Listen now: History of the Heavyweight Championship, 1968

Welcome to the history of the heavyweight championship of the world.

Yahoo Sport will release a podcast led by legend Steve Bunce for each year of the golden age of boxing; the 1960s.

This podcast covers 1968. The year started with nobody prepared to publicly mourn Muhammad Ali, punished for refusing to serve in the US army during the Vietnam War.

Ali needed money to fund his legal fight. Plans were made for fights abroad, and for one in Salt Lake City. Instead, Ali’s tour of talks and training continued.

LISTEN: History of the heavyweight championship – Episode one

LISTEN: History of the heavyweight championship – Episode two

LISTEN: History of the heavyweight championship – Episode seven

LISTEN: History of the heavyweight championship – Episode eight

In March, Joe Frazier and Buster Mathis met at Madison Square Garden to contest the WBC heavyweight championship – both men were undefeated in professional boxing. Outside there were protests in support of Ali.

Once the WBC belt was decided, it was time for the WBA to find their man. The last two men standing were Jimmy Ellis and Jerry Quarry.

There was immediately talk of a unification fight – it would not be so simple.