What was the date of Muhammad Ali's professional boxing debut?

Muhammad Ali’s professional boxing debut was on October 29, 1960. Fighting under his birth name, Cassius Clay, he faced Tunney Hunsaker at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, and won a six-round decision.

The debut came only weeks after Clay won the light-heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. At 18, he was already known for his speed, confidence, and unusual defensive movement, but the professional ranks demanded longer bouts, stronger opponents, and a different level of endurance.

Clay followed the Hunsaker fight with four more victories before the end of February 1961. By the end of 1963, he had built an unbeaten record of 19–0, including 15 knockout wins. A common mix-up is confusing his professional debut with his Olympic triumph, which occurred earlier in 1960. Another nearby date, November 29, 1961, was the date of his fight with Willi Besmanoff, not his first professional bout.