ESPN: An Audience With Muhammad Ali- From 1974

The Greatest Performer of All-Time?

Source: ESPN: An Audience With Muhammad Ali- From 1974

Muhammad Ali, perhaps at his most popular and highest peak professionally in 1974. Now seemed more as a mainstream figure and perhaps less as a rebel, or some Black Power figure or something. He’s not the most recognizable and most popular athlete in the world forty-years ago and today just because African-Americans, Native-Africans and Muslims regardless of race, or ethnicity love him. He became more of a mainstream figure in the mid 1970s as more Americans especially got to know him, but he moderated as well and said less derogatory things about Caucasians and the establishment. And more people got to see how intelligent and the great comedic wit and acting ability that he had as well.

Muhammad, was certainly a member of the TV Generation and was perfect for it and came up during the perfect time for him. That is why he’s so famous, because he came up when network TV was so crucial and dominant and had the perfect personality for it. Someone who was very bright and knew exactly what he was talking about, but also someone who was very funny and entertaining and people simply loved him and still do for it. This is in late 1974 and he Muhammad fought Joe Frazier for the third and final time about a year later. And you hear Ali talking about Frazier, because that is the fight people wanted to see again. And Smokin Joe wanted another shot at Ali and regain the World Heavyweight Championship. And Ali probably wanted to beat Joe Frazier again.

Muhammad Ali as a politician? I hate to do this as a great of an athlete and in many ways as a man he was, I could see him as the Donald Trump of the 1970s or 80s had he not come down from Parkinson’s. As he said himself as a non-politician he was free to say whatever he feels and believes and even the truth. You can’t do that as a politician and expect to be reelected. You have to be more careful and target what you say and how you say it. One of the reasons why Donald Trump has never been elected to anything is because he’s unelectable. He’s done the best Mitt Romney impersonation you’ll ever see by being multiple choice on so many key issues. Muhammad was always better off being free and out of elected office and being exactly who he was. Not feeling the need to have to please people.

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Rick Wharton: HBO Sports: Thrilla In Manila Documentary: The Heavyweight Battle of The Century

Ali-Frazier III

Source: Rick Wharton: HBO Sports: Thrilla In Manila Documentary: The Heavyweight Battle of The Century

I’m not a boxing expert and don’t pretend to be one and I haven’t followed boxing very closely for almost twenty-years now since the heavyweight division went into the toilet as if it was flushed down. But The Thrilla in Manila at least to me is at the very least the best heavyweight division fight of all-time. It represents the best and the worst of boxing. Two big strong men literally beating the hell out of each other. In a way it was like an Old West shootout where the last man standing won. But even Old West shootouts generally had winners. This fight was more like a divorce. Where there wasn’t real winner. Just a survivor who was slightly better off than the man he beat. This fight was only stopped, because Joe Frazier was literally blind at the end of it. Thats how much this fight took out of both men.

The Thrilla in Manila was the last fight in the greatest trilogy again at least in the heavyweight division. Which is the only division in boxing that I follow at all. Smokin Joe won the first fight in 1971 and Muhammad won the second fight in 73 and beat the man who beat Joe for the heavyweight championship in 1974, which of course was George Forman. So yes the third fight was again for the Heavyweight Championship of the World for the second time and Joe wanted it back. But as they said in this film The Thrilla in Manila was about the World Heavyweight Championship of each other. The right to say that they were better than the other. That they were the best heavyweight of their generation and of the 1970s. You could still argue about Larry Holmes, but they both would’ve had a good case had they won this fight.

The Thrilla in Manila looks like to me what it would have been like had Germany fought Japan at the end of World War II. Imagine had they destroyed each other during that war instead of getting their assess handed to them by America and the Western Allies and literally destroyed each other, but didn’t know how to give up. And kept going on until neither one had one fighter and one weapon left. That is what this fight was like. Two big strong men beating the hell out of each other until one literally couldn’t take it anymore and was literally knocked out, or gave up. That is why I say this fight represents boxing at its best and worst. Two guys in the primes giving everything they had against the other, but beating each other up so much that they caused real physical damage to the other.

