SuperDave Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) Now being reported that one of the great boxing champions of all time Muhammad Ali has passed away. I had heard yesterday that he was hospitalized but for something that was not that serious and perhaps pneumonia (spelling now corrected for those , who saw original). Will correct later. One of the all time greats and did originate the rope a dope in the ring. So much we can say about him and not without some controversy and especially in his early years. The first boxer I remember from my childhood with so many great memories and watching so many of his matches, before it became just a big money event as it was a time you could see him compete in a match and not have to pay extra like now for some PPV event! Plenty of links I'm sure on this and will be easy to find. Will be plenty of coverage and won't be able to avoid this over the weekend! Edited June 4, 2016 by SuperDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef free Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 “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.” ― Muhammad Ali Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Ali was not just a master boxer, but a master self-promoter, and a giant who most importantly stood up for an important cause at the risk of ending his career. Love him or hate him, Ali had balls the size of grapefruits and never sacrificed his integrity. Rest in peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted June 4, 2016 Author Share Posted June 4, 2016 1 hour ago, IpMan said: Ali was not just a master boxer, but a master self-promoter, and a giant who most importantly stood up for an important cause at the risk of ending his career. Love him or hate him, Ali had balls the size of grapefruits and never sacrificed his integrity. Rest in peace Very true and well put! And also to Chef Free for the great Ali quote, which sums up a lot of this as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matjaz1 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 R.I.P Muhammad Ali just to mention, long live world champion from my home town Dejan Zavec! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) Cassius Clay. Muhammad Ali. The Louisville Lip. The Greatest. G.O.A.T. It has been coming for some time but damn if the news of Ali's death still didn't knock me cold when I heard about it coming out of a show tonight. I can't sleep and am reading articles and watching news coverage...ESPN is wall to wall Ali. As it should be. Yes, people die every day...even stars and celebrities are mortal. We are getting older and so are our icons. It is a sign of how debased the words 'legend' and 'icon' have become when they are thrown around on unworthy people such as Kanye West, Lebron James, Peyton Manning, Kobe Bryant, the Kardashians. Their mark and legacy is puny compared to the impact Muhammad Ali had on the world. Whether as Cassius Clay or as Muhammad Ali, he shook up the world. First of all, he was the greatest wordsmith anyone had ever seen in the world of sports. Loquacious. Voluminous. Witty. He was must-see TV...and this was in a time when you could see athletes on regular TV instead of pay TV or cable. If you were alive in the 1970s you have vivid memories of watching Ali verbally spar with Howard Cosell on ABC's "Wide World of Sports". He backed up his words, too, beating all the great fighters of his era. Even his fights had memorable titles: "The Fight". "The Rumble in the Jungle". "The Thrilla in Manila". He took on all comers, including the U.S. Government. While he technically lost that battle, he won in the hearts and minds of millions and millions of people around the world who were appalled by the Vietnam War. He was a giant cultural figure in my life and I was a white suburban kid. I can't imagine the impact he had on the black kids growing up then. Every black athlete alive owes a debt of gratitude to Muhammad Ali. He paved the way. As sad as the news of Ali's passing is, with the Alzheimer's he has been suffering with for the past 20 years or so, maybe it is a silver lining that he will suffer no more. Goodbye Champ. Thanks for the memories. Rest in Peace G.O.A.T. A must-see for those who haven't seen it, "When We Were Kings" is an outstanding documentary on "The Rumble in the Jungle", Ali vs. Foreman in Zaire 1974. Edited June 4, 2016 by Strider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) https://youtu.be/Bnz77QSu2HA For non Brits who may not have seen any of Ali's interviews on Parkie. edit.. what's going on, why is the video not showing..sorry about that... Edited June 4, 2016 by JTM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) *** Edited June 4, 2016 by JTM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) ****Hate it when things change, how do we now post youtube vids.... Edited June 4, 2016 by JTM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 What else can be said that hasn't been already... RIP Muhammed Ali You are the greatest the world has ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddladner Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Who can ever forget 'I Am The Greatest'! We had never seen anything like him. Rest in Peace, Muhammed Ali. