Sonny Banks

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Sonny Banks boxer
Data
Birth Name Lucien Banks
Weight class Heavyweight
nationality US-american
birthday June 29, 1940
place of birth Birmingham Ridge
Date of death May 13, 1965
Place of death Philadelphia
style Normal display
Combat Statistics
Struggles 25th
Victories 18th
Knockout victories 14th
Defeats 7th

Lucien "Sonny" Banks (born June 29, 1940 in Birmingham Ridge , Massachusetts , † May 13, 1965 in Philadelphia ) was an American boxer , who was known for being the first professional to knock Muhammad Ali to the ground .

Professional career

Banks started his career in 1960. He weighed only 86 to 88 kg, was a cruiser weight by today's standards , but this weight class did not exist back then. After ten wins and two defeats, he was put against Ali (then still under his maiden name Cassius Clay ), who was unbeaten in ten fights, on his New York debut at Madison Square Garden . In the first round he caught Ali with a left hook and Ali went down. Apart from this moment of shock, Ali dominated him and defeated him prematurely in round four.

Banks beat, as he in the next fight by an opponent with 17 defeats from this respectable result no capital K. o. Was beaten. In 1963 he suffered his fifth defeat, in 1964 he was knocked out against Cleveland Williams , and in 1965 against Leotis Martin . During this fight he suffered brain injuries from which he died at the age of only 24.

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personal data
SURNAME Banks, Sonny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Banks, Lucien
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American heavyweight boxer
DATE OF BIRTH June 29, 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Birmingham Ridge
DATE OF DEATH May 13, 1965
Place of death Philadelphia