Three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali sat on the Kentucky bench during the Cats’ 87-77 win over Florida on Feb. 18, 1995, at Rupp Arena. Ali attended the game as part of a one-day promotional visit to Lexington for a play, Ali, that ran later that month at the Opera House. A playful Ali met the UK players in the locker room before the game. “He said, ‘I’ll take you all on,'” Jeff Sheppard said. Ali also threw some punches. “I jabbed at Anthony Epps,” Rodrick Rhodes said. “He told Epps he reminded him of Joe Frazier.” UK coach Rick Pitino said the UK players were too young to remember Ali in his fighting prime. “For me, personally, it was a thrill of a lifetime,” the UK coach said of Ali’s presence on the bench. With 1:23 left and the Cats ahead by two, 77-75, Sheppard was fouled but had to leave the game because of blood on his nose. Chris Harrison entered the game and made both free throws. As Harrison shot and team physician David Caborn worked on a cut on Sheppard’s nose, Sheppard turned to Ali and said something. Ali and Sheppard then smiled. “I told him I got punched in the nose,” Sheppard said. Here is another photo from his visit that day to Lexington. Photo by Mark Cornelison | Staff