Why did Ali stop dancing after 1973 ?

...

 

He danced for most of the Norton and Frazier rematches in 1974.

He was not particularly old old but he had to adapt. He was a big man to be jumping around like that anyway. Although the dancing was a signature of his ring style even in his prime the dancing was never nonstop anyway. Watch the Foley fight. He sat down on his heels for longer spells even then.

Dancing was only part of what Ali was about. Mostly it was about controlling range, making the other man over reach and beating him to the draw.

 

Ginger Rogers went off to make dramas.

 

It wastes energy and he was an ageing heavyweight.

 

He was incredibly lazy, had a terrible work ethic in the gym and ballooned in weight between fights.


"His belly billowing over his trunks, an overlump Ali weighed almost 230 pounds as he waited to spar in his 5th street gym 4 weeks ago."
"Ali's training camp is less disciplined than Frazier's. During the six weeks he lived in Miami Beach, there were days when he skipped a workout altogether. Some days he did not spar… He had trouble with his weight. When training began, he was near 230 pounds and he vowed not even to look at scales until one week before the fight. But three weeks ago he ambled by a scale in the gym, stepped on and whistled "226!" he cried. He vowed immediately to cut out the several Pepsis he drinks every day, but the vow did not last long. "

(LIFE magazine, March 1971)

 

The music died.......

 

He realized it was a waste of effort.

 

Well, that was a good fourteen years after The Day The Music Died, so just count yourself lucky you got that much dancing outta him. :bart

 

One word....disco

 

One emoticon....:barf

 

Blackballed by Brucie?

 

Ali was very disciplined in the gym during the first part of his career, but after the exile he never got that discipline back. Norman Mailer writes in "The Fight" that the Frazier rematch and the Foreman fight was the only he really trained for as he should after the coming back from the exile.

 

After pleading with him not to bring him down. :verysad


(down down down down down...ooh-OOH-hoo...)

 

He had terrible corns.