1960s Timeline

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Feb 5, 2022

Cassius Clay to Fight Sonny Banks for Garden Debut

Feb. 5, 1962 - Cassius Clay (right), an undefeated heavyweight from Louisville, has been chosen to fight Sonny Banks (left) of Detroit in...

Jan 22, 2022

Champion Floyd Patterson Says Liston Deserves and Will Get Shot at Heavyweight Title

Jan. 22, 1962 - Heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson (right) stated today that he would meet Sonny Liston (left) in defense of his...

Dec 5, 2021

Patterson Knocks Out McNeeley, Retains Heavyweight Crown

Dec. 5, 1961 - In a savage brawl that produced nine knockdowns, Floyd Patterson retained his world heavyweight championship by knocking...

Dec 5, 2021

Boxing: Sonny Liston Destroys Albert Westphal, First-Round KO

Dec. 5, 1961 - In Philadelphia last night, heavyweight Sonny Liston knocked out Albert Westphal in the first round. A right-handed blow...

Nov 30, 2021

Benefit for Boxer Floyd Patterson's Old School

Nov. 30, 1961 - Dinner and a showing of the closed-circuit telecast of the Floyd Patterson-Tom McNeeley fight in Toronto and the Sonny...

Nov 29, 2021

Cassius Clay Stops Besmanoff in the Seventh, Remains Undefeated

Nov. 29, 1961 - Cassius Clay stopped Willi Besmanoff in the seventh round tonight for his 10th consecutive victory since turning...

Nov 21, 2021

Patterson and Liston May Fight Next Year

Nov. 21, 1961 - Floyd Patterson (left) and Sonny Liston (right) will meet in a title match next year if each wins his next bout, boxing...

Oct 23, 2021

Archie Moore Scores TKO Win over Rademacher in Baltimore

Oct. 23, 1961 - Archie Moore floored Pete Rademacher eight times and scored a sixth-round technical knockout tonight in their scheduled...

Oct 17, 2021

Eddie Machen Finishes Brian London in Five in Heavyweight Clash

Oct. 17, 1961 - In London tonight, Eddie Machen of Portland, Ore., scored a technical knockout over Brian London when the former British...

Oct 16, 2021

Heavyweights Patterson and McNeely to Fight in Toronto

Oct. 16, 1961 - Floyd Patterson (left) and Tom McNeeley (right) of Arlington, Mass., signed contracts today for a heavyweight title...

Oct 8, 2021

Undefeated Heavyweight Cassius Clay Stops Miteff in Sixth

Oct. 8, 1961 - Cassius Clay, an unbeaten heavyweight, stopped Alex Miteff of Argentina in the sixth round of a schedule ten-rounder last...

Oct 1, 2021

Paret Regains Welterweight Title in Rematch with Griffith

Oct. 1, 1961 - Benny (Kid) Paret of Cuba regained the world welterweight championship in Madison Square Garden last night by outpointing...

Sep 26, 2021

Robinson Hangs On for Split Decision over Greaves

Sept. 26, 1961 - Sugar Ray Robinson, floored by a left hook to the midsection near the end of the eighth round, hung on last night for a...

Sep 16, 2021

Boxing Champion Emile Griffith Runs Out of Sparring Partners

Sept. 16, 1961 - Emile Griffith, who defends his welterweight title against Benny (Kid) Paret at Madison Square Garden Sept. 30, is...

Aug 30, 2021

Johnson Beats Cotton, Keeps Light-Heavyweight Crown

Aug. 30, 1961 - Harold Johnson (left), the National Boxing Association's light-heavyweight champion, gained a split decision over Eddie...

Aug 17, 2021

Former Light Heavyweight Contender 'Irish' Bob Murphy Killed in Car Crash at 43

Aug. 17, 1961 - Irish Bob Murphy (pictured right with Danny Nardico in 1951), once a contender for the light heavyweight championship,...

Aug 16, 2021

Famed Boxing Announcer Harry Balogh Dead at 70

Aug. 16, 1961 - Harry William Balogh (pictured with Joe Louis in 1938), the boxing announcer, died today in New York's Beth Israel...

Aug 5, 2021

Gene Fullmer Takes a Beating But Wins Split Decision, Retains Middleweight Title

Aug. 5, 1961 - Gene Fullmer took a terrific battering in the closing rounds, but had enough of an early lead to win a 15-round split...

Aug 2, 2021

Boxer Sonny Liston Released on Bail in Philadelphia

Aug. 2, 1961 - Charles (Sonny) Liston was released on $500 bail today on a charge resulting from an incident in Philadelphia's Fairmount...

Jul 23, 2021

Cassius Clay Wins Decision over Alonzo Johnson in Louisville, Remains Undefeated

July 23, 1961 - Cassius Clay, a relative newcomer to the professional boxing ranks, won a unanimous 10-round decision from Alonzo Johnson...