Muhammad Ali

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Narrator

After four fights abroad Ali's promoters had finally managed to secure an American venue, the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, a brand new and first-of-its-kind domed stadium dubbed the eighth wonder of the world. Ali had agreed to fight Cleveland Big Cat Williams, an Army veteran who had once been shot by a police officer during a drunk driving arrest. Williams had knocked out 51 of his 71 opponents. It would be the largest audience for an indoor boxing match in history. (bell ringing) (lively music) I think his masterpiece is with Cleveland Williams. That's Picasso, right? That's Baryshnikov, right? That's Miles Davis. He throws like a 10 punch combination. He's going backwards, man. Now look, I don't know how to define that. I'm not a scientist, but like that kind of artistry will never be seen again. When he did that, it looked effortless and it looked like he came out of the womb doing that. -

Narrator

Introducing a new move he dubbed the Ali Shuffle, he peppered Williams with jab after jab, as the Big Cat struggled to land the single punch. Ali floored his challenger three times in the second round. It was a two-fisted assault of vicious effectiveness, wrote frequent critic, Arthur Daley, who declared that Ali had won over all the doubters. A minute into the third round the referee ended the fight. (crowd cheering) (announcer speaking indistinctly)