Description
On February 6th 1967, at the Astrodome, Houston, Texas, USA. The stage was finally set for Muhammad Ali and Ernie Terrell to fight each other to unify the World Heavyweight Championship. Ali wanted back what was rightfully his, the WBA Title which he was stripped from in 1964 after he agreed to give Sonny Liston a rematch, which was in violation of the WBA’s rules against giving return title fights.
This was Terrell’s third defense of his WBA Title. Before the fight Terrell angered Ali by refusing to call him by his new Muslim name Muhammad Ali, but instead continued to call him Cassius Clay. Ali vowed to give him a humiliating beating, he said, ‘I’m gonna punish you.’
Ali dominated the fight right from the opening bell. He taunted Terrell saying repeatedly, ‘what’s my name?’ What’s my name?’ Ali savagely pummeled him but refused to move in for the knockout blow. Ali took Terrell the full distance of 15 grueling rounds and won on a unanimous points decision. By beating Terrell, Ali regained the WBA title which made him the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion for a second time. This is something a lot of people forget, or don’t know.
