Today marks the 50th of one of sport’s most iconic moments.
Cassius Clay, who would soon after become known as Muhammad Ali, captured the world heavyweight boxing title by beating Sonny Liston.
Half a century after, to the day, it's just after lunch and 22 year-old Garet Szypniewski is getting down to work.
Szypniewski got into boxing after falling in love with Ali as a child.
“When I was younger I read a biography on Muhammad Ali. And I did a report on him. And from there I was totally influenced by him,” he says.
Considered one of the greatest boxers ever, Ali was loved by millions. He was a big talker who could back it up. And his fights are still talked about today.
It was 50 years ago today that Ali, just 22, beat a heavily favored Liston. And the fight is considered one of the greatest sports moments of the 20th century.
“It will be 100 years from now and people will still be talking about Muhammad Ali and what he did and the way he did it,” says Marcel Savage.
But over the years boxing has lost a lot of its luster. Many fans have moved to other sports. A lack of big names and alleged corruption has hurt the sport.
Savage is a former boxer who now teaches. He says he thinks there are several reasons why boxing is not just the same for the general public.
“Issues like with Don King and Las Vegas, and Las Vegas judges,” Savage says. “You know it just seems a little corrupt at times.”
Many boxing fans have switched their allegiance to the sport of mixed martial arts.
Achilles Meridis runs Empire Fitness in Barrie. He’s a former boxing fan turned MMA supporter. He says it just seems to offer more to the younger fighters these days.
“It's more entertaining that way,” he says. “Instead of two guys punching, which I still enjoy, but I think the younger kids like the superhero kind of images. You know, where they can lift guys, slam them to the ground, and pound them…”
As for Szypniewski he says he is aiming for the next Olympics. He knows it will be a tough road but he is ready for the work and where the sport of boxing will take him.
Ali “shook up the world” 50 years ago when he defeated Liston in Miami Beach to win his first heavyweight boxing title.
Today, Ali posted his first Twitter message: “I shook up the world against Liston, now 50 years later I'm taking it to Twitter.” It’s the first message on the account from the champ himself; he signed it with the hashtag #AliTweet.
Ali finished his career 56-5 with 37 knockouts. He won the heavyweight crown three times.
