Did you know Muhammad Ali once fought in Paisley?

Did you know that the great Muhammad Ali once fought in Paisley?

The heavyweight boxing champion was just 23 when he arrived at Paisley Ice Rink on August 20, 1965, but the Louisville Lip had the world at his feet after upsetting Sonny Liston to claim the title 18 months earlier.

After defeating Liston in a return bout in May 1965, the former Cassius Clay embarked on an international tour – taking on a number of exhibition matches against his sparring partner and future world champion Jimmy Ellis in a bid to boost his profile.

The tour led Ali to Paisley, but the exhausted champion was booed by disappointed fans at Paisley Ice Rink who believed he was not performing to his usually high standards.

Read the full fascinating story from the point of view of one of Scotland’s most successful boxing promoters and managers, Tommy Gilmour – who was 13 when he met Ali that night in Paisley – with this piece by BBC Scotland News.