Cassius Clay ~ "He Never Really Shined In the Big Apple {New York City}"

[Bill Paxtom]

Cassius Clay

"1st Career Bouts in New York"

Saturday Night ~ February 10, 1962 ~ Madison Square Garden

Lucien 'Sonny' Banks ~ 16-2-0 {14 KO's}

* Cassius is caught on the chin by a Sonny Banks counter-punch left hook.
* Cassius is dropped on his 'ASS' for a '2-Count' the 1st-Round, and is 'visibly' shaken.
* Cassius clears the the 'cob-webs' and is back in the fight at the end of Round 1.
* Cassius rallies strong in the 2nd-Round, and scores a 'flash-knockdown' on Sonny.
* Cassius has a very good 3rd-Round, and shakes Sonny several times with jarring punches.
* But, Sonny scores with some 'wild-hooks' from way outside, and stuns Cassius late.
* Cassius rallies at the end of Round 3, and 'stuns' Sonny just before the Bell.
* Cassius shakes Sonny at the beginning of Round 4 with a flurry.
* Sonny recovers, and moves forward to attack.
* Cassius then catches Sonny with a 'grazing' right-hand to the temple.
* Sonny 'wobbles' to the front-center Ropes.
* Referee - Rudy Goldstein 'jumps in' and stops the bout at 0:26 of Round 4 Sonny Banks on his feet.

* The slim crowd of 2100 'vehemently' boo the quick stoppage.

Overall Grade 'B'

Cassius took a 'wicked-ass' punch to the chin, and nearly got his 'Ass' dusted in the 1st-Round.

But Cassius recovered, and by the end of Round 1 he had cleared the 'cob-webs' and
was beginning to take control of the bout.

Cassius proved to those who questioned as the whether he could 'take-a-punch'. He
took a solid heavy punch from Sonny Banks, and came back to win.