[RIP] Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74[W:94]

[Sweden]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

That is 12,566 in 9 years. If you stay here that long you are on pace to post @18,000 in 9 years and from the two posts I have seen it will 18,000 posts not worth the time to post or read.

Thank you for your criticism Rjay which may be well-intentioned for all I know. I was 80 last Monday so that 18,000 in 9 years time seems - how shall I put it? - improbable.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Now you have really upset me. (Why can we not post sound effects? Muffled sobbing would be the right thing here.) Anyway I thought that only Canadians were allowed to end their comments with 'eh?'.

Instead of posting sound effects, you can make the thread about the subject and not about you or me? If he was a Christian boxer, would you be here posting the rubbish you posted?

 

[Frank Apisa]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Thank you for your criticism Rjay which may be well-intentioned for all I know. I was 80 last Monday so that 18,000 in 9 years time seems - how shall I put it? - improbable.

Seems at 80 years of age...you should have learned how to participate in a RIP thread with a bit more sensitivity. Frankly, I think you embarrass yourself...and the country you use as a user name with the shallowness you are showing here.

Just sayin'!

 

[HenryChinaski]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

I've never been any kind of sports fan but Ali is one of my heroes. Damn..

 

[MaggieD]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

damn sad

What's ultimately sadder than his death is the fact he battled Parkinson's Disease for almost half his life. What a price he paid for being The Greatest.

 

[Grim17]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Ali wasn't just a sports figure, he was a living icon during the 70's when I was growing up. He was a unique, one of kind man who had the courage to break the mold with his antics and cockiness, at a time when black professional athletes were told to be seen and not heard out of fear of societal backlash.

.

 

[Crosscheck]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Ali was a damn good boxer, but he wasn't the best boxer of all time...........not even close.

Totally wrong. It is difficult comparing boxers of different weight class and different times in history. But to say he wasn't even close to being one of the best boxers is total BS.
As a heavyweight he had the speed unseen before and one attribute rarely mentioned is that he could take a barrage of punches by some of the hardest hitters ever and still dance away.

As I said it is difficult comparing atheletes of different times but the 70's has to been the one decade of having the most talented heavyweight boxers ever. Ali had some of the strongest contenders ever.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Being a young person when Ali was in his prime and truly the King of the World, I remember him as being very much larger than life. I was never a big boxing fan, but I watched everything that Ali was involved in, both inside the ring and outside. He and Howard Cosell fed off each other and it was great entertainment. But more than that Ali was a man of principle and a man who lived those principles regardless of those around him who condemned or demeaned him because of those beliefs. I believe he was one of the influences in my young life that helped me to be a person who was able to stick to what I believed in no matter who or how many may have tried to change my mind.

But also, Ali was attributed with one of the most memorable statements I'd heard - he said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "if at 50 you still believe the exact same things you believed when you were 30, then you just wasted 20 years of your life" - so true.

I missed Ali when Parkinson's took him from public life at far too young an age but I'll always remember him as one of the most influential people of my lifetime here on earth. May he rest in peace and may his family and friends be comforted by having had the privilege of having this great man in their lives.

 

[Helix]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

sad news. Rest in peace, Muhammad Ali.

 

[RetiredUSN]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Totally wrong. It is difficult comparing boxers of different weight class and different times in history. But to say he wasn't even close to being one of the best boxers is total BS.
As a heavyweight he had the speed unseen before and one attribute rarely mentioned is that he could take a barrage of punches by some of the hardest hitters ever and still dance away.

As I said it is difficult comparing atheletes of different times but the 70's has to been the one decade of having the most talented heavyweight boxers ever. Ali had some of the strongest contenders ever.

Henry Armstrong with 13 wins against 10 HOF boxers 150 wins 21 losses 101 KO's 4 different weight divisions

Sugar Ray Robinson with 21 wins against 10 HOF boxers 173 wins 19 losses 108 KO's 3 different weight divisions

Benny Leonard with 16 wins against 7 HOF boxers 183 wins 24 losses 70 KO's at 5' 5" tall

Harry Grebb with 23 wins over 12 HOF boxers 268 wins 17 losses Half blind

 

[Frank Apisa]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Henry Armstrong with 13 wins against 10 HOF boxers 150 wins 21 losses 101 KO's 4 different weight divisions

Sugar Ray Robinson with 21 wins against 10 HOF boxers 173 wins 19 losses 108 KO's 3 different weight divisions

Benny Leonard with 16 wins against 7 HOF boxers 183 wins 24 losses 70 KO's at 5' 5" tall

Harry Grebb with 23 wins over 12 HOF boxers 268 wins 17 losses Half blind

Respectfully, I understand what you are saying, Retired...but "NOT EVEN CLOSE?"

C'mon.

He fought at a time when the BIG guys were the news...and there were a bunch of BIG guys who could knock down walls with their punches.

Ali beat 'em...and took the best they could throw at him.

The title "Greatest boxer of all times" is NEVER going to be satisfied to everyone's satisfaction...

...but to suggest that Ali was "NOT EVEN CLOSE" to it, was over the line.

 

[Medusa]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

You agreed with his racism?

I dont agree with your racism!!!

 

[RetiredUSN]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Respectfully, I understand what you are saying, Retired...but "NOT EVEN CLOSE?"

C'mon.

He fought at a time when the BIG guys were the news...and there were a bunch of BIG guys who could knock down walls with their punches.

