Charismatic cheerleader for sure! I have read varying quotes regarding his worth but i think he managed to get that little bit extra out of Ali when he needed it. My favourite Bundini quote :- " Only one man can beat Muhammad Ali.......Cassius Clay, but he ain't here tonight " Thoughts?
"Moreover, Brown was in trouble with Ali after admitting that he had pawned Ali’s championship belt. He would not return to Ali’s corner until after Ali had served his suspension in 1971. From that date until Ali’s final fight with Trevor Berbick, Brown would be ringside and elsewhere with his friend." Source: http://m.amsterdamnews.com/news/201...-muhammad-alis-sidekick-trainer-and-c/?page=2 Bundini seemed to be a pretty toxic on-and-off again friend. You sell my damn belt you're lucky i dont belt you across the head. Seems Ali didnt know how to cut people off. People like that are too nice for their own good.
In all those years of reading everything in boxing the only thing I can recall is Ali once saying that Bundini was the most profane man he had ever met.
He was arguing with Angie Dundee to keep sending Ali out when Larry Holmes was beating him half to death. Some friend he was. Just a moocher and a toadie who had a gimmick of coming up with some cute phrases and poems which added to Ali’s natural charm.
He might of given Ali energy at certain times. When he was in the ring Ali could hear his voice over anyone else. Maybe if nothing else he was comedy relief. Sugar Ray Robinson sent Bundini to Clay/Ali
He served a function in that he appealed to Ali's ego like nobody else ... and no one who appealed to Ali's ego ever went away broke. The head of the hangers-on that were the Ali Traveling Circus, always looking for another way to scam a gullible foil. Wasn't he caught selling tickets to Ali's training camp that was supposedly open to the public?
He entertained and helped motivate Ali but at a cost .. he was a complex hustler who loved Ali but was an opportunist as well .. likely outlived his usage by the second title reign ..
His biggest benefit was what he did to the oppostion. He helped the Ali camp quite a bit for those pre fight antics. Really an important person for that and that contribution alone justifies him on the payroll===how many of the others really made a major contribution anyway? But anyone not around at the time just cannot appreciate the 6 to 8 week Ali circus and the effects it had on the opponents. And it was all personal attacks. After the fight Ali would be nice and give some compliments but never before.