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Heavyweight champion Ali returned to England to fight Cooper at Highbury on May 21, 1966
The Greatest saw off the London fighter in the sixth after opening up deep cut above Cooper's left eye
The pair met three years previously at Wembley with Cooper flooring Ali late in the fourth with his famed left hook
But wily cornerman Angelo Dundee revived his fighter, who would win in the next round after a dazzling barrage

Published: 19:01 EDT, 20 May 2016 | Updated: 19:01 EDT, 20 May 2016

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Muhammad Ali returned to London to successfully defend his heavyweight title against home favourite Henry Cooper fifty years ago.

At 24 and entering his unparalleled prime, the nimble Ali saw off Cooper, eight years his senior, in the sixth after opening up a deep cut above his left eye with a trademark long right.

With blood pouring relentlessly down Cooper's face, it left the referee little choice but to end the fight. Such was the damage that Cooper was hurried to Guy's Hospital for stitches.

Initially, controversy reigned, with Cooper's manager Jim Wicks claiming it was Ali's head and not his hand which did the damage.

But Cooper was magnanimous following defeat, telling Ali: 'Well, don't feel bad, champ. I was trying to do the same thing to you'.

Held at Arsenal's Highbury, the second meeting between the pair was watched by a crowd of 45,973, with Hollywood star Lee Marvin among those in attendance.

Three years earlier, Britons got a glimpse of the young Cassius Clay at Wembley. But the man who went on to become The Greatest was knocked down by Cooper's famed left hook - Enry's Ammer - late in the fourth.

His fighter saved by the bell, crafty cornerman Angelo Dundee sensed the danger and revived the Louisville Lip with smelling salts - then banned for use in the British Isles - and delayed the next round after opening a cut in a glove.

The momentum turned, Cooper went on to lose in the following round after a brutal barrage from his young opponent opened up a gash above Cooper's left eye.

In his following fight in the following year, Clay shook up the world, beating Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion - and Ali.

Muhammad Ali returned to London as heavyweight champion of the world in 1966, three years after beating Henry Cooper at Wembley

Cooper troubled Ali (then Cassius Clay) in 1963, flooring him at the end of round four, but boxing's rising star was saved by the bell

Ali leaves his London hotel for early morning training in preparation for the second fight, accompanied by two of Her Majesty's finest

Ali, hooded and in heavy boots, overtakes a horse-drawn carriage during an early morning training session in Hyde Park

Ali beat Sonny Liston after seeing off Cooper to win the heavyweight title and came back to London to face a familiar, fearsome foe

Cooper and Ali shake hands at the weigh-in before the world title fight, which took place at Arsenal's Highbury

A strong mutual respect existed between the pair, with Ali telling English reporters to 'give my regards to Henry' for years after the fight

Enry's Ammer caught Ali in 1963, but a cut above Cooper's right eye ended the first meeting in round five

Cooper (right) takes a quiet stroll in Welling on the morning of the fight with twin brother George and trainer Danny Holland

Cooper trains in front of a mirror at the Thomas A'Becket Gymnasium on the Old Kent Road in front of a television camera

Meanwhile the great fists of Ali are ready to do battle as The Greatest prepares for Cooper's challenge with a sparring session

Arsenal's Frank McLintock, David Court, John Sammels, and Alan Skirton take the opportunity to try out the ring at Highbury

Arsenal fan Cooper put up a brave fight against the world champ in front of a crowd of 46,000, among them Hollywood star Lee Marvin

Ali throws a right as Cooper retreats with the London fighter keeping a watchful eye on his irrepressive opponent

Cooper attempts to breach Ali's defences as the pair grapple during the first round of their second fight

As in the first fight, a deep cut above Cooper's left eye ended this bout, with a long punch from Ali opening up the wound

Blood pours from Cooper's face after the referee stops the world championship fight in the sixth round at Highbury

Ali receives a trophy from British Boxing Board of Control Secretary Teddy Waltham in his dressing room after retaining his world title

A dejected Cooper, with plaster-tape over his injured eye, is consoled in his dressing room by manager Jim Wicks (right)

A fresh-faced Ali walks through a London park and past two seemingly oblivious locals on a bench the morning after defeating Cooper

The Punch, by Peter Moss: How Sportsmail reported the fight

This is the Cassius Clay which ruined Henry Cooper's world title hopes. The picture freezes the moment in a film which ends the butt-or-punch controversy.

It shows Cooper turning away to minimise the effect of a left hook and about to take the full force of the following right on his left eyebrow, undamaged until then.

A few seconds later it was all over. The referee stopped the fight, in the sixth round.

There was no collision of heads; accidental or deliberate, although Cooper said he thought the damage had been done by Clay's head.

I sat beside Clay to watch it in London yesterday. The film will be shown in Rank cinemas throughout the country. Clay grinned and said: 'Like I keep telling everybody, my punches are so fast nobody can see them properly unless they are waiting for them as they watch a film.'

Cooper said later: 'I am astonished.'

Cooper had 16 stitches in the 2 ½ in. gash over his eye at Guy's Hospital, London, yesterday. As he left the hospital he said: 'I have no plans to retire. Why should I?'

He is planning a two-week holiday with his family. He said: 'It will take three or four months for the wound to heal so I think I will go and soak up some sun.

'A friend of mine has a shack in Bermuda so I will probably go there.'

The fight that delighted almost no-one, by Colin Wood: How Sportsmail reported the fight

Cassius Clay sauntered into his Press conference yesterday, sat down and played the piano, stood up to thank everybody and declared that everything was wonderful. Then he spoke seriously of the last, bloody minute of his latest triumph.

'Being a Muslim I just don't have it in me to hurt a man once I see he is cut. I was hitting to defend myself because Cooper was fighting in desperation.

I was not aiming for the cut. I was just hitting and waiting for the referee to stop it.

Against my nature

All I had to do and all I did in my mind was to stay on the defence.

I think it should have been stopped the moment it happened. As soon as I saw the cut, I told the referee 'You should stop it.' He looked at him, and let him go on.

But I did not feel like fighting. I could not stand it. It is against my nature to kill or hurt.

The cut was caused by a solid right, snapped in. There was a left and then a right, right on the button.

It is easy to get proof of this. All you have to do is to go and see the film. When it is slowed down you will see that I caught him with a punch, not my head.

Acting Crazy

Henry Cooper was a real sportsman, I went to his dressing room after the fight and told him how sorry I was. He said: 'Well, don't feel bad, champ. I was trying to do the same thing to you.'

I would love to come back again to defend my title.

I was surprised to see how many fans I have.

It was different the last time I was here. As you know, I was campaigning then, acting crazy.'