While looking in the mirror, Cassius Clay, “The People’s Champion”, the U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist, prepares his mind for battle. For he must soon face the beast, “the killing machine, the indomitable-if evil-force, a brute, condemned to a life of trouble, a man of questionable ways, and a murderer.” He realizes that he may be in over his head, that he may not have enough experience, and that he might be risking his life. He has never faced a challenger quite like this before. Tonight he will not only be fighting Charles “Sonny” Liston; but he will also be fighting against a myth. He begins his pre- fight ritual but before that can happen, Lady Liberty must give him his rub down. While massaging his shoulders she whispers encouraging words in his ears,

―Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; here at our sea washed, sunset gates shall a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning, and her name; Mother of exiles. From her beacon-hand glows worldwide welcome.‖1

Cassius Clay’s arms and legs that were once heavy and tight feel much lighter now. His wrists and ankles that felt confined as if shackled have loosened a bit. He begins to bob and weave not to avoid danger but to regain his balance; to center himself. He starts to shuffle his feet not to fetch after something but to find his rhythm; his core.

1 Not like brazen giant of Greek fame: “The New Colossus” is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1849-1887), written in 1883 and , in 1903, engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the lower level of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

As he goes down on one knee to pray, he notices that the heaviness he was feeling before has returned. But it feels different now. This time the heaviness is the heaviness of the burden he must carry. In his heart he knows that this fight will be like no other. Because this time he is not just fighting for himself, he is now fighting for a people; for the fulfillment of a dream, a dream that must be realized… as soon… as the bell…rings.

My colleagues indicate that Sonny had a potential life threatening problem with the bundle of His. Additionally he had significant lung disease that would have hampered a normal person never lone an elite athlete and top 10 fighter ( I believe he was ranked number 6 in the world at the time of his death). An amazing man.

I tried my best, to get the FBI to release the Ali/ Liston Fights file. Separate from the larger file, that they had on Sonny Liston, and Muhammad Ali. A file, that had been released awhile back. I tried do this, while Mr. Ali was still alive. But unfortunately, Mr. Ali died. When that happened, I was at a lost to what to do. Then I realized, that if I could not redeem Mr. Ali’s name before he died, I could still redeem his name after death. So, I  persisted, in trying to get the FBI to release the file.  Thinking that I could  finally bring about closure to this chapter of Mr. Ali’s, and Sonny’s life. Luckily for me, my persistence paid off. After writing a letter to the Department of Justice, and contacting their “Whistle Blower”,  program. The Department of Justice,  released the file on the  64/65 fights unannounced, through their press contacts.   The file consisted of a 400 page report, not on the fights, but on enemy number 1. If you read my book on Amazon called, “Beast: The Deconstruction of Charles “Sonny” Liston”. I get into more detail about this subject.  The FBI report, proved that J. Edgar Hoover, and the FBI, were not concerned about the fights at all. And that the FBI knew, that the   press were just chasing rumors, surrounding the fights. The world can know see, what the Liston and Ali families, have always known. And that is that, the fights were not fixed. Geraldine Liston always said that, ” If the Ali/Liston Fights were fixed, I never saw any money from it.”  Mr. Ali, Sonny, and Geraldine, can now rest in peace.

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