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DonRocks

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Muhammad Ali is in the hospital now with a respiratory ailment (he's going to be released soon), but that reminds me that we don't have a thread for the person who just might be the most famous athlete who ever lived. 

I've always felt badly for Joe Frazier, because he didn't get the accolades that Ali did, but most of Ali's extra accolades came from what he did outside of the ring - he, himself, said that "Frazier was the greatest fighter of all times, next to me." :)

Ali may not be immortal, but in a sense, he is - people will be talking about him 500 years from now, and that's as close to immortality as you can come.

"Muhummad Ali vs. Sonny Liston (1965) - A Look Back 50 Years Later"

And for a taste of what it must have been like to fight Ali in his prime, scroll down to the bottom of the first post in "Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956)" and click on the scene from the 1962 film.

Screenshot 2016-06-02 at 17.03.36.png

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There is also an abbreviated clip of the 3rd Ali/Frazier fight, "The Thrilla in Manilla loaded to this site here   Ali was a great boxer, a transcendent athlete for his sport and his physical size and so much more...possibly the most famous person in the world during and after his boxing hey day.  He was an amazing character.  It turns out that Joe Frazier, as you mention above was virtually Ali's equal in boxing. It took 3 epic ferocious battles to discover an inch or two of difference with regard to their mano a mano boxing skills.  

Frazier's style OTOH meant that he was crushed by George Foreman.  Ali, OTOH outfoxed and then outboxed Foreman.  Matchups create a different dimension.

I hope Ali recovers.  What an entertaining remarkable person.  Because of his debilitating parkinson's the world has missed out on following a truly remarkable character.

 

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11 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Don't hope too hard; just cherish the time he has left with us, and be thankful you were alive to see him when he was king, and perhaps even more thankful that he's been with us fully *twenty years* after lighting the Olympic Torch for the 1996 Atlanta Games:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEhNDUwksvU

I think this is one of those age things.  Man, I'm appreciating them more and more; both stuff that is current, hot, and I completely miss, and old stuff like Ali and when he was king.  I did see him when he was king.  Watched some of his matches.  Was fully there during the tumultuous period when he refused induction into the military and draft, was tried, was stripped of his title, the court fights, the process that got him back into boxing....and virtually the entire period when he mixed both amazing entertainment skills with his boxing skills and his innately articulated stances.   It all contributed to his astonishing world wide recognition, popularity, and vilification.  He was similarly hated by some and loved by others.  He was a polarizing figure wherein the politics that surrounded his actions are similar to what we experience with political polarization today.   With that I entirely appreciated his lighting the Olympic Torch in '96.  That was 20 years ago and it was while he was suffering from Parkinson's and long long after his athletic reign.   Ali is "old" and somewhat of an historical figure; historical in the context that he transcended sports and had astonishing world wide recognition.

By the way, the history behind his choice as the surprise person that lit the opening torch to the '96 Olympic games reflects his controversial life.  On one side there were local organizers that objected to Ali.  On the other hand there were other Olympic officials that appreciated his great popularity and the emotional impact of seeing Ali on that world wide stage.  Just think....the political polarization that Ali created and that enveloped him during the '60's came back to be an issue about 35+ years after the fact for the '96 Olympics.  And that was 20 years ago from today.  People have long memories!!!!

Between the long term impact of Parkinson's and this current respiratory issue, its not promising.  I agree.  That is sad.  A really remarkable figure.  

 

 

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26 minutes ago, DaveO said:

Between the long term impact of Parkinson's and this current respiratory issue, its not promising.  I agree.  That is sad.  A really remarkable figure.  

Oh! I'm hopeful he'll recover from this latest incident; I misunderstood you. Read the article I posted yesterday about Tony Gwynn - that's a tough one to process, for both athletes. I just fear that once you're old, sick, and start going to the hospital on a regular basis for "related issues," either you, or your body, eventually says "to heck with this." That's what Gwynn did, and I suspect Ali isn't far behind - I wish I believed in miracles; he has his faith to fall back on, which is somewhat comforting. 

Anyway, I posted this while he's still with us because I didn't want this thread to be a requiem for a heavyweight - he's still the king, and always will be.

Ali was the first person ever to win the World Heavyweight Championship on three consecutive occasions.

This video shows just how quickly he could dodge - 21 punches in 10 seconds, with style (I normally don't like the music they play, but this almost works):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSFQrPzSAnE

And this video shows how quickly he could land a barrage of punches:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D25isWarm0o

And here's a hilarious interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMSEcXm83tw

Ali and Frazier on Dick Cavett:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIjIDi4i4cE

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4 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Oh! I'm hopeful he'll recover from this latest incident; I misunderstood you. Read the article I posted yesterday about Tony Gwynn - that's a tough one to process, for both athletes. I just fear that once you're old, sick, and start going to the hospital on a regular basis for "related issues," either you, or your body, eventually says "to heck with this." That's what Gwynn did, and I suspect Ali isn't far behind - I wish I believed in miracles; he has his faith to fall back on, which is somewhat comforting. 

Anyway, I posted this while he's still with us because I didn't want this thread to be a requiem for a heavyweight - he's still the king, and always will be.

Ali was the first person ever to win the World Heavyweight Championship on three consecutive occasions.

This video shows just how quickly he could dodge - 21 punches in 10 seconds, with style (I normally don't like the music they play, but this almost works):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSFQrPzSAnE

And this video shows how quickly he could land a barrage of punches:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D25isWarm0o

And here's a hilarious interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMSEcXm83tw

Ali and Frazier on Dick Cavett:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIjIDi4i4cE

I was about to post something.  But nah....the pieces above are excellent, entertaining, revealing.  On the 2nd video the first shots in color are Ali beating up a guy named Cleveland Williams, a fierce puncher of that era.  It was probably Ali's most dominant performance.  He beat Williams every which way to Sunday.  Amazing domination.  The interviews are terrific.  What a character.  He was the most well known person on the planet.  Ali brought the biggest fights in the world to Asia and Africa.  Muhammed Ali was not an intellect but he was sharp smart and perceptive as evidenced in some of his interaction with Cavett.   Hard to fathom but a boxer was a sort of world wide spiritual leader.

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It is difficult to express how large a human Muhammad Ali was during my life time.  Not just to me but to 10's, or maybe hundreds of millions around the world.  Following his death he's received  beautiful comments from across the globe. We've learned per the media he had prearranged for his funeral and the ceremonies.  Yesterday there was an Islamic religious ceremony, attended by people of all faiths.  Today in a memorial service it included speakers that Ali had arranged for at an earlier time.  Bryant Gumbel, Ex President Bill Clinton, and Billy Crystal.  (Billy Crystal--why him)  Couldn't figure it out.

They were friends:  For 42 years.  This is a remarkable touching, humerus eulogy from Billy Crystal  ( when you are there click on the right to open it up to full screen)

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