Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston (1965) – Neil Leifer

It takes patience and the right timing to get the perfect shot. Neil Leifer from Sports Illustrated had an advantageous seat, and he didn’t miss capturing the iconic expression of then 23-year-old Muhammad Ali when he knocked opponent Sonny Liston over.

This 1965 epic fight became famous after Ali took Liston down in just a minute and 44 seconds. Considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, the athlete battled Parkinson’s disease for decades before he passed in 2016 at 74 due to septic shock. In 2020, director Regina King released One Night in Miami about the young Ali.