Muhammad Ali victory in federal court forced the New York State Boxing Commission to reinstate Ali's license. He fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December, an uninspired performance that ended in a dramatic technical knockout of Bonavena in the 15th round. The win left Ali as a top contender against heavyweight champion Joe Frazier. Ali and Frazier's first fight, held at the Garden on March 8, 1971, was nicknamed the "Fight of the Century", due to the tremendous excitement surrounding a bout between two undefeated fighters, each with a legitimate claim as heavyweight champions. Veteran boxing writer John Condon called
Tommy Freeman (boxer) spectacle and the substantial crowd of twelve thousand loudly opposed the draw verdict as they favored the local boxer Zivic. On June 22, 1926, Freeman defeated Pinky Mitchell in Brooklyn, Ohio, in ten rounds by Newspaper Decision of the Associated Press. Mitchell had held the Light Welterweight (Super Lightweight) Championship from 1922-26 when he was defeated by Mushy Callahan. On August 18, 1927, Freeman beat noted British boxer Harry Mason in a ten round welterweight bout at Madison Square Garden. Mason had a neat right-hand that countered Freeman, but he could not match him in close quarters. Mason was well