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Ibhof: Video: Becoming Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All-Time

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on WordPress

Was Muhammad Ali a great boxer? Was he a great champion? Was he a great entertainer? What he a great comedian? Was he a great poet? Was he a great civil rights spokesperson? Well the answer to all of these questions, except for maybe poet is yes. He was all of these things and did all of these things very well. Perhaps The Greatest of All-Time doing all of these things. That is how quick and intelligent he was. No one has know them self better and the people around him better than Muhammad Ali. And really the only mistake he’s ever made in life was fighting too long. Which of course has cost him the rest of his life. And he has to live with Parkinson’s.

But here’s a guy who dominated the media from a news, entertainment and sports perspective, as well as the heavyweight boxing division for about 15-20 years. He only time he didn’t dominate these fields was when he lost his boxing license because of his opposition to the Vietnam War. But he was the best, The Greatest of All-Time for a very long time. We never saw anyone as good pre-Muhammad Ali and haven’t seen a boxer and entertainer as good since. Muhammad Ali, is truly an American original.

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Muhammad Ali Then and Now: David Frost interview Then and Now

 

David and Muhammad

Source: This piece was originally posted at The New Democrat Plus

If there was one person that should’ve wrote a comedy book with all sorts of wisecracks, jokes and monologues in it, its Muhammad Ali. The man was comedian with big fists and quick feet. A true punchers wit who it hadn’t been for boxing, he would’ve ended up in Hollywood as a comedian and comedic actor and perhaps writer and commentator. The only other pro-athlete that I can compare with Muhammad when it comes to humor and wit, would be Charles Barkley. Another very talented athlete who is very bright and very funny at the same time. Who can express how they feel in an intelligent, accurate, but funny way as well.

A few things that makes Muhammad the greatest of all-time the best heavyweight boxer of all-time. His physical size. 215-220 pounds of solid muscle on a 6’2-6’3 frame. The man had the body of a big wide receiver or running back. And then you add how quick he was with his footwork, hand speed and intelligence. He knew his opponents better than they knew themselves. Larry Holmes being the exception to that. And then his work-ethic. No one worked as hard in and outside of the ring than Muhammad Ali. The man wasn’t just a great boxer, but a great professional as well.

You put all of these things together and that is why Muhammad Ali is the greatest heavyweight boxer of all-time. And yes he fought at least five years too long. He should’ve retired after he beat Leon Spinks and won back the World Heavyweight Championship in 1978. But when you’re as great as Muhammad was and that is after losing five years of your career when he was in his mid and late twenties, it is real hard to call it quits and retire. Because you feel invincible and feel like a god or something. And I believe that is what happened to Muhammad Ali.

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Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry (1970)

Source:The Prodigy– Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry, from 1970.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

“Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry 1 was fight for The Ring World Heavyweight title.Held on October 26.1970. at Atlanta, Georgia.”

From The Prodigy

As I mentioned yesterday, Muhammad was simply to big, strong, tall and quick for Jerry Quarry. Muhammad was 6’2 or 6’3, 215 pounds or so of solid muscle, speed and intelligence. Speed in his hands and feet and you combine that with his strength, his ability to both take a good punch and deliver several great punches in a few seconds, plus his accuracy, he was simply too much for Jerry Quarry. Who was 5’10 or 5’11, under 200 pounds. For Quarry to make this a good fight, he simply had to get inside of Muhammad and pound on him.

The problem being that the only short heavyweight boxer to have any success at that, was Joe Frazier who was bigger and stronger than Quarry and could take more punishment and still move in on you and pound your body. Quarry left both of the Ali fights a bloody mess, because he took so much punishment in both fights before he was able to deliver any punishment. The two Quarry fights were a tune up to fight for Ali to fight Joe Frazier for the first time in 1971 and the second time in 1973.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

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Sweet Fights: Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry 2, 1972

Source:Sweet Fights– Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry, from 1972.

“Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry 2 knock out TKO.”

