RIP Muhammad Ali
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As we go through evolution with sport , athletes get bigger and more powerful,<br><br>Ali is still the most skilled heavyweight of all time , that footwork and hand speed has never been matched .
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Rest in Peace, Muhammad Ali, a great boxer, a civil rights activist, anti-war campaigner, the lip.<br><br>
David Remnick's wonderful essay American Hunger from 1998 is a beautiful tribute to a master of his craft and a legend:<br><br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/10/12/american-hunger'>http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/10/12/american-hunger</a> -
<p>The man <em>Sports Illustrated</em> crowned Sportsman of the (20th) Century.</p>
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The Outsized Life of Muhammad Ali. A beautiful and wise eulogy by David Remnick:<br><br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-outsized-life-of-muhammad-ali'>http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-outsized-life-of-muhammad-ali</a> -
Meh. When Ali was boxing I was still an itch in my dad's pants.<br><br>
Some of ye older lads probably saw him box. <br><br>
Since I hardly know the guy I won't jump on the bandwagon. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="585078" data-time="1465018597">
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<p>Rest in Peace, Muhammad Ali, a great boxer, a civil rights activist, anti-war campaigner, the lip.<br><br>
David Remnick's wonderful essay American Hunger from 1998 is a beautiful tribute to a master of his craft and a legend:<br><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/10/12/american-hunger'>http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/10/12/american-hunger</a></p>
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<p>Great read. Thanks.</p> -
Flawed but fantastic, probably my favourite ever sportsman. Who knows how much greater he would have been if he wasn't stripped of his title in his prime during the 'Nam thing.<br><br>
I was telling my kids the other day of when he won his Gold back in the 60s - returning as a national sporting hero he still wasn't allowed to drink in some of the same bars as white folks. Kids could not believe that segregation existed in the US only 50 years ago - Ali played a huge part in ensuring it's abolition.<br><br>
A man who truly transcended his sport. -
<p>'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'<br>
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R.I.P. Muhammad Ali</p>
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<p>Just seen this for the first time. Brilliant</p>
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<p>https://vimeo.com/169300354</p> -
<p>This fight shoes Ali ( or Clay as he was at the time ) in his prime , all the skills on display that made him a unique heavyweight , Cleveland Williams was no mug and was predicted by some to make life difficult for Clay </p>
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You dont normally associate the words graceful and heavyweight boxing together , but he really was
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<p>Seeing some of the articles coming out now, and I'm more than a bit sad that we couldn't celebrate Ali's massive achievements for 24 hours without bringing up all the family/love life shit and squabbles.</p>
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<p>Especially not the 'tell all' books and documentaries by ex wives/children/business acquaintances etc who have been hovering like vultures just waiting for this moment. Gross.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="585136" data-time="1465075630">
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<p>Seeing some of the articles coming out now, and I'm more than a bit sad that we couldn't celebrate Ali's massive achievements for 24 hours without bringing up all the family/love life shit and squabbles.</p>
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<p>Especially not the 'tell all' books and documentaries by ex wives/children/business acquaintances etc who have been hovering like vultures just waiting for this moment. Gross.</p>
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<p>They can't tarnish his memory in my eyes or his legacy. I just won't pay any attention to the parasites. I have my memories of Ali and they are good enough to last forever</p> -
His impact on boxing and civil rights was obviously massive, but his impact on pro wrestling was huge as well. He may have borrowed aspects of his promo style from Gorgeous George, but he was a master of the cocky heel promo, and many emulated him, whether deliberately or subconsciously.<br><br>
His cross promotional work with wrestling was also huge, as he was a special guest referee for the main event of Wrestlemania I, and he worked with Gorilla Monsoon, Antonio Inoki and Andre the Giant.<br><br>
RIP to a true icon. -
<p>I feel blessed to have seen this exceptional athlete at his extraordinary best during my teenage years and after, when access to television broadcasts was nowhere near as readily available as now. I recall watching one of his fights in Martin Place, outside the Overseas Telecommunications Corporation building where they showed the event on screens in their ground floor window. The '60s and '70s were great days for this sport which I have loved for a lifetime and Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali was instrumental in making it so.</p>
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<p>Decades ago I had a couple of fine photos framed of the strong young man in his deservedly arrogant prime and they are proudly displayed still. The man was denied his best years by the politics of the time and those later years in the ring, when he should have been out of it, greatly damaged his health. He matured to become quite the statesman and a thoughtful commentator on topical issues.</p>
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<p>Quite apart from his unique personality and fabulous public presentation, which generated quite some outrage for many, he brought fundamental, profound change to the heavyweight division with his speed (especially for a man of his size), his agility, ringcraft and tactical nous. For those who did not have the grand good fortune to follow his career as it evolved the documentary <i>“When We Were Kingsâ€</i> is a pretty good account of the man in action – the interviews with writers / journalists George Plimpton and Norman Mailer offer interesting personal insights.</p>
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<p>Watching Fox News to the US audience last night it was clear the producers were struggling to find someone old enough to have seen the great man in action, and knowledgeable of boxing, so they focused only on reporterettes giggling at footage of him clowning about. The media dimwits had plenty of advance warning and failed in their job - Ali earned much better than that.</p>
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<p>Manny Pacquiao said, aptly:</p>
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<p style="margin-left:40px;">“We lost a giant today.â€</p>
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<p>Muhammad Ali was most assuredly the Greatest of All Time and now he rests in peace.</p> -
<p>Hand speed: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/this-video-shows-the-true-terryfing-speed-of-muhammad-alis-fists--WyG7VvjM27Z'>http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/this-video-shows-the-true-terryfing-speed-of-muhammad-alis-fists--WyG7VvjM27Z</a></p>
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