Having just read the new book “Muhammad Ali and the Greatest Heavyweight Generation” by Tom Cushman and having just written a column about it (click on it at The Press Democrat Web site sports page), two sensational knockouts and a terrific knockdown from that era come to mind.

1969. Leotis Martin knocks out Sonny Liston in the ninth round. This was a textbook power-combo knockout, awesome to see, with Liston landing face-first on the canvas. It was on national TV, ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Check it out on You Tube. Liston, one of the most-feared punchers of all time, had never been counted out. In his two losses to Ali, he had quit after the sixth round in the first fight and was knocked down by a so-called phantom punch in the second fight but the referee never started a count before declaring Ali the winner after Liston got to his feet and he and Ali had resumed fighting.

1980. Mike Weaver, hopelessly behind on points in the 15th and final round of a title bout against John Tate in Tate’s hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., scores a stunning, no-doubt-about-it KO in the final seconds. It’s easy to say in retrospect but you could almost see it coming, Tate gasping for air and leaning on Weaver as the fight winds down.

1990. Mike Tyson’s knockdown of Buster Douglas. Everyone remembers this fight, and rightly so, as the galactic upset of the century, with the 42-1 underdog Douglas knocking out the previously unbeaten and seemingly invulnerable Tyson in the 10th round. But in the eighth round, behind on points and obviously in serious trouble, Tyson unleashed a classic uppercut that caught Douglas flush on the chin and dropped him, hard, on the seat of his pants. Douglas benefited from a slow count, barely made it to his feet at 9, and the rest is history. But Tyson’s knockdown shouldn’t be forgotten. If nothing else, it puts the lie to the myth that he caved in during that fight when he realized Douglas was better than he imagined. Tyson very nearly pulled out a win.