RIP Muhammad Ali

RayClay · Jun 4, 2016

Tony2046 said:
His philanthropy is off the charts great. Without looking I would guess that he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for various charities. He was known to "give back" to his childhood community. Pay for nights in Hotels for the homeless etc..

He was also known as an ambassador for peace which led him to war torn countries. He once went to and successfully assisted in the negotiations for the release of American prisoners from Iraq.

He wasn't a celebrity looking for attention or publicity which was proven by the numerous acts he did that were often controversial.

On a side note: He was one of the few if not the only "draft avoiders" that my father, a 30 year vet, supported. He understood Ali's stance and respected that he didn't run "like a punk" to Canada rather he stayed and fought for his rights and his principles.

He would never have had to fight, simply go around and give exhibitions to support the war effort. He took a principled stand instead. Lots hated him for it, but he was honest and took his punishment for his beliefs when he could have easily got by with some token gesture.

RayClay · Jun 4, 2016

The Boston Patriot said:
That is simply a myth. He was fighting the "bum of the month" club for most of his career. He was good and fought some memorable fights but to say he fought the greatest is not even close. To say he fought some of the greatest would be accurate.

What fighter did he avoid?

I think you really overrate how many great heavyweights in their prime existed at any one time, historically.

signbabybrady · Jun 4, 2016

The Boston Patriot said:
That is simply a myth. He was fighting the "bum of the month" club for most of his career. He was good and fought some memorable fights but to say he fought the greatest is not even close. To say he fought some of the greatest would be accurate.

I think I might figured this out you do know Cassius Clay and Muhammad Ali are the same person right?

NG Pats Fan · Jun 4, 2016

I know far more about boxing than than I do football, I consider myself an expert on boxing history.

I will sum up this for the forum

Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis were the two greatest heavyweights of all time. Take your pick as to whose better. Both were also American heroes and icons. They accomplished as much outside the ring as they did inside the ring, in different ways.

P4P Ali belongs in the top 10 all time discussion

Resume wise no heavyweight in history has a better resume than Ali. I have to laugh at the guy above who said bum of the month. Are you kidding me?

He defeated

Sonny Liston 2x- An all time great heavyweight champion near his prime, who was heavily favored against Ali
Floyd Patterson 2x- A former heavyweight champion still near his prime
Joe Frazier 2x - An all time great former heavyweight champion still near his prime. The thrilla in Manilla is an all time classic
George Foreman- An all time great heavyweight champion in his prime, undefeated. Considered invincible. People feared for Ali's health because they thought foreman might put him in the hospital. Maybe the greatest win in heavyweight history, and greatest game plan of all time
Ken Norton 2x- hall of fame heavyweight in his prime
Ron Lyle- Top Contender huge puncher
Ernie Terrell- WBA heavyweight champion
Earnie Shavers- top contender huge puncher
Jerry Quarry- top contender one of the best to never win a title
Jimmy Ellis- Former Heavyweight Champion of the world
Bob Foster- light heavyweight champion of the world
Archie Moore- light heavyweight champion of the world

No one can match that resume he cleaned out the 60s and 70s best, in what most experts consider the best era (70s) in heavyweight history

NG Pats Fan · Jun 4, 2016

Bradyking12 said:
I think Ali and Mike Tyson are tied for number 1

If you think mike Tyson is in the running for the greatest heavyweight of all time, then you know nothing about boxing. Tyson isn't even top 5 all time.

Joe Louis is the only one you can place next to Ali as the greatest of all time. Tyson was nowhere near Joe Louis

jimnance · Jun 4, 2016

Bradyking12 said:
I think Ali and Mike Tyson are tied for number 1[/QUOTE.