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgeholder Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Long live the Champ. I remember being at the Rose parade when he was grand marshal and people went fucking NUTS when he drove by! They showered him with love, it was great. Those Howard Cosell interviews will live forever, comedy gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Two Icons together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I'll knock you out, Howard. Smokin' Joe didn't care that he was pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooma Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 23 hours ago, IpMan said: Ali was not just a master boxer, but a master self-promoter, and a giant who most importantly stood up for an important cause at the risk of ending his career. Love him or hate him, Ali had balls the size of grapefruits and never sacrificed his integrity. Rest in peace Calling Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom and a gorilla to promote himself was shameful. Please don't say he never sacrificed his integrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 37 minutes ago, zooma said: Calling Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom and a gorilla to promote himself was shameful. Please don't say he never sacrificed his integrity. I just heard that he was also a member of a anti Semitic group. I just can't get behind that kind of thing, sorry. I hope he at least died in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef free Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Why do you two feel the need to disrespect someone who has made a great contribution to the world? And after he's dead and unable to set the record straight. Does it make you feel cool or superior? Especially repeating unfounded claims of antisemitism. Why come to a place where we are mourning his loss and offer your negative opinions? Very classless guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 (edited) Who can ever forget that electrifying moment he appeared at the opening of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, shaking with Parkinsons yet still holding the torch aloft. THAT was an incredible moment. Edited June 5, 2016 by SteveAJones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedZeppfan1977 Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 i remember those pay fights like they were yesterday. You could only see Ali and Foreman or Frazier live if you paid to go downtown on a big screen at the War Memorial here or whatever venue you lived near in the day. The win by Frazier in the first fight likely had much to do with Ali's 5 year ban. But take nothing from Joe, he was great too. The 'Rumble in the Jungle" was a real surprise. I think Foreman had just knocked Frazier out? If I have the timeline correct? Its been a while so correct me if that is not right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvlz2 Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 (edited) 5 hours ago, SteveAJones said: Who can ever forget that electrifying moment he appeared at the opening of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, shaking with Parkinsons yet still holding the torch aloft. THAT was an incredible moment. Definitely was an unforgettable electrifying moment! RIP Muhammad Ali. Edited June 5, 2016 by luvlz2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 This got posted on the FB site of the band BANG: “Bow to the King” was written about Muhammad Ali, who we met one day in the Philadelphia airport. We told him about the album and that we had mailed him a copy after it’s release. Ali told us he wold look for it when he got home. (that’s where he was headed). Later that night Tony answered the phone to ” this is Mrs Mohammad Ali, we found the album and my husband says he will listen to it tonight. Later we received an autographed picture and note from the champ signed Muhammad “Cassius Clay” Ali. What we remember most is how “The Greatest” had the softest hand shake you could imagine. "Bow to the King" (Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay at the time) Bow to the King, He's marching down the aisle His subjects start to scream, they've waited quite a while The King is dressed in red, His fist are hard as lead He's waited months to meet, the man he's going to beat Bow to the King! He slowly steps inside, across the canvas hide He hears the bell to fight, He's blinded by the light Bow to the King! The King begins to move, His movements are so smooth The man moves to his right, his eye's are filled with fright The King connects a right! The man is turning white! A jab has crushed his jaw, the man begins to fall In fifteen seconds flat, he's put him on the mat The man is counted out, the King has won the bout As the bell begins to ring, the crowd salutes their king With fist up high, they jab the sky, He's won again they sing! Bow to the King! Bow to the King! He's won again! Bow to the King! He's won again! Song starts at 28.22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 2016 has been a very wounding year. Can't believe these two forces of nature have shuffled off this mortal coil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 On 6/4/2016 at 11:04 PM, chef free said: Why do you two feel the need to disrespect someone who has made a great contribution to the world? And after he's dead and unable to set the record straight. Does it make you feel cool or superior? Especially repeating unfounded claims of antisemitism. Why come to a place where we are mourning his loss and offer your negative opinions? Very classless guys. If this was directed at me, the record shows he used to be part of a group like that which I heard on the news last week. If he evolved from that, then he became a better person and I am glad for that. No need to call names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedZeppfan1977 Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) My late step father, who boxed when he was young, was fortunate enough to have shook hands with both Ali and Marciano both. I remember how he talked about Marciano's hands and it was his opinion that Joe Louis was the greatest fighter ever in his prime Edited June 19, 2016 by LedZeppfan1977 adding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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