RIP Muhammad Ali
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<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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<p>His quips were legendary. Loved watching his interviews with my old man who will be devastated by this news. Never a huge puncher, but godamn he was a FAST puncher.....</p>
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<p>Gotta feel those battles with Foreman and Frazier were extremely detrimental to his overall health though, Parkinsons is such a fluffybunny of a disease.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="585119" data-time="1465069035">
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<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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<p>I was taking a taxi to the airport and saw "Muhammed Ali has died" come up on my phone. Told the driver and he thought at first that his mate Muhammed had died. True story.</p>
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<p>Ali V "Big Cat" Williams was the first thing I wanted to watch when I heard the news. My old man and I would always watched the old fights when I was a kid and watching Ali toy with Williams was enjoying an athlete in the finest of form, regardless of the sport. Williams was a power puncher who liked to trap his opponent in the corner. Problem was that Ali was dancing in and around him so Williams got desperate and started chasing Ali. The result? Three knock-downs, the final one creating this famous shot:</p>
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<p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/6UUTUFJ.jpg" alt="6UUTUFJ.jpg"></p>
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<p>Sure, the middleweight and welterweight divisions have the true boxers, but Ali was one of the first heavyweights who possessed the same speed and skill as those guys. His comments and views about the Vietnam war (and the overall civil rights movement) are what makes him a legend however.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Sneakdefreak" data-cid="585168" data-time="1465097812">
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<p>I was taking a taxi to the airport and saw "Muhammed Ali has died" come up on my phone. Told the driver and he thought at first that his mate Muhammed had died. True story.</p>
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<p>Ali V "Big Cat" Williams was the first thing I wanted to watch when I heard the news. My old man and I would always watched the old fights when I was a kid and watching Ali toy with Williams was enjoying an athlete in the finest of form, regardless of the sport. Williams was a power puncher who liked to trap his opponent in the corner. Problem was that Ali was dancing in and around him so Williams got desperate and started chasing Ali. The result? Three knock-downs, the final one creating this famous shot:</p>
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<p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/6UUTUFJ.jpg" alt="6UUTUFJ.jpg"></p>
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<p>Sure, the middleweight and welterweight divisions have the true boxers, but Ali was one of the first heavyweights who possessed the same speed and skill as those guys. <strong>His comments and views about the Vietnam war (and the overall civil rights movement) are what makes him a legend however.</strong></p>
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<p>He still lost a few, Rocky Marciano had a heavyweight record of 49-0 and no one ever called him the Greatest whereas Ali lost to Norton, Frazier and Holmes ( and a few others, tried to Wikipedia his record but not surprisingly couldn't load it ) so I think it is the way he transcended the sport that made his legacy what it is.</p> -
<p>I also think Ali aside, most considered that era , the greatest era of heavyweights , in that there was so many great heavyweights all fighting at the same time ,</p>
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<p>And he dominated it , </p>
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<p>He went on a bit long though </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="585174" data-time="1465099114">
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<p>He still lost a few, Rocky Marciano had a heavyweight record of 49-0 and no one ever called him the Greatest whereas Ali lost to Norton, Frazier and Holmes ( and a few others, tried to Wikipedia his record but not surprisingly couldn't load it ) so<strong> I think it is the way he transcended the sport that made his legacy what it is.</strong></p>
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<p>Ali was denied boxing in his best years. If he had fought during the same period as Marciano he'd have a similar if not better record. Three of his five professional losses were the last four fights and Marciano had been retired for between four and seven years. Marciano also didn't box against fighters of the calibre Ali did.</p>
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<p>As for the bolded bit, I agree. Certainly the plaudits in death seem to show a polished reflection...</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="585178" data-time="1465100617">
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<p>Ali was denied boxing in his best years. If he had fought during the same period as Marciano he'd have a similar if not better record. Three of his five professional losses were the last four fights and Marciano had been retired for between four and seven years. Marciano also didn't box against fighters of the calibre Ali did.</p>
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<p>As for the bolded bit, I agree. Certainly the plaudits in death seem to show a polished reflection...</p>
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<p>I hear ya to some extent but it can be tough to gauge different eras. Would be tough to see Marciano get close enough to land a knockout blow but that dude was freakishly tough.</p>