Bradyking12 said:
I think Ali and Mike Tyson are tied for number 1

You need to study your boxing history. You dont know what youre talking about,with all due respect. A few years ago Ring Magazine finished a project ranking all the greatest 100 boxers in history-regardless of weight class. So heavyweights,lightheavies,middleweights,welerweights,etc-everybody. They polled the most knowledgeable boxing experts, ex-fighters,trainers,media,etc from today and the past-and came to a consensus. #1 ALL-TIME....ALI!..and it wasnt close. Willie Pep was #2.(he fought back in the '20s i believe,was in several of the lightest classes,like featherweight,etc.). Mike Tyson was not even in the top 50! And whats WORSE, he wasnt even a top 10 heavyweight-matter of fact-i dont think he was even top 15. Ali would have destroyed tyson. Tyson fought vs by far the weakest group of heavyweights at any point in history. Ali fought a bunch of the highest-ranked heavyweights. And like 5 or 6 of em were all ranked higher than tyson. Ive followed boxing since the early 60's, boxed as an amateur, had several friends who turned pro. I dont anyone who really knows the sport who would rank tyson as a top10 heavyweight or a top 20 boxer. period.

Jackson 2 · Jun 4, 2016

jimnance said:
You need to study your boxing history. You dont know what youre talking about,with all due respect. A few years ago Ring Magazine finished a project ranking all the greatest 100 boxers in history-regardless of weight class. So heavyweights,lightheavies,middleweights,welerweights,etc-everybody. They polled the most knowledgeable boxing experts, ex-fighters,trainers,media,etc from today and the past-and came to a consensus. #1 ALL-TIME....ALI!..and it wasnt close. Willie Pep was #2.(he fought back in the '20s i believe,was in several of the lightest classes,like featherweight,etc.). Mike Tyson was not even in the top 50! And whats WORSE, he wasnt even a top 10 heavyweight-matter of fact-i dont think he was even top 15. Ali would have destroyed tyson. Tyson fought vs by far the weakest group of heavyweights at any point in history. Ali fought a bunch of the highest-ranked heavyweights. And like 5 or 6 of em were all ranked higher than tyson. Ive followed boxing since the early 60's, boxed as an amateur, had several friends who turned pro. I dont anyone who really knows the sport who would rank tyson as a top10 heavyweight or a top 20 boxer. period.

Bravissimo! Well-done champ! A first round KO!

jimnance · Jun 4, 2016

Jackson 2 said:
Bravissimo! Well-done champ! A first round KO!

Thats better than i ever did in the ring,lol.

PP2 · Jun 4, 2016

robertweathers said:
Is your dad Ash Resnick or Barnett Magids?

Ha...

Not that it would have mattered anyway. After my father gave my mother the tour of their new land and told her where they would build the house, she smiled and turned to him and said quite sweetly, "How lovely, and if you ever pull that stunt again, I will cut your balls off."

Suffice it to say that my father never bet the farm again, after that.

For me, Ali wasn't just an elite boxer, he was an icon, a symbol, something bigger than life. At once charming and infuriating, loudmouthed and kind, melodramatic and humble. He spoke his mind freely at a time when lynching was still happening and Jim Crow was alive and kicking. He lost his best years and big purses for refusing to compromise on what he believed in. He really was a free man.

My father used to do the Ali shuffle in front of the TV when he knew a knockout was coming.

ali boma ye

Jackson 2 · Jun 4, 2016

jimnance said:
Thats better than i ever did in the ring,lol.

Seriously, regardless of the field, I admire those who know their stuff. You clearly do.

TheFlyingWedge · Jun 4, 2016

It's hard to be humble when you are as great as I.

stcjones · Jun 4, 2016

While I don't think he was the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time....and if he faced George Foreman in a normal venue....he may never have made it to 74....I will clearly say he was a great entertainer....and a great boxer ....not the greatest but perhaps the greatest boxing "showman".....RIp Mr. Ali

IcyPatriot said:

stcjones · Jun 4, 2016

1960Pats said:
Ali (56-5-0, 37 KO's) was either 1st, 2nd or 3rd all time along with Rocky Marciano (49-0-0, 43 KO's) and Joe Lewis (66-3-0, 52 KO's)

Marciano was the greatest ....and from NE to boot!!!

stcjones · Jun 4, 2016

Bradyking12 said:
I think Ali and Mike Tyson are tied for number 1

Tyson was a brawler....so was Marciano overall although he could play the strategic boxing game as well....Ali was pure dance around jab and wear down his opponent....he was very slick . If foreman had ever figured out how to fight him ....Ali may have never made it out of the ring. George was the hardest puncher of all time....but lucky for Ali...he wasn't that bright (or was paid off well). A lot of conspiracy theories out there!!!!

stcjones · Jun 4, 2016

You are right ....if Foreman was even remotely intelligent....Ali would have been in hospital....Also Louis was not smart fighter...and Liston was towards end of career....Joe Louis also not smart. Ali knew how to dance around and stay out of trouble.....kind of like Sugar Ray Leonard.....knew how to stay away...especially from Hagler....until Hagler was too old!!!

