Edited by Gerald Boerner
Commentary:
Muhammad Ali was named as the “Sports Personality of the Century” by the BBC. His rise to stardom started with his amateur “Golden Gloves” boxing that earned him a spot on the 1975 Olympic Boxing team. He won the gold metal in those games. After his conversion as a Muslim, he adopted the name Muhammad Ali. It was with this name he fought most of his professional matches. After his opposition to the Vietnam Was as a conscientious objector, he was stripped of his Heavyweight Champion Belt. His boxing license and title were restored in Clay vs. United States decision by the Supreme Court.
Ali fought the best in the business during his career. These included Sonny Liston, Ken Norton, George Foreman, and Joe Frazer. He is associated with many bouts held outside of the United States. These include “Fight of the Century” (Madison Square Gardens in New York), “The Rumble in the Jungle” (Republic of the Congo), and the “Thrilla in Manila” (The Philippines). He often faced the same boxer more than once.
Ali started using abusive “trash talking” prior to his matches. This was designed to create interest in the bouts and this banter helped to create that interest. This technique is still used today; the difference between then and now would seem to be that Ali and his opponents were excellent boxers. Today’s boxers sometimes seem to be more talk than action and there is much more manipulation between current boxers, with some avoiding those opponents that may beat them. This results in a “sport” that is becoming more entertainment than skill.
So, now is the time to get into our exploration of the career of Muhammad Ali, especially his rematch against George Foreman in “The Rumble in the Jungle”… GLB
These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved[ 3334 Words ]
Quotations Related to Muhammad Ali:
“I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.”
— Muhammad Ali
“Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.”
— Muhammad Ali
“Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up.”
— Muhammad Ali