Muhammad Ali, RIP.
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Thanks for sharing, Jim. Muhammed Ali is my all-time favorite athlete and sometimes I love to Google up his old fights. What a great showman in the ring and a remarkable gentleman outside of it.
A favorite memory was after Norton had broken his jaw, Ali appeared on Dick Cavet's show with his jaw wired and his mouth restricted.
After he'd taken his seat, Cavet says: " Muhammad" "Is there any truth to the rumor that you're going to quit boxing and open a chain of dancing schools?"
The delivery was perfect and the response provided a sadistic humor as Ali laughed painfully through his wired grill. It was a very funny moment.
For all his braggadocio, Ali had and knew he had unique charisma and he used it to promote peace and love.
Just ask Joe Frazier.
After he'd taken his seat, Cavet says: " Muhammad" "Is there any truth to the rumor that you're going to quit boxing and open a chain of dancing schools?"
The delivery was perfect and the response provided a sadistic humor as Ali laughed painfully through his wired grill. It was a very funny moment.
For all his braggadocio, Ali had and knew he had unique charisma and he used it to promote peace and love.
Just ask Joe Frazier.
I was a big boxing fan in the 60s and 70s. Saw a lot of his fights on TV and listened to radio for a lot of others. It was always a big deal when he fought. Rare combination of great talent and a great chin, which is why he ended up with so much neurologic damage.
He didn't serve when called, took what America had to offer and didn't even leave a dime on the counter, Great Boxer Yeah, Great American NO.
I don't disagree with the above two posts and certainly felt that way at the time. speaking from the perspective of a boxing fan, he was great and you can't but appreciate what he did in the ring. He talked smack, and backed it up most of the time.
Last Opinion, Flags at Half Mast in Louisville. REALLY, Must be Election time for the Mayor. I"m finished with this. Flags will not be at Hal Mast for me I Garrounte.
I agree with Brad. But with that stated, coming from a boxing family, and having lived the fight world since the early 1950's, I know the personalities of many of the greats. Ali became a better person as he got older. In the late 90's I was in a limo with Ali when he was picked up at an airport to be taken to the Boxing Hall of Fame ceremony. He was gracious and funny. It was the third time I had met him.
I met Joe Louis back in the 70's. And in my opinion was the greatest of all. He was a gentile giant. His knock out punch was only 6 inches. He had an infectious personality.
I met Rocky Marciano a few times and a few years before he died in the mid 60's. I was a teenager and Rocky, along with Joe Louis and a few others were my idols. Talk about taking a punch. He literally had a steel jaw. Rocky was an under-rated fighter. He to had a super personality. Also met Frazier, great fighter but who was a jerk. Ken Norton, and of course Foreman were also classy and great fighters.
Carmen Basilio was a family friend. He was a welterweight, and middle weight. Pound for pound one of the toughest fighters ever. Sugar Ray Robinson, I met also. Sugar Ray has been called the best fighters ever.
I met Mike Tyson when he was inducted to the Boxing Hall of Fame. He can be classy, he can also be a real jerk. As we know. I can go on and on.
Many of the old time fighters never got the publicity from TV like in the modern era of boxing. Ya, there were the Friday night fights. But, only a few of the fighters were shown. If the boxers of the 50's and 60's had the TV coverage, like Ali, Ali's stature of being known as the greatest would have more controversy.
Yes, Ali was great. But not the greatest, especially in his weight class.
"So what's it like to get punched by Mike Tyson?", asked Nate
"You know, it's not his power, but his speed that gets you!", said Peter
"But he knocked you out in under a minute...", said Nate.
"Yeah but it's not his power, but his speed that gets you", said Peter again.
Peter blew ALL of his Tyson money on crack cocaine. He was the exact opposite of Ali.
"You know, it's not his power, but his speed that gets you!", said Peter
"But he knocked you out in under a minute...", said Nate.
"Yeah but it's not his power, but his speed that gets you", said Peter again.
Peter blew ALL of his Tyson money on crack cocaine. He was the exact opposite of Ali.
Not sure if that was meant to be sarcasm. But honestly, I'm fortunate to live 4 miles from the Boxing Hall of Fame. And because I grew up with boxers and boxing, some pretty damn good back in the day, my range of friends and business associates are all connected within the boxing community. This area is well known for its boxing IQ.I shared a cab and a room in rehab with Peter McNeeley []
Carmen Basilio, Billy Backus, the DeJohn brothers, Dick DiVeronica, all lived in my area.
indiana', Carmine Basilio was one of my boxing heros on black and white TV all those years ago, Sugar Ray Robinson, others. Took it first hand in college when I took boxing one semester for P.E. About half dropped out of the class after the first session, leaving me the light weight of the class by at least 20 pounds. I think I passed the course on the speed bag; I was pretty good. Some big rangy Chicago Irish kid about put me down, as many could have for the weight disparity. Not surprised at the toll taken by a career at this, as I can attest firsthand. Why I didn't leave with others after the first session, I have no idea. Delusional I guess.
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