Clay had only been boxing two years, but he believed in his talent. Clay wasn’t the strongest kid in the neighborhood. He wasn't even the strongest kid in his own home. That honor belonged to his brother Rudy. But Cassius had incredible speed and a relentlessly punishing jabbed. He believed that a boxer would beat a brawler like Baker every time.

The buildup to the fight was tremendous. The West End was abuzz. A huge crowd turned out to watch. When the bout began, Baker set out like a man bent on murder, swinging wildly and bulling forward with his head down. Cassius pounded him with long left jabs and skipped away until Baker was exhausted, his nose bloodied and one eye blackened. “This ain’t fair!” Baker shouted in the middle of the second round before staggering out of the ring and out of the gym. Clay learned not to be afraid of bigger and stronger men—a lesson that would serve him well six years later when he faced Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world.

2. Cassius Clay v. Doug Jones, March 13, 1963

Even before he became a Muslim and before he refused to join the U.S. armed forces, Clay was unpopular with boxing fans. He was a loudmouth upstart at a time when young black men were supposed to show respect. So when Clay faced Harlem’s Doug Jones at Madison Square Garden, a huge crowd turned out hoping to see Clay get his face rearranged. Never before in the history of the Garden had a fight sold out in advance, but this one did, and it wasn’t even a title fight. Clay knew why, and he expressed it in a poem:

People come to see me from all around

To see Cassius hit the ground.

Some get mad, some lose their money,

But Cassius is still as sweet as honey.

In round one, it looked like the paying crowd was going to get its wish. Jones hit Clay with a left hook that sent Clay spinning into the ropes. Somehow, the young fighter stayed on his feet and started jabbing, keeping Jones away. The fight was terrific. The crowd’s rage grew round by round. Clay won by a unanimous decision, but the fans didn’t like it. They hurled beer cups, programs, and peanuts. Clay raised his arms and yelled back at the haters. Then he picked up a peanut and ate it.

He didn’t mind being disliked. In fact, he was beginning to get the idea it was good for business.