One thing I really liked about Muhammad Ali as heavyweight champion was that he defended the title around the globe. Zaire, Manila, Germany, the UK ... you name it. He took the most important championship in all of sport (at the time) on a world tour during his times as title champion. Many of these were fighting guys in their own backyards and others were neutral sites. Another example is Brian Mitchell, the South African 130-pound king of the later 1980s and early ‘90s who was not allowed (due to his country’s racial policies and practices) to defend it at home. So he took it wherever title fights could be put together — again, often facing the hometown guy in his own hometown. Who are some other true world champions who lived up to both the ‘champion’ and ‘world’ part of that designation?
Archie Moore travelled wherever he could get a check. South America, Australia for sure. Not sure if ever made it to Africa or Europe
@George Crowcroft 'stole' my answer lol BUT, This is a very good question. Fighters gain so much respect from the fans globally and toward their legacies this way. Not everyone is up for taking the risk, especially here in America.
