Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams was a professional boxing match contested on November 14, 1966, for the WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring championship.

On the evening of November 29, 1964, two years before the fight, Williams was shot in the stomach by a highway patrolman, for supposedly resisting arrest.

By the time of the Williams fight, Ali had great success with his "stick and move" style: employing a strong left jab, to whittle down his opponents, and a low guard, allowing him to anticipate and dodge incoming punches.

In the first half of the second round, Williams made a concerted attempt to cut the ring and trap Ali into a corner.

In the third and final round, WIlliams came out swinging, throwing several wild punches at the champion in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the fight, but Ali effectively dodged and countered all of them before beginning an offensive of his own.

[3][4] Many experts and boxers, including Mike Tyson, regard Ali's performance in this fight to be the finest of his boxing career.