Fraziers' work rate is amazing, always attacking and bobby and weaving. Plus he delivers a huge punch. Ali is such a tactician, controlling the fight the whole way. These guys were great.
His legal and timing were around 70%
If they fought in 1969 instead, first fight is still awes9me but Ali beats him and shreds him up. Just because he would miss less and dancing more.
Frazier fight awesome though. Both guys did. In 2nd fight Ali figured out to move to his right more so Frazier couldn’t get set for left hook.
about their first fight, so I am about 16 1/2 y/o,
taking 'driving lessons'. So the night of the fight,
I had a 'driving lesson', they had classrooms as well
back in the day (as well as driving). So I said to a friend
of mine after class, hey Ali/Frazier are fighting tonight
at the local Civic Center (it was new at that time).
Closed circuit TV was the thing back then...
I told him, lets go, he wasn't a big sports fan,
anyhow we get down there, obviously it was sold out.
I said, lets go out back, and then somehow we got in
(Don't recall how, longgggg time ago). So now we had to crawl on our stomach for about 50 feet or so,
it was dark.
Well, we got in to the standing room section to see the last 5 rounds. I just recall that vicious left hook
from Frazier that knocked Ali down. That's my story,
and I'm sticking to it, LOL.
and not to take away from post-suspension Ali, and those epic fights with Frazier et al., but pre-suspension Ali was something to behold.
In my mind, he has 3 careers; pre-suspension, post-suspension, and tail end. I was introduced to Ali as he moved from the tail end of phase 2 to phase 3. But, the glimpses of vintage Ali that you got, and his personality were enough of a hook for me. I loved him and cried like a baby when he lost to Spinks and again when he lost to Holmes. But, I also watched enough of the early fights whenever I could.
I always wonder what his career arc would have been had he not been suspended right in the middle of his prime. Would he have comfortably walked away earlier with a feeling of nothing to prove tom himself or anyone else? Would he have been undefeated? He was, easily, the greatest fighter I saw in my lifetime.
The true epic was the Thrilla in Manila. Two heavy weights toe to toe for 14 rounds.
If they fought in 1969 instead, first fight is still awes9me but Ali beats him and shreds him up. Just because he would miss less and dancing more.
Frazier fight awesome though. Both guys did. In 2nd fight Ali figured out to move to his right more so Frazier couldn’t get set for left hook.
taking 'driving lessons'. So the night of the fight,
I had a 'driving lesson', they had classrooms as well
back in the day (as well as driving). So I said to a friend
of mine after class, hey Ali/Frazier are fighting tonight
at the local Civic Center (it was new at that time).
Closed circuit TV was the thing back then...
I told him, lets go, he wasn't a big sports fan,
anyhow we get down there, obviously it was sold out.
I said, lets go out back, and then somehow we got in
(Don't recall how, longgggg time ago). So now we had to crawl on our stomach for about 50 feet or so,
it was dark.
Well, we got in to the standing room section to see the last 5 rounds. I just recall that vicious left hook
from Frazier that knocked Ali down. That's my story,
and I'm sticking to it, LOL.
The true epic was the Thrilla in Manila. Two heavy weights toe to toe for 14 rounds.
He only had two fights after missing 3 1/2 years,
maybe he should have had another fight before Frazier?
I always wonder what his career arc would have been had he not been suspended right in the middle of his prime. Would he have comfortably walked away earlier with a feeling of nothing to prove tom himself or anyone else? Would he have been undefeated? He was, easily, the greatest fighter I saw in my lifetime.