The greatest of all time gone at 74...

[ZRod]

A legend in and out of the ring... One of my heros.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/global-tributes-remember-muhammad-ali-titan-20th-century-n585776&ved=0ahUKEwjj4tfSvo7NAhWi24MKHcPGCdgQqQIIGygBMAA&usg=AFQjCNHQ9Zs4wNm5TezSgL8HoghbXcfaqQ

From rival sportsmen to world leaders, the world paused Saturday to remember Muhammad Ali hailing him not only as a "giant" of the boxing ring but also "a true champion for all."

 

The 74-year-old boxer and civil rights champion died Friday from respiratory complications after a three-decade battle with Parkinson's disease.

If you've never watch the rumble in the jungle do so. An amazing fight! Ali bucked his style of dancing around the ring and leading with stinging jabs to wear Foreman down by delivering straight rights and absorbing his blows. It may have cost him his health, but he was determined that night. Ali Had to over come his and the media's doubts to beat a mountain of a man. Not only did he beat George, but he wrecked him mentally. Something Foreman say it took him years to over come. There are some excellent documentaries on it as well. It's really an interesting piece of psychology on several levels; Ali's doubt, getting the crowd on his side, the pre fight antics, the in ring trash talk, and Ali finally believing he could do it.

 

"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55AasOJZzD

[Mavric]

 

[ZRod]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV75aFzC1aQ

[teachercd]

Thanks for posting those!

 

Because of my age I have always been way more of a Mike Tyson fan. I loved how he was just able to destroy guys in the ring with his crazy power and his speed. I think as we know now he was also fighting with a lot of anger.

[84HuskerLaw]

He changed professional sports to become much more popular and focused the world's attention on sports not just boxing in my view. He was the greatest 'boxer' and was very fun to watch and entertained as well as threw lightning quick jabs. He was never the 'killer' puncher like a Tyson or Foreman maybe but he was in such tremendous physical shape (he could dance for 15 rounds) like nobody else ever really. He has to be considered among the top ten greatest athletes of the 20th century. He was to boxing what Jim Brown was to football and Lance Armstrong to cycling and M Jordon in basketball, etc. Of course he proudly declared himself as 'the greatest' while even the early part of his prime career! LOL Few professional athletes have been so boastful and matter of fact outspoken about their own supremacy in their sport. He was magnetic and enjoyed by many. Some say he was controversial and he was but I think that aspect of Clay / Ali's persona is overblown. He was a good person so far as I am aware, through and through, and avoided any real brush with scandal or the law, but for his objector status and the Vietnam War. Of course many were in that crowd so it was understandable for many. The only real issue was that many saw his conversion to Islam as 'an excuse' to avoid the military draft. I think it was legitimate myself.

[ZRod]

It's funny that Tyson and Ali are always brought up in the conversation of great fighters. They are solidly in the top 5 all time greatest boxers. It's funny because they are such polar opposites in style and personality, and would have been an amazing matchup. If Ali could have made it through 8 like Foreman he probably would have a good chance of winning. I think Ali admitted several times that he wasn't the greatest boxer ever (I believe he said Sugar Ray Robinson was), but he may have been the greatest heavy weight. Nobody had his speed, agility, and sheer athleticism in that division now or past. He jabs and straight rights were nothing to mess with either, they tore quite a few guys up. The mind games that he played with his opponents could make him the greatest in it's own right though.

[teachercd]

It's funny that Tyson and Ali are always brought up in the conversation of great fighters. They are solidly in the top 5 all time greatest boxers. It's funny because they are such polar opposites in style and personality, and would have been an amazing matchup. If Ali could have made it through 8 like Foreman he probably would have a good chance of winning. I think Ali admitted several times that he wasn't the greatest boxer ever (I believe he said Sugar Ray Robinson was), but he may have been the greatest heavy weight. Nobody had his speed, agility, and sheer athleticism in that division now or past. He jabs and straight rights were nothing to mess with either, they tore quite a few guys up. The mind games that he played with his opponents could make him the greatest in it's own right though.

What I loved about Tyson was the fact that every fight all you heard about is how his opponent was going to keep him away and not let him get inside… In about 30 seconds later there was Tyson right inside ruining the guy

[ZRod]

Frazier was similar to Tyson in that regard. Different styles, but Frazier could walk in on almost any fighter and deliver a wicked left hook. Tyson did it by slipping their attack. Frazier did it by mostly waking through punches.

 

Ali took some crazy shots from Frazier in their first meeting that should have dropped him especially in the 15th round. He was one tough SOB. Any of the Frazier Ali fight are must watch as well.

 

[The Dude]

Tyson's resume lacks really big wins. He lost the big fights.

 

I got Holyfield ranked ahead of him.

[BigRedBuster]

Ali brought boxing to the forefront of sports. He was bigger than life and the matches could be seen on TV by everyone who had a set. Heck, my parents were the farthest thing from boxing fans, but I still remember seeing him on TV as a very small kid.

 

I'll always believe that the Tyson era ruined boxing. Not because of Tyson. He was an amazing talent along with Holyfield and others. However, it was always on Pay Per View. I wasn't going to pay $50 (or whatever) to watch Tyson knock someone out in the first round. The PPV issue lost fans and didn't build new fans in the sport.

[teachercd]

Shoot in college we PPV all his fights and would get a keg...charge 5 or 10 dollars to get in and have a blast.