Is it agreed that Muhammad Ali's form improved after FOTC 1971 ?

Like to combine the commentary of Hugh McIlvanney,
widely considered the finest living boxing writer,
in the wonderful Doc, Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World
with Angelo Dundee's last book to finally slam the lid on this issue.

Ali was forced into a fight he was very ill prepared for due to the fact he was dead ass broke!

 

Agreed on all counts. Had Ali won you wouldn`t have heard a peep about his condition or training. If Ali had not been in great condition he never would have survived 8 rounds let alone the distance the way Joe was hitting that night. Ali was great in defeat that night.

His excuses are taken as gospel though.

 

No, Ali was telling everyone he was champion of the world and he had to prove it.

 

Jose Torres who watched a lot of Ali sparring for Frazier1 said Ali had gotten into the habit of resting on the ropes when sparring because he didnt trust his legs . He also said Ali did not have enough ring rounds under his belt to take on Frazier at that stage , but of course you know best.

 

"Slams the lid on this issue"

:roll:

Just more spin is all it is.

As if guys that were in the Ali camp are going to give you the unbiased scoop.

Ali was ready 3/8/71.

He lost.

Deal with it.

:good

 

Hugh MclLvanney O B E, is a Scottish sports writer, widely considered first class . He writes in the Sunday Times, he has been Journalist Of The Year,is in the Press gazette HOF and was voted in the IBHOF in 2008. How was he ,"in the Ali camp"?


" In the two victories since his return , the nine minute laceration of Jerry Quarry and the 15th rd knockout of Oscar Bonavena, the exciting elements of his performances have not concealed a definite erosion of his speed.There has been nothing in his training in Miami beach to encourage hopes that he can rediscover the vast overspill of vitality that swept him to the championship."
" The truth is he has done a fair amount of fooling around, haranguing the paying spectators at his workouts, eulogising himself and dismissing Frazier as a second - rate street-fighter,a short- armed hooker who will never get past his jab" MclLvanney.

Deal with it ? Nothing hard about that, he lost.

Ali dealt with it too.

" I aint the champ,Joe's the champ,I call him champ now.Not before, but I do now.I ain't protesting, he's a good tough fighter.Not a great boxer, but great at his own thing.He puts pressure on you all right,cuts off the ring,and he's the best hitter I ever met." Ali.

 

Ali didn`t deal with it very well. He spent the next 3 years "protesting" the decision. Even going as far as to say he is still the real champ and that "only white people say I lost all black people know I won".

Terrible sportsmanship regarding a fight that wasn`t controversial in any way shape or form. Frazier won clearly.

Thats just the reality though.

 

I've just provided an immediate verbatim post fight reaction from Ali. I dont know what more I could do? Frazier did win it clearly , just as Ali won the next TWO clearly.