Muhammad Ali hit the canvas during a dramatic fight.
In his career, ‘The Greatest’ proved himself to be one of the best athletes to have ever walked the face of the Earth.
Even Brock Lesnar was in awe when he met Ali in person.
And while his dominant performances always impressed the public, it was when the superstar showcased his ability to come back from behind that he really captured the imagination of the fans.
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Muhammad Ali got knocked down by Sonny Banks
On February 10, 1962, Muhammad Ali, who was known as Cassius Clay at the time, battled it out with Sonny Banks at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA.
The fight started at a furious pace, with the legend looking to make an immediate impact.
However, that cost him dearly, with the underdog detonating a left hook on his face that sent him crashing towards the canvas.
Exhibiting his powers of recovery, the superstar battled his way back into the contest, eventually securing a stoppage in the fourth round.
Muhammad Ali was knocked down in a shocking moment that inspired Sylvester Stallone to write Rocky
While Banks was the first man to put Ali on the canvas, he wasn’t the last.
‘The Louisville Lip’ was knocked down four times in his career.
During one of these fights, a very famous actor took inspiration from what he’d seen.
Incredibly, Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky after watching Ali get dropped.