| Fight Name: | The Return of the Champion |
| Fight Date: | October 26, 1970 |
| Location: | Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Titles: | Lineal heavyweight title |
| Fighter1: |  Muhammad Ali |
| Nickname1: | "The Greatest" |
| Hometown1: | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Purse1: | $200,000 |
| Record1: | 29–0 (23 KO) |
| Height1: | 6 ft 3 in |
| Weight1: | 213+1/2 lb |
| Style1: | Orthodox |
| Recognition1: | Lineal Heavyweight Champion |
| Fighter2: | Jerry Quarry |
| Nickname2: | "Irish" |
| Hometown2: | Bakersfield, California |
| Purse2: | $150,000 |
| Record2: | 37–4–4 (24 KO) |
| Height2: | 6 ft 0 in |
| Weight2: | 197+1/2 lb |
| Style2: | Orthodox |
| Recognition2: | WBA No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight The Ring No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight |
| Result: | Ali won via 3rd round RTD |
Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry, billed as The Return of the Champion, was a professional boxing match contested on October 26, 1970, for the Lineal heavyweight championship.[1] This was Ali's first fight since his suspension from boxing in 1967.
Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight titles in 1967 when he faced charges for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War. For nearly four years, Ali was banned from the sport, missing out on what could have been the prime of his career, until Georgia granted Ali a boxing license in 1970. Meanwhile, Jerry Quarry had risen through the ranks in the late 1960s, but lost title fights against Joe Frazier and Jimmy Ellis.
Both fighters were hoping that the victory would be a launchpad to a championship match with Frazier. Ali had accumulated a bit of rust and lost a bit of speed from the years off, but was sharp throughout the match, using his jab to keep Quarry off balance and landing power shots consistently. Quarry grew bolder as the fight went on, and managed to land several shots on the former champion, but suffered a cut over the left eye in the third round, and began to bleed profusely. The fight was stopped by the fight doctor following the end of the third round.
See main article: Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry II. The two fighters rematched less than two years later. The fight would be for the NABF heavyweight title, which Ali now held. Quarry did better this time, lasting much longer, but once again struggled to close the distance with, and hurt Ali, who once again dominated most of the fight from the outside. Quarry was hurt going into the seventh round, and after landing several unanswered shots, Ali signaled to the referee to stop the fight, which he did shortly afterwards.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Confirmed bouts:[9]
| align=center | Country | align=center | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABS-CBN | |||
| BBC |