On February 25, 1964, 38-year-old Malcolm X, who had been suspended from the Nation of Islam, was seated in row 7, seat 7, to watch Cassius Clay challenge Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title. Rain poured down outside the half-full Miami Convention Hall. Many observers, particularly the boxing journalists gathered ringside, were confident Clay would lose.
Malcolm, however, had a different perspective.
The complex relationship between Malcolm X and Cassius Clay – who officially became Muhammad Ali shortly after the fight with Liston – has been well-documented in books, films, and documentaries. Yet, what has largely been overlooked is the extent of Malcolm`s own boxing experience.
Beginning in his youth, Malcolm Little followed his brother Philbert`s lead and competed in Golden Gloves matches, frequently losing. In his 1965 autobiography, as recorded by Alex Haley, Malcolm recounted being knocked out by a 13-year-old white opponent named Bill Peterson. He stated:
“That white boy was the beginning and the end of my fighting career.”
However, this statement holds true only if his time in prison is excluded. Very little information has historically been available regarding Malcolm`s time spent incarcerated. This is understandable, as events within prison walls are difficult to confirm. Nevertheless, by examining prison records, internal newspapers, conducting interviews, and visiting relevant locations, significant details about Malcolm`s six and a half years in prison have been uncovered. A particularly noteworthy and now verifiable fact is that during his 15 months at the Massachusetts Reformatory in Concord (1947-1948), Malcolm participated in boxing matches against three separate opponents. Round-by-round accounts for each of these bouts even exist.
Inmates at the Massachusetts Reformatory in Concord organized “Monday Night Club Boxing.” These events were held periodically throughout the year, primarily from January to April, starting at 7 PM in Tufts Hall. This hall was named after the reformatory`s first superintendent, Colonel Gardiner Tufts, and was situated “under the chapel.” Usually, six or seven three-round matches spanning various weight divisions were scheduled.
The inmates themselves organized these boxing nights. They had two referees, a timekeeper operating the bell, three judges, and an announcer. Furthermore, there was an in-prison reporter, 23-year-old William Paul Williams from Pennsylvania, who documented each fight. His detailed accounts were published in the reformatory`s newspaper, “Our Paper.”
On February 3, 1947, less than a month after his transfer from the grim conditions of Charlestown State Prison, Malcolm – who had not yet joined the Nation of Islam and was serving an 8-to-10-year sentence for burglary – entered the ring in Tufts Hall.
While at Charlestown, Malcolm had limited opportunities for activity, spending 17.5 hours daily confined to a 6×9 foot cell. Upon arrival at Concord, however, he had access to a proper gymnasium and equipment. His first opponent on that particular night was 20-year-old Robert D. Nash. Nash weighed 180 pounds, while Malcolm weighed 176.
Opponent #1: Robert D. Nash
According to Nash`s prison records, he was Black and grew up in the impoverished segregated areas of Lynn, Massachusetts, and its surroundings. He was the second oldest of ten children. His mother had him at age 16, and his parents separated when he was 17. Nash left school during the 7th grade but continued to take classes in the “art department” at public schools because his teachers recognized his talent for sketching.
Nash and Malcolm worked together for several months in the furniture department at MR-Concord. Nash was serving a five-year sentence for operating a motor vehicle without authorization, his driving privileges having been previously suspended.
In his leisure time at the reformatory, Nash enjoyed reading current magazines like Life, Reader’s Digest, and Collier’s. He also practiced wood carving and regularly attended Catholic services. His mother told a prison official that:
“Robert enjoyed dancing and singing. He was very proficient in both. It is his custom to become acquainted with all the latest songs.”
Here is the full description by prison reporter Williams of Malcolm`s three-round bout against Nash:
“Nash took left jabs from Little then countered with a right that did not do any damage. Little ripped a hard right in the second then both threw light jabs. This continued throughout the final round, therefore the punches had little or no effect on the other at the bell.”
The outcome of the fight was not reported in the newspaper unless a knockout (KO) or technical knockout (TKO) took place.
Opponent #2: Frank R. Willis
Just one week later, Malcolm returned to the ring. His opponent was 22-year-old Frank R. Willis, who was white and only three days away from being released on parole.
Willis was the only one of the three opponents whose name appeared in the 1950 Census records, which confirmed he was white. Willis`s detailed prison file indicates that his father passed away when he was two years old. He left school in the 7th grade to support his mother but soon became involved with a “gangster” figure named Ranahan, who was known as a formidable “prize fighter.”
When Willis was sentenced at age 19 for “using a car without authority,” his mother felt a sense of relief. She saw prison as an opportunity for him to escape the harmful influence of gangsters. Willis himself had previously hoped to join the Marines to support his mother and avoid Ranahan`s control.
On that specific Monday night in Tufts Hall, Willis, weighing 175 pounds, touched gloves with Malcolm, who remained at 176 pounds for the match.
For Malcolm, this fight proved more challenging than the match against Nash the previous week.
According to Williams` report:
“Willis hammered lefts and rights to the head and body of Little in the opening round. Light jabs were hitting their marks then Little connected with hard blows to the head of Willis. In the second Little caught Willis with three jabs to the head at the bell. The final saw Willis the aggressor as he fired repeated lefts and rights to the head and body. Little continued to use his jab until the final bell.”
Consulting Malcolm`s personal prison file, medical records show he received treatment for a “laceration” on his chin on February 11. It is highly probable that Willis landed a punch that caused a cut on Malcolm, resulting in a half-inch scar near the base of his chin.
Opponent #3: Floyd Johnston
Malcolm took a break of about two months following the Willis fight. However, on April 28, he returned to the Tufts Hall ring, weighing six pounds more, to face 21-year-old Floyd Johnston, who weighed 180 pounds.
Johnston`s prison file indicates he was Black and had worked as a dishwasher and farmhand before his incarceration. He was charged with five counts of robbery, having stolen money from five different people, and received a five-year sentence. For leisure, Johnston enjoyed reading “sports and adventure stories” and participated in football and baseball. He also attended Concord`s school program four nights weekly, having completed the 8th grade, and occasionally attended Protestant services.
Johnston also worked in the furniture shop for three months, meaning he would have been working in proximity to Malcolm at some point.
As you will see, this fight was by far the most physically demanding of the three for Malcolm.
According to Williams` report:
“Johnston recovered from a slow start when in the second he unleashed savage blows at Little who went down for a count of 7 being saved by the bell. Again, in the third, Little was counted for 7 but recovered and went to a finish more or less in a defensive sort of a way.”
According to reports in “Our Paper,” Malcolm did not participate in the Monday night boxing events at Concord again after being knocked down twice by Johnston. On April 29, 1947, the day after this challenging bout, Malcolm received a disciplinary write-up for possessing a handmade six-inch blade, or “shiv.” It`s plausible this was related to the environment, as MR-Concord was known for its younger inmates, with an average age of 21, prone to aggression. Alternatively, perhaps Malcolm harbored resentment towards Johnston. The full details are not clear from the prison file.
Fast forward 17 years, and there was Malcolm, observing the Clay-Liston fight with a sharp understanding of what it takes to be a boxer. He had prayed with Clay moments before the match and helped boost his confidence. Malcolm later explained:
“Except for whatever chemical it was that got into Cassius’ eyes and blinded him temporarily in the fourth and fifth rounds, the fight went according to plan. [Clay] evaded Liston’s powerful punches. The third round automatically began the tiring of the aging Liston, who was overconfidently trained to go only two rounds. Then, desperate, Liston lost. The secret of one of fight history’s greatest upsets was that months before that night, Clay had out-thought Liston.”
Shortly after the fight, Clay distanced himself from Malcolm`s influence, aligning instead with Elijah Muhammad – a decision he would later regret. As Ali wrote 40 years later in his autobiography, The Soul of a Butterfly:
“Turning my back on Malcolm was one of the mistakes that I regret most in my life.”
Ali regretted not only abandoning a friend and mentor but also someone who deeply understood the courage required to enter the boxing ring. He described Malcolm as:
“a visionary—ahead of us all.”
Oliver Croft