Muhammad Ali vs Herb Siler

Venue: Miami Beach Auditorium, Florida. 27th December, 1960.

Tunney Hunsaker had been more impressed with Ali's performance than the local businessmen in the Louisville Sponsoring Group. They felt that Ali needed more seasoning so they sent Ali to spar with the great Archie Moore in California.

The garden was sold out again and a huge television audience tuned in to the fight. Drama was inherent in almost all of alis bouts, but the emphasis had shifted as he grew older. Now people watched to see if he could survive.

If Earnie Shavers had possessed the ability to read a fight in equal measure to the size of his punch, he would have defeated Ali and became champion of the world. In round two, he hurt Ali but failed to follow up. In an inspired piece of brinkmanship Ali had convinced shavers he was merely pretending to be hurt and shavers backed off.

Ali came through the second and built a steady lead. In a promotional gimmick the television commentators at ringside were allowed access to the judges’ scorecards at the end of each round and so Angelo Dundee was able to gain access to the status of the fight. By the 12 Ali was ahead by eight rounds to four. Shavers came on strong in the 13th and 14th rounds, rocking Ali with some big punches. At big last three minutes for the challenger might have seen him home, yet Ali came back from the edge yet again. He stole the centre of the ring and stung Shavers with some cutting punches. It was enough.

Ali had won again, but some of those closest to him were worried. Teddy Brenner who had booked Ali at the garden for so long took a stand. He told the 35-year old champion he would no longer put on his fights, that it was time for Ali to go. Ferdie pacheco wrote to Ali to advise him that his kidneys were showing signs of damage and that he should no longer fight.

The response of Herbert Muhammad and of Ali was to look for an easy pay-day. In Leon Spinks,they thought they’d found one.

[ Boxing Autographs | Equipment | Exclusives! | Photos | About Us ]

Making The Hobby a Safer Place by Setting The Standards

Add Boxing-Memorabilia.Com To Your Favorites