MUHAMMAD ALI " THE GREATEST" TRIVIA PART II
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 08 Jun 2016
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier's first fight, held at the Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, was dubbed the "Fight of the Century." Both were undefeated fighters and each claimed as the real heavyweight champion. The bout was broadcasted in 35 foreign countries covered by 760 press people. "Frazier is too ugly to be champ", Ali said. During the fight, Ali took more punishment than ever in his career. In the final round, Frazier knocked Ali down with a brutal left hook. Ali got back on his feet in three seconds. Ali lost by unanimous decision and was dealt his first professional defeat.
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The rematch with Frazier was held at the Madison Square Garden on January 28, 1974. Ali was strong in the early rounds of the fight, and wobbled Frazier in the second round. Frazier recovered in the middle rounds, busted Ali's head in round seven and rammed him to the ropes at the end of round eight. The last four rounds was a seesaw affair for both protagonists. Ali was able to evade Frazier's damaging left hook and to tie Frazier up when he was cornered. The judges gave Ali a unanimous decision.
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Ali engaged a title fight against heavyweight champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974, a bout entitled "The Rumble in the Jungle". Foreman, considered one of the strongest heavyweight in history demolished Joe Frazier and Ken Norton by knockouts in the second round. While Ali fought Frazier and Norton twice winning each once. Ali was 32 years old while the undefeated Foreman was only 25. Ali used the "Rope-A-Dope" tiring out Foreman, countering him and dropped an exhausted champion in the eighth round who was counted out.
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On March 31, 1973, Ken Norton broke Ali's jaw as he gave him the second loss of his professional career. Ali reconsidered retirement and won a controversial decision against Norton in their second bout on September 10, 1973. Ali fought Ken Norton for the third time at the Yankee Stadium in September 28, 1976, which Ali won in a highly controversial decision which was loudly booed by the audience.
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Ali clashed with Frazier in their third bout known as the "Thrilla in Manila" on October 1, 1975 in oven hot temperatures reaching 38 ?C. In the earlier rounds, Ali was aggressive, dynamic and traded punches with Frazier. In the later rounds, Ali was exhausted and clinched frequently. Frazier kept attacking a counter-punching Ali. In the 12th round, Frazier was out of gas as Ali's devastating blows closed Frazier's left eye and cut over his right eye. With Frazier's vision blurred, Ali made him a punching bag on the 13th and 14th rounds. The fight was stopped when his trainer Eddie Futch barred Frazier from answering the bell for the 15th and final round, despite Frazier's objection. When Ali was declared winner by TKO he collapsed in his corner due to exhaustion.
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In February 15, 1978, Ali faced Leon Spinks at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. At the time, Spinks had only fought seven professional fights. Ali sparred less than two dozen rounds in preparation for the fight, and was obviously out of shape. He lost the title by split decision. A rematch followed on September 15, 1978 in New Orleans, which broke attendance records. Ali won a unanimous decision in a boring fight, making him the first heavyweight champion to win the title three times.
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Ali's announced retirement on July 27, 1979 was short-lived when he agreed to face Larry Holmes for the WBC belt in an attempt to win the heavyweight championship an unprecedented fourth time. On October 2, 1980, in Las Vegas Valley, Holmes easily dominated a weak Ali. Angelo Dundee stopped the fight in the eleventh round, the only fight Ali lost by knockout. Ali fought one last time on December 11, 1981, in Nassau, Bahamas, against Trevor Berbick, losing a ten-round decision.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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