New York: Cassius Clay's victory over Sonny Liston in Miami 50 years ago was the launchpad for the boxing career of the man who came to be known as Muhammad Ali — but it has now emerged that the fight was the subject of a fixing investigation by the FBI.


Muhammad Ali stands over the fallen Sonny Liston. Pic/Allsport Hulton/Archive 

Liston was the much-feared heavyweight champion going into the fight with a 22-year-old Clay on February 25, 1964 but it was the latter who declared himself 'King of the world' as Liston did not return for the eighth round.