| Date | November 17, 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Astrodome, Houston, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | NABF heavyweight title | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ali won via 12th round UD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Muhammad Ali vs. Buster Mathis was a professional boxing match contested on November 17, 1971, for the NABF championship.
Ali joked before the fight that "I'm going to do to Buster what the Indians did to Custer". One of the fight posters promoting the match said "Be there when the Mountain comes to Muhammad". [1] [2]
Ali dominated the fight throughout and won easily on points. Ali knocked Mathis down twice in the eleventh round and twice again in the final round but refused to move in for a knockout out of compassion for Mathis. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Confirmed bouts: [7]
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Philippines | ABS-CBN |
 United Kingdom | ITV |
 United States | ABC |
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