Muhammed Ali was the greatest: You'd have to shoot him to beat him says rival Brian London

Brian London, born Brian Harper in West Hartlepool 81 years ago, challenged Ali in Earls Court in London back in the summer of 1966.

England had just won the World Cup and the country was on a high but days later London could not get the better of the self-proclaimed “The Greatest”.

Unbeaten Ali won by a third-round KO as London’s second and final World title challenge ended in defeat – he had been knocked out by another legend, Floyd Patterson in Indianapolis in 1959.

Asked what he could have done differently against Ali in an interview, the Pools fighter said “shoot him”.

“He was a phenomenon, a great fighter,” recalled Brian. “His speed was phenomenal.”

Here, watch what Brian London had to say about Muhammed Ali.