Boxing legend Muhammad Ali passed away on Friday, June 3 at the age of 74, from septic shock related to a respiratory illness. He had also battled Parkinson’s disease for several years. Ali is being remembered by fans and celebrities around the world. Ringo Starr recalled in an interview with Rolling Stone the time the Beatles met Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, before they all became household names.

First Meeting between Cassius Clay and the Beatles

The Beatles and Clay met on February 18, 1964 at the 5^th Street Gym in Miami Beach. The meeting came nine days after the Beatles made their American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was also a week before Clay defeated then-World Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston.

The boxer and the musicians were unimpressed with each other when they first met. Clay had no idea who the Beatles were since they had not yet achieved their level of super-stardom, and Clay was widely expected to lose to Liston. However, the Beatles were drawn to Clay’s charm and sense of humor. The five of them horsed around in the boxing ring and pretended to fight as photographers snapped pictures.

Starr said the chemistry was real and the photos were not planned or choreographed in advance. At one point during the photo shoot, Clay even picked up Starr without warning.

Muhammad Ali’s Legacy

Starr and Ali met again over the years. In 1973, Starr recorded the song “I’m the Greatest,” which was written by John Lennon. It got its title from a phrase often spoken by the boxing legend.

Starr heard the news of Ali’s death after performing the first concert on his 2016 summer tour at Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, New York. He found out by watching the news on TV after the show.

Muhammad Ali was an inspiration to an entire generation of boxers, as well as many other celebrities in the fields of sports, entertainment, and politics. If you would like to attend a boxing match to see current champions and up-and-coming talent or would like to watch Ringo Starr perform live, you can order tickets from CapitalCityTickets.com.