Muhammad Ali

[Eric]

One of the greatest boxers of all time has passed on. The Louisville Lip. RIP Ali. Not much left of the golden era of heavyweight boxing. Jerry Quarry was one of the first to go: blocked too many punches with his face. Oscar Bonavena shot outside a whorehouse. But big George is still truckin' and selling his grills. But the greatest was Ali. Which boxing fan can forget THE FIGHT. The Rumble in the Jungle. The Thrilla' in Manila. Even Henry Cooper's shock knockdown ... the first time in his pro career that Ali was knocked on his ass. A great boxer in a time of great boxers, and an inspiration for black Americans.

[cashman]

Thats it in a nutshell. the heavyweight division in those days was the strongest its ever been, certainly in my lifetime! Ali was the master no question, and probably did more for american civil rights than any politician.R.I.P. fella.

[Barrie Yates]

I agree that he was arguably the greatest boxer of all time.
But, why is there nothing else on the news - BBC, Sky, Sky Sports etc. even today? Is there nothing else happening in the world, or is there some bombshell being hidden away?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

I agree that he was arguably the greatest boxer of all time.
But, why is there nothing else on the news - BBC, Sky, Sky Sports etc. even today? Is there nothing else happening in the world, or is there some bombshell being hidden away?

Perhaps its better than reporting Gove had the better of the 2 nights? wouldn't surprise me.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by cashman

Thats it in a nutshell. the heavyweight division in those days was the strongest its ever been, certainly in my lifetime! Ali was the master no question, and probably did more for american civil rights than any politician.R.I.P. fella.

Maybe the heavyweight division was so great to watch 'cause those guys were much lighter and faster than modern heavyweights. Ali fought at around 210 lbs ... Floyd Patterson was usually under 200 and Rocky Marciano 185 ... Klitschko usually weighed in at 250 plus pounds. That's not a boxer, it's a goddam cement truck. You can't float like a butterfly at that weight.

[cashman]

Marciano wasn't a boxer either Eric, but hes the only undefeated world heavyweight champ as i can recall? so to me that point is irrelevant?

[MoreJoe]

Without doubt, "The Greatest".
"I shook up the world. I shook up the world. I shook up the world."
Yes you certainly did.
God rest his soul.

[art1225]

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

RIP Champ

[Eric]

Originally Posted by cashman

Marciano wasn't a boxer either Eric, but hes the only undefeated world heavyweight champ as i can recall? so to me that point is irrelevant?

I don't know about that ... it's debatable ... but there must have been something special about a man only about a stone heavier than I am, throwing one of the hardest punches ever, to take out an aging Jersey Joe Walcott.




Maybe he was lucky to fight at the end of one great era of heavyweights ... Archie Moore, Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe (and who can forget Don Cockell) ... and before the beginning of another. But Ali was more than just a boxer. He won the championship before the signing of the Civil Rights Act (what Johnson called the "nigger act"). Born before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, he was a champion of what was right. He put his freedom and his career on the line to protest the Viet Nam war. He was truly great.

Pity there ain't enough of us fans of the golden age of boxing to justify a "classic boxing" thread.

[cashman]

To me Marciano was not lucky at all, but he was no boxer, but certainly one of the best fighters that ever lived imho, I certainly wouldn't have had a pop at him, and i was daft enough to have a pop at Brian London, big mistake but was glad i had too much ale in me, lasted about 15 seconds. but later in the mid 90s we became mates n had a few morning brews in Blackpool. he did think it was hilarious when i reminded him, pmsl