-rounder
Terrell had known Ali as Cassius Clay for many years

Muhammad Ali, two years removed from his "slave name" of Cassius Clay, delivered one of the most savage beatings ever witnessed in a boxing ring against Ernie Terrell 50 years ago today. So what's in a name?

The dark cloud of the Vietnam War was looming over Ali, the reigning world heavyweight champion. The stance he bravely took against the conflict - "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong" - is today admired as his defining act of political activism, as significant as his sporting accomplishments, but in 1967 society viewed him differently.

His insistence on being called Muhammad Ali was widely dismissed by media on both sides of the Atlantic, who referred to him by his birth name. Fifty years ago Ernie Terrell, one of the 1960s' leading heavyweights, paid the ultimate price for failing to recognise Ali's evolution and his beliefs.

What ensued was a cruel, callous annihilation from Ali - taunting his bloodied rival midway through their 15 rounds - that did nothing for the public image of the champion who refused to go to war. Looking back, Ali's fight against Terrell was arguably the legend at his peak displaying footwork that he would never be able to duplicate, while simultaneously spreading his political message every time he snarled: "What's my name?"

Tale of the tape

Muhammad Ali Ernie Terrell
Record? 27-0 39-4
Weight? 212¼ 212½
Championship? WBC, The Ring, lineal WBA
Age? 25 27

The worst in Ali was brought out by Terrell's refusal to acknowledge his new name. The young heavyweights, each holding versions of the world title, had cut their teeth alongside each other on the amateur circuit. Terrell had grown up alongside Cassius Clay, but knew better than to keep using the name Ali had unceremoniously ditched - "I didn't choose it and I don't want it".

Terrell stood three inches taller and had boxed 16 more fights than Ali. He was, in his own right, a world-class competitor of the era but his legacy would become synonymous with bringing out the nasty side of the burgeoning icon Ali.

"My name is Muhammad Ali, and you will announce it right there in the centre of that ring after the fight, if you don't do it now," he screamed at Terrell on the Howard Cosell show. Terrell steadfastly refused to budge - he has mentioned several times since that he believed Ali's outrage .

- The above just copy and paste regurgitated media slop they excell in.

Ali and Ernie in cahoots using Cosell and like minded stooges to promote the fight much of the public swore off because of Ali racial politics. I was there and saw them hoodwink the public like Ali loved to do in his gorgeous george impersonations.

Though Ali clearly won, the story was he messed up Ernie's eye on the ropes that reduced his ability to defend. However all through ernie would explode with great shots. A couple of left hook stumbled Ali into the ropes. Ali had to work much harder than he was used to, and like any good method actor, he stayed in character as the villain or hero depending on what side of the divide you were on. Nobody hit the deck and nobody injured save Ernie's eye that may have required surgery later.