Ali beat 'em...and took the best they could throw at him.

The title "Greatest boxer of all times" is NEVER going to be satisfied to everyone's satisfaction...

...but to suggest that Ali was "NOT EVEN CLOSE" to it, was over the line.

Hardly over the line. He was an great showman, a great boxer, an Icon, but not even close to being the best boxer of all time.

Sorry, but I don't get caught up in the emotion of the sport.

Most wins...no
Most KO's...no
Winning percentage...no

There are more than a few knowledgeable boxing experts,historians,writers, and boxers who say the same thing.

Ali was a great showman, fighter, and spokesman for civil rights.....but not close to being the best boxer.

 

[Medusa]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali#Affiliation_with_Nation_of_Islam

Some interesting quotes.

In a press conference articulating his opposition to the Vietnam War, Ali stated, "my enemy is the white people, not the Vietcong".[18] In relation to integration, he said: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all."[103] And in relation to inter-racial marriage: "No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters."[103] Indeed, Ali's religious beliefs at the time included the notion that the white man was "the devil" and that white people were not "righteous".

Interestingly ,in 60's Muhammed Ali must not have been disturbed by any discrimination.Did you ever question this racism ?

 

[Jack Fabulous]

Re: [RIP] Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Ali was the first hero I had in sports. He was larger than life.

He was Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantel, Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlin... he was The Greatest.

RIP

 

[Middleground]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali#Affiliation_with_Nation_of_Islam

Some interesting quotes.

In a press conference articulating his opposition to the Vietnam War, Ali stated, "my enemy is the white people, not the Vietcong".[18] In relation to integration, he said: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all."[103] And in relation to inter-racial marriage: "No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters."[103] Indeed, Ali's religious beliefs at the time included the notion that the white man was "the devil" and that white people were not "righteous".

This should give you an idea of where he stood and only a moron could not see where he was coming from. RIP, Ali... heaven is so much greater today.

Ali on Viet Nam:

“My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn’t put no dogs on me, they didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. … Shoot them for what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.”

“Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.… If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.”

 

[JANFU]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali#Affiliation_with_Nation_of_Islam

Some interesting quotes.

In a press conference articulating his opposition to the Vietnam War, Ali stated, "my enemy is the white people, not the Vietcong".[18] In relation to integration, he said: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all."[103] And in relation to inter-racial marriage: "No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters."[103] Indeed, Ali's religious beliefs at the time included the notion that the white man was "the devil" and that white people were not "righteous".

I suggest you familiarize yourself with what the RIP tag means. There is another thread on Ali, take your issues there.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

RIP Muhammad - The Fight Is Over

 

[poweRob]

Re: [RIP] Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

 

[Grand Mal]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Hardly over the line. He was an great showman, a great boxer, an Icon, but not even close to being the best boxer of all time.

Sorry, but I don't get caught up in the emotion of the sport.

Most wins...no
Most KO's...no
Winning percentage...no

There are more than a few knowledgeable boxing experts,historians,writers, and boxers who say the same thing.

Ali was a great showman, fighter, and spokesman for civil rights.....but not close to being the best boxer.

He was very brave. What he did in that fight against Foreman in Zaire took enormous courage and resolve.

 

[TurtleDude]

Re: [RIP] Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Great life, loved by the worldnot a bad legacy

 

[RetiredUSN]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

He was very brave. What he did in that fight against Foreman in Zaire took enormous courage and resolve.

Yes, it was brutal.

Ali could take a serious beating for 2-3 rounds at a time and come right back at you, and he proved that time after time.

I am a big time Ali fan myself, and just because I do not rank him in the top 4, doesn't mean that I am taking away how great he was.

 

[Grand Mal]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Yes, it was brutal.

Ali could take a serious beating for 2-3 rounds at a time and come right back at you, and he proved that time after time.

I am a big time Ali fan myself, and just because I do not rank him in the top 4, doesn't mean that I am taking away how great he was.

Laying back on the ropes like that, letting Foreman tire himself pounding on him. Did you see that documentary, "When We Were Kings"? George Plimpton described Ali on the ropes as looking like a man leaning backwards out a window to see his roof.
Rumour had it that Angelo Dundee had had the top ropes loosened before the fight.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Great boxer. Great activist.

As for his skill, I remember Mike Tyson talking about him once. Tyson said Ali wasn't the best puncher and he didn't even have the best defense. But what he had was a will to persevere through the fight that would just wear his opponent down. Ali would "rather die than lose".

 

[Crosscheck]

Re: Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest of All Time', Dead at 74

Henry Armstrong with 13 wins against 10 HOF boxers 150 wins 21 losses 101 KO's 4 different weight divisions

Sugar Ray Robinson with 21 wins against 10 HOF boxers 173 wins 19 losses 108 KO's 3 different weight divisions

Benny Leonard with 16 wins against 7 HOF boxers 183 wins 24 losses 70 KO's at 5' 5" tall

Harry Grebb with 23 wins over 12 HOF boxers 268 wins 17 losses Half blind

It is almost impossible to rate boxers from a different era with current boxers.

It is like comparing NFL players today with NFL players of the 20's. In the twenties a huge guy was 5'11" and 245 pounds. Nowdays, we have linesmen 6'4" 300 plus. Today's team would crush them and out run them.

So people will argue about who was the best boxers forever. But I still can't go with your notion that Ali was not even close to being one of the best. Would love to hear what some of Ali's opponents think about that.