Ali was floored by a light heavy in an exibition in`71

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Jan 20, 2019.


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  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    On October 19, 1971, seven months after his Fight Of The Century loss to Joe Frazier, The Greatest was floored by 'Gypsie' Johnny Frankham.
    The exibition bout between the light heavy from Reading and the Louisville lip went 8 rounds.
    I thought this was a brilliant story when I read it just now in a national newspaper, does anyone know anything else about the 'Gypsie`s' career?
     
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    #1
  2. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

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    I know that in 40 fights (28 wins) he had only 5 knockouts...

    I'm a bit skeptical, need a source for this
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
    #2
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  3. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Thanks, I read this story in the Sun newspaper, I found it funny.
     
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    #3
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  4. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I believe it is made up but has been circulating for a while l. Who knows could have truth?

    This article (nothing to do with it) has a pic
    https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/features/travellers-tribute-muhammad-ali

    There was another thread on this back in 2011
    https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/muhammud-ali-floored-by-a-gypsy.335341/
     
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 20, 2019
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 20, 2019
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  5. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

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    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
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  6. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    TBooze, Jan 20, 2019
    TBooze, Jan 20, 2019
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  7. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    So what if he was?

    Practically everybody, got dropped by some bum in sparing, at some point!

    That is what sparring is for!
     
    janitor, Jan 20, 2019
    janitor, Jan 20, 2019
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  8. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

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    I've heard a rumour that GGG has never been dropped in sparring
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 20, 2019
    #8
  9. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    That might be true, but things much stranger than fiction happen in sparring!

    You could devote a book to it!
     
    janitor, Jan 20, 2019
    janitor, Jan 20, 2019
    #9
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  10. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali looked really out of shape in the photo also, Johnny can still tell his grandkids though.
     
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    mark ant, Jan 20, 2019
    #10
  11. Skins

    Skins Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I'm sure Ali was either just fooling around or was off balance and slipped. The chances of this guy legitimately decking Ali are zero.
     
    Skins, Jan 20, 2019
    Skins, Jan 20, 2019
    #11
  12. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ali used to fall all the time for the cameras. Here he is falling against another sparring partner in 1971. Notice he's laying on his side just like he is in the photo with Frankham.

    This content is protected
     
    Dubblechin, Jan 20, 2019
    Dubblechin, Jan 20, 2019
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  13. Roughhouse

    Roughhouse Active Member Full Member

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    I think Ali liked to both play to the crowd and also throw a little reward to the sparring partners in these exhibitions by taking a pratfall. Sort of his nature to generously give a local guy something to brag on for the rest of his life and didn't hurt Ali's status at all. Big piece in Texas Monthly about his doing this same thing for journeyman Elmo Henderson and how Henderson has benefitted for 40 plus years as a result and still carries around the weathered clipping to show everyone.
     
    Roughhouse, Jan 20, 2019
    Roughhouse, Jan 20, 2019
    #13
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  14. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    It was a fake KD Ali pulled the same thing sparring with Jimmy Tibbs.
     
    mcvey, Jan 21, 2019
    mcvey, Jan 21, 2019
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  15. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali used to get hit too much in sparring anyway, D`Amato noticed it when he went in Dundee`s gym just before the Frazier fighht but Dundee didn`t think anything of it.
     
    mark ant, Jan 21, 2019
    mark ant, Jan 21, 2019
    #15
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