Reliving Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell: OTD, February 6, 1967

Muhammad Ali will forever be considered one of the greatest boxers ever. He retired with a record of 56-5, 37 KOs. He was involved in many memorable fights and was one of the most captivating personalities the sport has seen. Today (Feb. 6), we celebrate Ali’s victory over Ernie Terrell from 1967.

Muhammad Ali Defeats Ernie Terrell

Ali vs. Terrell Fight Recap

The fight build-up was intense, with insults exchanged and shoving between the two. Terrell started well in the first two rounds, but the accuracy and power of Ali started to shine through from the third, with a nasty swelling developing around the eye of his opponent.

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Ali was in control by the middle rounds, hurting his opponent on more than one occasion. A big right hook from Terrell stunned Ali, but he soon recovered and continued his dominance. “The Octopus” had his moments, but Ali used his speed and picked his punches impressively. He taunted Terrell in the eighth round and never looked in trouble after that point. The judges scorecards were read 148–138, 148–133, and 148–137.

Ali Criticism

Ali faced criticism after the fight, with many believing he could have knocked Terrell out sooner but deliberately dragged it out to inflict more punishment. Ali strongly denied these accusations, insisting Terrell’s toughness made a stoppage unlikely. ‘The Greatest’ explained that fatigue set in as the fight progressed, making a knockout difficult, so pacing his attacks was crucial.

Ali’s next fight was against Zora Folley, winning with an impressive seventh-round stoppage. Following the Folley fight, “The Greatest” was embroiled in worldwide controversy. He refused to be inducted into the U.S. Air Force, which led to Ali not stepping foot in a ring until October 1970. He received a three-year ban and a $10,000 fine, robbing the world of a peak Muhammad Ali. The five-year prison sentence was overturned.

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Ali provided plenty of entertainment throughout his career, but it remains a huge disappointment that the world was robbed of three years of his prime.