The Impossible Dream

Bookmakers dismissed the fight as a mismatch and refused to take bets. Still, Heavyweight Champion Cassius Clay, 25, insisted he was really worried by Challenger Zora Folley, a 34-year-old pug who had already been beaten by Sonny Listen, Henry Cooper and Ernie Terrell--all of whom Clay had kayoed. "I'm scared," said Cassius. "Anything can happen."

Nothing did. In Manhattan's Madison Square Garden last week, Clay hit Folley with two perfect right crosses to the chin. The first dumped Folley for a count of nine in the fourth round; the second put him down for keeps in the seventh--ending what the Garden's own publicity men called "The Impossible Dream." The only surprising thing about Clay's ninth title "defense" in the past 22 months was that 13,780 people paid money to see it. Cassius' cut of the purse was $264,838--which was impressive enough but may not do him much good where he is going. Ordered to report for induction into the Army on April 11, Black Muslim Clay says he may opt for jail instead.

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