From Sweet Fights

Jerry Quarry simply didn’t have the defense to fight a big strong fighter like Muhammad. And ended up taking too much punishment in these two fights. Muhammad was simply too big, strong and fast for a brawler like Jerry Quarry, who needed his opponent to be in front of him and not have the great footwork and quickness to beat him. Jerry Quarry was the ultimate fighter’s chance boxer. Meaning he had a fighter’s chance to win fights. That if he delivered enough punishment, especially against a stationary boxer, he could win the fight and beat his opponent before his opponent beat him. The problem that he had against Ali, was Ali was not a stationary fighter. But someone with great quickness and footwork. Who could punch hard and hurt you.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

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ABC Wild World of Sports: Howard Cosell-Muhammad Ali Interview

 

Source:ABC Sports– announcer Howard Cosell, interviewing The Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali. Perhaps you can tell for yourself which one is which. But I don’t believe Muhammad Ali was Jewish.

“Muhammad Ali And Howard Cossel Interview”

Source:CoEvi Sessions

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell were a comedy act talking about serious things, well as serious as pro-boxing can be. Who without each other working together, their careers wouldn’t have been as good and they wouldn’t have been as successful. Because of the chemistry that they had, as well as their intelligence, they both had great sense of humors.

But Muhammad and Howard had similar sense of humors. And not only knew each other very well, but themselves as well and didn’t try to be anyone else. What really made these interviews classics, were because they were truly unscripted and how real they were. Two good, intelligent, friends, with real quick wits who had great chemistry together.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

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Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All-Time

Source:Nonstop Sports– Down goes Sonny Liston!

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

“The unbelievable life story of Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer ever, and the most influential athlete of all time.

There have been better punchers, boxers with better records or more victories – but nobody had what Ali brought to the table. He was a phenomenal champion, the greatest entertainer, and the leading activist for human rights amongst all athletes.

Here is the life story of one Muhammad Ali and our take on his greatness – his boxing, his great service to humanity, his famous trash talk, but also his stepping out of line, and stubbornness that kept him in the ring for too long.

Muhammad Ali – The Greatest of All Time.”

From Nonstop Sports

How to explain Muhammad Ali, the challenge of this post and the challenge of the day for me.

Imagine a big tall man 6’2-6’3, probably more like 6’2 whose built like a statue and looks more like an NFL linebacker or running back than a boxer because he’s also 215-220 pounds depending on the fight. And who was all muscle and well-built like a statue. Muhammad was certainly not invincible as we all know now with the state of his health.

And we also know he was declining both physically and mentally when he was still fighting as early as 1975 with the third fight against Joe Frazier. Taking a serious toll on him, which should’ve been the fight that forced Muhammad into retirement. But Muhammad was so much stronger both physically and mentally than most of the fighters he fought.

Muhammad could take so much more than most if not any other boxer who ever fought. Which allowed him to be able to deliver all the punishment that he did to his opponents. Muhammad Ali fought with a shield that you had to break in order to beat him.

If Larry Bird is the genius when it comes to basketball players, then Muhammad Ali is the genius when it comes to boxers. Because he was a boxer that could see fights developing before they developed.

Muhammad knew his opponents as well as himself better than they knew themselves or him. So he was always at least a couple of steps ahead of his opponents and even his own corner.

Muhammad won most of his fights before the fights happened because of all the preparation he put himself through. And being able to sike out his opponents and get them to hate him and wanting to knock Ali out instead of trying win the fight. And Ali would use that against him and simply do his job: “I can hit you and prevent you from hitting me.”

Muhammad: “Even if you land shots, I’m strong enough to take them and hit you back harder. Because I’m built like a tank and with the amount of punishment that I can deliver to you I’ll beat you simply by wearing you down.” This happened against Ron Lyle where both fighters delivered many great shots, but where Ali could simply take and deliver more than Ron Lyle had to offer.

Another way to look at Muhammad Ali is not to look at him as a knockout artist, someone who could knock you out in one or two punches like a George Forman or Mike Tyson. But look at Muhammad as a power-puncher who knocked people out unless they were strong enough to go the distance with 5-10 punches in a row or a hundred punches.

