This has been on the cards for a while. Great boxer. As he's just died i shall keep my opinions of him as a person quiet. Big loss to the boxing world.
Seen him when he came to Newcastle many years ago...if my memory serves me right it was at Eldon Square. I did a trade show in Atlanta one time and in a hotel there was his nemesis Joe Frazier.....he seemed a bit worse for wear with the drink but was very social. Ali verse Smoking Joe now there was a battle of the titans.....
Described by many as the greatest boxer ever. Im not so sure. Exceptional yes. Greatest ? Maybe my view is clouded and i wouldnt want to take anything away from his remarkable career.
Tha glove was legitimately split. It was small, but the convention is that any split glove should be changed. Split leather could potentially take a man's eye out. But fighting an Englishman in his home city at such a bad moment for Clay - would he get that decision? Manager, Angelo Dundee admits that he ripped the glove further open to make sure. The glove change was legit, and Dundee shouldn't have had to do that - but at a stage in the fight like that, would you like to bet on what a referee would do?
I must admit I'm not a massive fan of modern boxing but fights like the Rumble in the Jungle I could watch every day. That fight still raises the hair on the back of my neck and only a derby match does the same in football. What a great man, unfortunately because of his condition we lost his true self years ago.
Having been banned for his prime years we will never know how great he would have been. 3 years out in any sport is enough to finish anyone. Coming back to beat a beast like Foreman is probably the greatest boxing acheivement ever. RIP The Greatest.
Best boxer in modern history. Best years stolen from him for standing up for what he believed in. A huge loss to the world. Brilliant man.
This is the fight that, probably more than any other, began to change public opinion. Cleveland Williams was said to hit harder than Sonny Liston. He was nicknamed 'the big cat'. A lot of people might find it a boring fight - the first round in particular! But Williams hardly lands a punch, and, in round two, Ali lands three rights to the jaw and 'the big cat' goes on his backside three times! The question isn't how much you enjoy the fight though. The issue is 'how the bloody hell do you beat this guy?' His speed, mobility, and power is brilliant. Ali had already claimed to be 'The Greatest. but few were really convinced. This is the fight that asked all the questions - and answers them. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Muhammad Ali Vs. Cleveland Williams 1966&&view=detail&mid=F42A52E1D3FA3BFD5F38F42A52E1D3FA3BFD5F38&FORM=VRDGAR
I am a bit too young to have watched him in his prime but like many others have still watched the majority of his recorded fights. Greatest of all time for me. Tyson a close second. What a fight that old have been , Ali Vs Tyson both in their prime.
Best heavyweight boxer, that I have seen (personally) legend in the sporting world. 61 fight's 56 win's 37 k.o. 5 lost Will never ever forget, Ali v Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George foreman fight's. R.I.P Cassius Clay