NG Pats Fan said:
I know far more about boxing than than I do football, I consider myself an expert on boxing history.

I will sum up this for the forum

Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis were the two greatest heavyweights of all time. Take your pick as to whose better. Both were also American heroes and icons. They accomplished as much outside the ring as they did inside the ring, in different ways.

P4P Ali belongs in the top 10 all time discussion

Resume wise no heavyweight in history has a better resume than Ali. I have to laugh at the guy above who said bum of the month. Are you kidding me?

He defeated

Sonny Liston 2x- An all time great heavyweight champion near his prime, who was heavily favored against Ali
Floyd Patterson 2x- A former heavyweight champion still near his prime
Joe Frazier 2x - An all time great former heavyweight champion still near his prime. The thrilla in Manilla is an all time classic
George Foreman- An all time great heavyweight champion in his prime, undefeated. Considered invincible. People feared for Ali's health because they thought foreman might put him in the hospital. Maybe the greatest win in heavyweight history, and greatest game plan of all time
Ken Norton 2x- hall of fame heavyweight in his prime
Ron Lyle- Top Contender huge puncher
Ernie Terrell- WBA heavyweight champion
Earnie Shavers- top contender huge puncher
Jerry Quarry- top contender one of the best to never win a title
Jimmy Ellis- Former Heavyweight Champion of the world
Bob Foster- light heavyweight champion of the world
Archie Moore- light heavyweight champion of the world

No one can match that resume he cleaned out the 60s and 70s best, in what most experts consider the best era (70s) in heavyweight history

rochrist · Jun 4, 2016

stcjones said:
Tyson was a brawler....so was Marciano overall although he could play the strategic boxing game as well....Ali was pure dance around jab and wear down his opponent....he was very slick . If foreman had ever figured out how to fight him ....Ali may have never made it out of the ring. George was the hardest puncher of all time....but lucky for Ali...he wasn't that bright (or was paid off well). A lot of conspiracy theories out there!!!!

You really don't have a very accurate picture of how the Foreman-Ali fight went.

Patsfanin Philly · Jun 4, 2016

captain stone said:
My favorite Ali memory: crawling into Peso Jimmy's bar in Olongapo PI the morning after another night
of sex, drugs and rock & roll, and then having the pleasure of watching, live on free TV, Ali getting his
ass kicked by the great Larry Holmes.

Larry started out as a sparring partner for Ali. My wife tells the story of having a high school assembly in Easton,PA ( home of Larry Holmes) expecting some boring speaker and out steps Ali to give a motivational speech..in 1976 or 77 before their fight...............She said you could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet when Ali spoke.

wolverinejoe80 · Jun 4, 2016

stcjones said:
Tyson was a brawler....so was Marciano overall although he could play the strategic boxing game as well....Ali was pure dance around jab and wear down his opponent....he was very slick . If foreman had ever figured out how to fight him ....Ali may have never made it out of the ring. George was the hardest puncher of all time....but lucky for Ali...he wasn't that bright (or was paid off well). A lot of conspiracy theories out there!!!!

tyson was a brawler? stop it right there.

resdubwhite · Jun 5, 2016

"they said you could hit George."

I love Ali.
Manila was pure war. Two amazing men that gave everything. Had Fraziers corner not thrown in the towel one of them surely would have died that night. Warriors both.

In Ali's later years I hope he regretted his comments and behaviour towards Frazier. It was unbecoming to put it mildly.
He is an icon. He was a legend and we are lucky to have him.
But we were also lucky to have the likes of Joe Frazier too. May they both rest in peace.

resdubwhite · Jun 5, 2016

And folks. Tyson who we all know was a terrific knock out puncher wasn't in the same class. It's not even close

RIP Muhammad Ali

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