Editing Muhammad Ali (section)

===Early career===
[[File:1961 Cassius Clay vs. Donnie Fleeman On-Site Poster.jpg|thumb|upright|On-site poster for [[Cassius Clay vs. Donnie Fleeman|Cassius Clay's]] fifth professional bout]]
Clay made his professional debut on October 29, 1960, winning a six-round decision over [[Tunney Hunsaker]]. From then until the end of 1963, Clay amassed a record of 19–0 with 15 wins by knockout. He defeated boxers including Tony Esperti, [[Jim Robinson (boxer)|Jim Robinson]], Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, [[LaMar Clark]], [[Doug Jones (boxer)|Doug Jones]], and [[Henry Cooper]]. Clay also beat his former trainer and veteran boxer [[Archie Moore]] in a 1962 match.<ref>{{cite news |last=Calkins |first=Matt |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/nov/17/archie-moore-the52-boxing-heavyweight/ |title=Archie Moore was the KO king |work=[[U-T San Diego]] |date=November 17, 2014 |access-date=June 15, 2016 |archive-date=August 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811005535/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/nov/17/archie-moore-the52-boxing-heavyweight/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url={{GBurl|id=mgDK3q6GWI8C}} |title=Ali in Action: The Man, the Moves, the Mouth |first=Les |last=Krantz |year=2008 |publisher=Globe Pequot |access-date=June 15, 2016 |via=Google Books |isbn=978-1-59921-302-6}}</ref>

These early fights were not without trials. Clay was knocked down by both [[Sonny Banks]] and Cooper. In the Cooper fight, Clay was floored by a left [[Hook (boxing)|hook]] at the end of round four and was saved by the bell, going on to win in the predicted fifth round due to Cooper's severely cut eye. The fight with Doug Jones on March 13, 1963, was Clay's toughest fight during this stretch. The number two and three heavyweight contenders respectively, Clay and Jones fought on Jones' home turf at New York's [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]]. Jones staggered Clay in the first round, and the unanimous decision for Clay was greeted by boos and a rain of debris thrown into the ring. Watching on closed-circuit TV, heavyweight champ [[Sonny Liston]] quipped that if he fought Clay he (Liston) might get locked up for murder. The fight was later named "Fight of the Year" by ''The Ring'' magazine.<ref>{{cite news |last=Velin |first=Bob |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2016/06/04/muhammad-ali-fight-by-fight-career/85341622/ |title=Fight by fight: Muhammad Ali's legendary career |work=[[USA Today]] |date=June 4, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2016 |archive-date=June 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615060046/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2016/06/04/muhammad-ali-fight-by-fight-career/85341622/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In each of these fights, Clay vocally belittled his opponents and vaunted his abilities. He called Jones "an ugly little man" and Cooper a "bum". He said he was embarrassed to get in the ring with Alex Miteff and claimed that Madison Square Garden was "too small for me".<ref name=Mee>Bob Mee, ''Ali and Liston: The Boy Who Would Be King and the Ugly Bear'', 2011.</ref> Ali's [[trash talk]] was inspired by [[professional wrestler]] [[Gorgeous George|"Gorgeous George" Wagner]]'s, after he saw George's talking ability attract huge crowds to events.<ref name="SI">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114630/index.htm |title=King Strut |first=John |last=Capouya |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=March 14, 2017 |date=December 12, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603232105/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114630/index.htm |archive-date=June 3, 2011}}</ref> In a 1969 interview he stated that he met with George in Las Vegas in 1961, that George told him that talking a big game would earn paying fans who either wanted to see him win or wanted to see him lose, thus Clay transformed himself into a self-described "big-mouth and a bragger".<ref name=georgali>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbssports.com/general/news/how-muhammad-alis-fascination-with-pro-wrestling-fueled-his-career-inspired-mma/ |title=How Muhammad Ali's fascination with pro wrestling fueled his career, inspired MMA |first=Denny |last=Burkholder |work=CBS Sports |date=June 6, 2016 |access-date=October 2, 2016 |archive-date=August 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807202007/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/how-muhammad-alis-fascination-with-pro-wrestling-fueled-his-career-inspired-mma/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1960, Clay left Moore's camp, partially due to Clay's refusal to do chores such as washing dishes and sweeping. To replace Moore, Clay hired [[Angelo Dundee]] to be his trainer. Clay had met Dundee in February 1957 during Clay's amateur career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/7470417/muhammad-ali-was-continues-greatest |work=ESPN |title=Dundee: Ali was, still is 'The Greatest' |date=January 17, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2012 |first1=Carlos |last1=Irusta |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119214342/http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7470417/muhammad-ali-was-continues-greatest |url-status=live }}</ref> Around this time, Clay sought longtime idol [[Sugar Ray Robinson]] to be his manager, but was rebuffed.<ref>{{cite book |last=Haygood |first=Wil |author-link=Wil Haygood |title=Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_nfLUMzlM0C&pg=PA378 |page=378 |publisher=[[Chicago Review Press]] |year=2011 |access-date=June 24, 2016 |isbn=978-1-56976-864-8 |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031223022/https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_nfLUMzlM0C&pg=PA378#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>