Meet 21-year-old British boxer Sonny Liston Ali and remember the name
When a young prospect impresses at the start of his professional career, boxing commentators sometimes urge you to 'remember the name'.
Well, there's little chance of forgetting 21-year-old British fighter Sonny Liston Ali, currently undefeated in four professional fights.
The super-lightweight from Romford shares his birth name with two all-time heavyweight greats, Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, who provided the sport with two of the most memorable and iconic world title fights of all-time.
"It's destiny. With my name, I had no choice but to box," Ali told BBC Sport, just before his latest win on July 16 on the undercard of Hamzah Sheeraz vs Francisco Torres at the Copper Box Arena.
"My grandad wanted to name me Sonny, my mum is a big boxing fan and she gave me the name Liston, and my dad – who is a quarter Bengali – just so happened to have Ali as his surname."
"For me it's just my name; I've had it my whole life. But for other people it's a unique name and it's definitely a talking point."
In February 1964, Ali – then known as Cassius Clay – shocked the sporting world by beating formidable heavyweight world champion Liston. The two American fighters met again 15 months later, with Ali again winning, this time by a shicking first-round stoppage, producing the iconic photo known as 'The Phantom Punch'.
But Essex boxer Ali, despite his name, didn't have any real interest in boxing in his early years. As is the case with many fighters, he was taken to boxing gym in order to improve his poor behaviour.
"I didn't start boxing until I was about nine or 10," he says. "It's not like my mum gave me that name and said he has to be a boxer. I was getting trouble in school and took it up.
"I lost my first five fights but then I knuckled down because I was enjoying boxing. I then kept winning one and losing one before I went on a 30-fight winning streak."
Ali says amateur opponents who read his name on the fight card sheet in his amateur days when he went by Sonny Ali would often be in for a surprise.
"They expected an Asian kid to walk out but next thing they know they've got a skinny white kid sitting in the corner," he says.
As an amateur, Ali won two English titles, two Great Britain titles and four national titles before taking a short break from the sport at the age of 17.
He signed with Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions last year and has notched up four points wins in just eight months.
Of his two namesakes, Liston was one of the most brutal punchers in heavyweight history, while Ali's footwork and handspeed were pretty much unmatched.
So what type of style does Ali bring to the ring?
"I'm a tall, slick boxer, but after this camp they will see a spiteful boxer," he described. "I will show the strength side of things. The man strength has started to come. I will show a lot more pressure in this fight."
Muhammad Ali was one of greatest talkers boxing has ever seen, but Briton Ali admits he is still getting accustomed to being in the spotlight.
"I'm more nervous in interviews than I am getting in the ring," he says. "I'm a very humble guy but that doesn't sell fights so I have to bring myself out a bit more and talk the talk a bit more.
"But all press is good press. If my name is turning heads and it's a talking point then I'm happy to ride it. I'm proud of the name Ali and I'm proud of the name Sonny Liston. I'll talk about it all the time. "
