Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo

{{Infobox boxing match

| Fight Name = Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo

| image =

| caption =

| fight date = March 29, 1966

| location = Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| titles = WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles

| fighter1 = {{flagicon|USA}} Muhammad Ali

| nickname1 = "The Greatest"

| hometown1 = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.

| purse1 = $90,000

| record1 = 22–0 (18 KO)

| age1 = {{age in years and months |January 17, 1942 |March 29, 1966}}

| height1 = 6 ft 3 in

| weight1 = 215 lb

| style1 = Orthodox

| recognition1 = WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight champion

| fighter2 = {{flagicon|CAN}} George Chuvalo

| nickname2 =

| hometown2 = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| purse2 = $35,000 to $40,000

| record2 = 34–11–2 (27 KO)

| age2 = {{age in years and months |September 12, 1937 |March 29, 1966}}

| height2 = 6 ft 0 in

| weight2 = 216 lb

| style2 = Orthodox

| recognition2 = WBA
No. 10 Ranked Heavyweight
Canadian heavyweight champion

| result = Ali won via UD

}}

Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo was a professional boxing match contested on March 29, 1966, for the WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight championship.{{cite web |title=Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo |url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Muhammad_Ali_vs._George_Chuvalo |website=boxrec.com |publisher=BoxRec |access-date=29 July 2024}}

Background

Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell in Chicago, Illinois, on March 29, 1966, however Ali, facing the possibility of being drafted into the United States Army created a huge uproar by saying, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong. No Viet Cong ever called me n*****." He was called before the Illinois State Athletic Commission to apologize for his "unpatriotic remarks." Ali would refuse to apologize, which prompted Illinois Attorney General William G. Clark to declare the bout "illegal" forcing Bob Arum to search for an alternative location.{{cite news |last1=Liska |first1=Jerry |title=Clay-Terrell Chicago Bout Appears Killed |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1697&dat=19660227&id=FwwdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BJcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6976,4716191&hl=en |access-date=29 July 2024 |work=Park City Daily News |agency=Associated Press |date=27 February 1966}} Ultimately a deal for Ali to fight in Toronto, Canada was agreed, with Canadian heavyweight champion George Chuvalo agreeing to face Ali on 17 day notice.{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1966/03/28/607907/showdown-with-a-punching-bag |title=SHOWDOWN WITH A PUNCHING BAG |work=Sports Illustrated |date=28 March 1966|access-date=7 October 2016}}{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years|author1=Felix Dennis |author2=Don Atyeo |publisher=miramax books|pages = 142–4; 192|year=2003}}{{cite book|title=Facing Ali|author=Stephen Brunt |publisher=The Lyons Press|pages = 52–7;65–6|year=2002}}{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali:His Life and Times|url=https://archive.org/details/muhammadalihisli00haus|url-access=registration|author= Thomas Hauser|publisher=Simon & Schuster|pages = [https://archive.org/details/muhammadalihisli00haus/page/147 147]–50;242|year=1991|isbn=978-0-671-68892-9 }}

The fight

Ali won the fight on points, by unanimous decision.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/Ali_record.html |title=Muhammad Ali's ring record |work=ESPN |date=19 November 2003|access-date=4 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sportslongform/entry/ali-vs-chuvalo-brutality-beauty-mingled-in-truly-epic-brawl|title=Ali vs. Chuvalo: Brutality, beauty mingled in truly epic brawl |work=CBC|access-date=4 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/fight-night/article29403829/|title=Chuvalo, Ali photographer recalls legendary bout 50 years ago |work=Globe and Mail|date=28 March 2016|access-date=4 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/muhammad-alis-bouts-with-granite-chinned-george-chuvalo-were-his-canadian-legacy|title=Muhammad Ali remembered in Canada for his bouts with granite-chinned George Chuvalo |work=Vancouver Sun|date=3 June 2016|access-date=4 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/03/chuvalo-to-be-presented-with-belt-to-commemorate-toronto-ali-fight|title=Chuvalo to be presented with belt to commemorate Toronto Ali fight |newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=3 March 2016|access-date=4 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1966/04/11/608824/a-battle-of-the-lionhearted |title=A BATTLE OF THE LIONHEARTED |work=Sports Illustrated |date=11 April 1966|access-date=7 October 2016}} The Associated Press scored the fight 13-2 to Ali.

Aftermath

The fight was the subject of Joseph Blasioli's 2003 documentary film The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali.Geoff Pevere, "Chuvalo's finest hour packs a punch". Toronto Star, October 31, 2003.