# Sonny Banks

Lucien "Sonny" Banks (June 29, 1940 – May 13, 1965) was a mid-20th Century American boxer who is primarily remembered for being the first boxer to ever knock down Cassius Clay (later "Muhammad Ali") in a professional match. In the early 1960s Banks was regarded in the sport as rising prospect known for a lightning fast left hook, but his career was cut short when he died from injuries sustained in the ring in 1965.

## Early life

Banks was from Lee County in north east Mississippi. He was born in the farming community at Birmingham Ridge, about halfway between Tupelo and Saltillo.

## Boxing career

He fought Clay on 10 February 1962 in New York, and knocked him down for a count, although he went on to lose the match.

## Death

Banks died on 13 May 1965 at the age of 24 from a head injury sustained three days earlier in a 9-round bout against Leotis Martin.

## Professional boxing record

18 Wins (14 knockouts, 4 decisions), 7 Losses (5 knockouts, 2 decisions) :
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 18–7 | Leotis Martin | KO | 9 | 1965-05-10 | Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Banks died three days later from injuries sustained during the fight. |
| Loss | 18–6 | Cleveland Williams | KO | 6 | 1964-07-21 | Houston, Texas, U.S. | |
| Win | 18–5 | Don Warner | KO | 1 | 1964-05-18 | Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Win | 17–5 | Lee Batts | KO | 2 | 1964-03-16 | Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Batts knocked out at 1:08 of the second round. |
| Loss | 16–5 | Lee Batts | SD | 10 | 1963-11-29 | Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 16–4 | David E. Bailey | SD | 10 | 1963-10-18 | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 15–4 | Jim Jones | UD | 8 | 1963-07-06 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| Win | 14–4 | Freddie Mack | SD | 10 | 1963-06-05 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 13–4 | Leroy Roker | TKO | 6 | 1963-03-15 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Referee stopped the bout at 0:40 of the sixth round. |
| Win | 12–4 | Lou Bailey | KO | 1 | 1963-02-09 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 11–4 | Gene Jackson | KO | 3 | 1962-07-28 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Jackson knocked out at 2:02 of the third round. |
| Loss | 10–4 | Young Jack Johnson | KO | 5 | 1962-05-26 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Loss | 10–3 | Cassius Clay | TKO | 4 | 1962-02-10 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | Referee stopped the bout at 0:26 of the fourth round. |
| Win | 10–2 | Clay Thomas | KO | 2 | 1962-01-27 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 9–2 | Tunney Hunsaker | KO | 2 | 1961-10-16 | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 8–2 | Willie Coleman | TKO | 5 | 1961-08-07 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Michigan Heavyweight Title. |
| Win | 7–2 | Joe Shelton | KO | 2 | 1961-06-06 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 6–2 | Herman Wilson | KO | 1 | 1961-04-25 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Loss | 5–2 | Chuck Garrett | PTS | 5 | 1961-02-06 | Marigold Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Joe Shelton | KO | 3 | 1960-10-11 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 5–0 | Rufus Handsome | KO | 1 | 1960-09-23 | Detroit Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 4–0 | Chico Gardner | KO | 4 | 1960-08-31 | Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Win | 3–0 | Ted Davis | KO | 1 | 1960-08-18 | Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 2–0 | Lloyd Washington | KO | 1 | 1960-07-12 | Peace Bridge Arena, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada | |
| Win | 1–0 | Ernie Berthet Jr. | PTS | 4 | 1960-05-19 | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |