On February 8, 1964, renowned photographer Harry Benson arranged a meeting between the iconic British band, The Beatles, and the rising boxing star, Muhammad Ali, in Miami. Little did Benson know that this encounter would not go down as smoothly as he had hoped. According to Benson, Ali's larger-than-life persona and sharp-tongued repartee left the Fab Four feeling rather small and foolish, particularly John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Ali, who was preparing to fight Sonny Liston at the time, effortlessly dominated the conversation, verbally belittling the band members. He scoffed at their notion of being good-looking, referring to them as 'tiny, small, little men' while emphasizing his own physical presence. Not only did Ali criticize their appearance, but he also expressed his disdain for their singing abilities, much to the dismay of The Beatles.
