August 6th, 1966. Earls Court Arena, London. In just 3 seconds, Muhammad Ali unleashed a flurry of punches so fast, the human eye could barely track them. 12 blows in the blink of an eye. To some, it was a display of peak athletic genius. To others, it looked like a difficult sell that ended far too easily.
But for Brian London, the Blackpool Rock, it was the night he realized that even with two good legs, he couldn’t catch a ghost. Fresh off his bloody rematch with Henry Cooper at Highbury Stadium, Ali was back in London just 3 months later. His opponent this time was another pillar of the British heavyweight scene, Brian London.
London was a tough bruiser with a face that told a thousand stories. His nose flattened and broken from years of war. He was a former British and Commonwealth champion, but the public was skeptical. On paper, it was a mismatch. At 24, Ali was in his absolute prime. 8 years younger, 3 inches taller, and 8 lb heavier than the 32-year-old London.
The betting odds reflected the reality. Ali was a massive 15 to 1 favorite. Despite the lopsided odds, Ali didn’t take the Blackpool Rock lightly. He held court at the Load of Hay pub in Belsize Park, even covering the gym windows with paper to keep his training secret. In typical fashion, Ali’s pre-fight jabs were relentless, but London remained unfazed.
>> The man fights me, he’s fighting for his life. It’s the biggest thing that can happen to him. If he ever beaten me, he might be the next Prime Minister, London. You can’t tell. How long will it take him to knock him out? Well, I’m not predicting how. I’m tired of saying the world know now that all of my predicting day’s over.
So, we just hope for a good fight. And as you know, he’s doing all the talking now. So, he’s going to really be fighting to back it up. >> If you lose, you’ll quit. Any man that beats me in the ring, whether it be Brian London or Mel Berger or whoever it might be, uh we will retire that night. In your heart and mind, are Are capable of being beaten? Well, I never really thought about it, Howard, but I’ll leave it up to you.
Do you think I can be whooped? Only if Jimmy Brown goes up to the ring with you. Jimmy is the greatest in football. He’s the best in football. He will admit that, and I’ll have to admit that I’m one of the best in boxing. Just one of the best. >> Right. So, you have changed. I’m just being myself, Howard. I’m letting you do all the talking and popping off now.
Have a good fight. Good luck to you. The referee who is Harry Gibbs tonight is the sole judge of this fight. Clay came in at 209 and 1/2 lbs. London 200 and 1/2. Clay was 206 for Cooper. He was 214 for Shavers. Now in the dark trunks from Blackpool, England. Blackpool Bulldog as he’s called. The fight’s just about to start.
And Clay no longer employs his menacing grimace. Let’s get right back to Bell in the action. 15 rounds live from Earls Court Stadium in London, England on a rainy, dreary night. As the bell rang for the fifth defense of his world title, Ali began his customary bouncing circle. London tracked him, searching for one single knockout punch to shock the world.
Moving in always, trying to set himself for the punch. Good right hand glancing off the left side of the head. In the first minute of the first round. Ali, it’s been Clay so far throwing most of the punches. >> [cheering] >> Clay will throw the combination. London is pretty much a single punch fighter. One shot here. >> Brian was not prepared for this kind of fight.
A minute to go here in round one. London’s face getting just a little bit red under the left eye. 10 seconds to go in the first round. As you might notice, Ali took the full control of the fight. End of the first round and here’s how it proceeded. That round Clay virtually used London as a punching bag, as a target, and yet he didn’t really hurt him because he hasn’t been punching hard. Scoring is done only by a referee.
There are no judges at ringside. There is no mandatory eight count. There is no three knockdown rule. There is no being saved by the bell. A referee can disqualify one of the fighters for a foul blow. About to come into the second round. The first round easily Clay’s. Bell. By virtue of a London win the title of Cassius Clay.
London gave his best effort in the second, trying to compete with Ali’s speed. Although Brian London stopped five times in his professional career, he has been on his back only one time. That was Floyd Patterson who put him down in 1959. He’s probably one of the most superbly conditioned boxers in this sport. It was also the superb condition of Cassius Clay that got him out of a good spot. Great great, leg movement.
Through the second round, Champ landed jabs and combos almost at will. Look for a moment as if London was going to try to measure his man in the corner then decided not to do it. The clinch ensued and now they’re back out there. You saw Clay roll with. Good right hand by Cassius Clay. A good right hand and it staggered London for a moment.
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By the end of the second, the gulf in class was undeniable. London later admitted to his corner, “I could not lay a hand on him.” Round three. Probably the best punch of the fight thrown in that second round by Cassius Clay. A good right hand to the head. >> Sensing London’s hesitation in the third, Ali advanced.
He backed the challenger into the corner and let rip. Uh-oh, London in a tough spot in there with Clay peppering him and down he goes. It was 12 punches in 3 seconds, a showboating display of speed. Nine, 10, it’s all over. It’s all over. 20 seconds to go in the round. It wasn’t the greatest fight of Ali’s career, but it was perhaps the greatest evidence of his speed.
What did it, a combination or a kind of blow such as you registered against Sonny Liston? Well, I wouldn’t feel right having taken the credit for coming out of the ring fight after fight with no marks on my face, been able to live clean. And the thing that really hit the man, I believe, was a hard left and a right. I threw about uh seven, eight punches and just about everyone connected, I think.
It was determined he was game, and for a round and a half he was moving. For Brian London, he took his $112,000 purse. When asked if he wanted a rematch, he laughed. Only if someone ties a 56-lb weight to each of his legs. Well, I admit I didn’t train as hard as I could for this fight, and I’m glad that this fight didn’t take too much out of me, and I think I’ll be ready in I’ll ship time the next fight just right.
Well, all I’m doing now was giving every man a shot at the title. No retirement clause is in my contract. If you want to see how Ali handled his next challenge in Germany just 1 month later, stay tuned. Don’t forget to subscribe to Professional Boxing History for more deep dives into Muhammad Ali career path.
