Muhammad Ali is arguably the most iconic sportsman of all time.
And 55 years ago today, ‘The Greatest’ won his first first professional fight in his home town of Louisville, Kentucky, beating Tunney Hunsaker on points over six rounds.
First professional fight, first win. 55 years ago today #CassiusClay defeated #TunneyHunsaker in Louisville. pic.twitter.com/LkIC81vvXS
— Muhammad Ali (@MuhammadAli) October 29, 2015
Ali went on to have a glorious career in the sport and is the only boxer to have won three world heavyweight titles (1964, 1974 and 1978.)
The boxing legend, who is 73 and has been battling Parkinson’s since 1984, competed in 61 fights – winning 56 of them, with 37 of those by virtue of a knock out victory.
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Here’s what else happened on this day:
1985: Jockey Lester Piggott rode one winner at Nottingham before going into retirement – only to make a successful comeback five years later, aged 54.
1991: Colin McMillan became the fastest outright winner of a Lonsdale Belt when he won his third British title fight as a featherweight, against Sean Murphy.
1997: The Republic of Ireland scraped a 1-1 draw with Belgium in the first leg of their World Cup play-off in Dublin. A 2-1 defeat in Brussels saw Mick McCarthy’s men eliminated.
2003: Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand was charged with misconduct by the Football Association after missing a drugs test. He was later banned for eight months.
2009: Wigan sacked Marlon King after the striker was jailed for 18 months having been found guilty of sexual assault and actual bodily harm.
2012: Swede Peter Eriksson was appointed Olympic head coach by UK Athletics.
2014: Ferdinand, by then playing for QPR, was suspended for three matches and fined £25,000 by the Football Association for comments he made on Twitter.
