The reigning champion Sonny Liston was 35-1 with 24 knockouts. Liston had knocked out former champion Floyd Patterson in two fights, both in the first round. Ali had two lackluster performances leading up to the title fight. Ali was a 7-1 underdog. Armed with self-belief, Ali declared: "I'm gonna float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."
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On Self-Belief: Muhammad Ali
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The reigning champion Sonny Liston was 35-1 with 24 knockouts. Liston had knocked out former champion Floyd Patterson in two fights, both in the first round. Ali had two lackluster performances leading up to the title fight. Ali was a 7-1 underdog. Armed with self-belief, Ali declared: "I'm gonna float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."