Muhammad got his knockouts by simply punishing his opponents and wearing them down. And what makes Muhammad Ali the greatest heavyweight of all time is his physical strength and stamina, as well as preparation. But also because of his intelligence that he knew his opponents a lot of times better than they knew themselves. And used that against them.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

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Muhammad Ali: ‘Why I Refused To Go To Vietnam’

Source:Iconic– The Greatest of All Time: Muhammad Ali.

You can also see this post on Blogger.

“Muhammad Ali on his decision to not joining the US army.”

From Iconic

“My conscious won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn’t put no dogs on me, they didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father… Shoot them for what? …How can I shoot them poor people, Just take me to jail.”

Source:Kaotik Calm– The Greatest of All Time: Muhammad Ali.

From Kaotik Calm

One thing that I respect about Muhammad Ali is that no one pushed him around, for the most part. Except for Don King perhaps with all the money he screwed Muhammad out of as his promoter in the 1970s. And Muhammad perhaps the most famous athlete in the world not just in the United States in the 1960s, who was at the heart of the American civil rights movement because of his race.

Because of Muhammad’s intelligence and the attention that he could bring to himself and because of how honest he was and wasn’t nice to the American establishment no matter the race, who knew how to get exactly what he wanted. And always said exactly what was on his mind so when he said he was against the Vietnam War in the mid 1960s. Like most people in his generation and was not going to fight against a country that never harmed him. Or denied him his freedom and constitutional rights because of his race and his complexion to fight against a country that never hurt him.

Muhammad wasn’t going to fight for a country that was trying to hold him down and when he said: “I’m not going to fight for a country that’s been trying to hold me down, because of my race to fight against a country that never called me Nigger”. and so-forth and he was being honest and serious. Muhammad was the Malcolm X of professional sports as far as someone who knew American history and the state of the African-American community.

Muhammad knew what African-Americans were going through and wasn’t going to take trash (to put it mildly) from anyone and be pushed around. Just like Malcolm X even if it meant his life. Malcolm was assassinated something that Muhammad has avoided. Muhammad was going to live his own life and try to help people that he felt he could and make a positive difference where he could and because of his intelligence. And his personality that he wasn’t going to sacrifice his own freedom and his own constitutional right to stand up for what he believed even if it meant getting his boxing career back, to fight for a cause that he believed was unjust.

What you see in this interview is Muhammad Ali being himself. And the interviewer bringing up for example all the money that not taking part in being drafted into the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War and so-forth and losing his World Heavyweight Boxing Championship and his boxing license and the millions of dollars that came with that and Muhammad saying that: “Yeah, I could have that”. But I’m not going to take it at the cost of my freedom. Muhammad Ali wasn’t going to be bought.

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

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Documentary Feast: Video: SportsCentury Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All-Time

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

First of all Muhammad Ali is the greatest not only boxing heavyweight of all-time, but the greatest sports performer of all-time. Because of his incredible personality, incredible confidence that was warranted and his great intelligence as well. Plus the fact he knew exactly who he was better than anyone, but also because he knew exactly what he wanted. And that is what his career was about and what all the trash talking was about. Using all of that to get what he wanted. Which was either to remain world champion or win another world championship.

As far as Muhammad Ali the fighter, you are talking about a mountain of perfection. As far as both great physical talents, but also that great intelligence as well. A 6’3 210-220 pound fighter depending on who and when he was fighting, with incredible hand and foot speed. The man look like a great tailback in football or a great big wide receiver. Tall, big and all muscle with a great mind and wit as well. And if he had any faults, it was that he went too far with it. Later in his career believing he was still that great fighter he no longer was. And losing fights to people who had no business fighting him. And taking too many beatings late in his career.

I’ve always viewed Muhammad as a power puncher who wasn’t a knockout artist. If that makes any sense, but what I mean by that is that he wouldn’t knock you down in a couple of punches. But would wear you out in hundreds of punches and simply just beat you up until he finished you off. Which is how he won a lot of his fights. Which is how be beat Ron Lyle and George Foreman and Joe Frazier the third time. One of the things that made him great was that he could deliver a lot of firepower. Without either getting hit back or not getting hurt by it. Which is why he was able to fight so long.

The Greatest of All-Time

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