Where were you.

The forum is called Classic Boxing, for 'old timers', yet most posters weren't even alive for this one. Disgraceful! Bert Sugar would be ashamed.

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as would @The Morlocks

 

Come back from the underground master @The Morlocks

I hope little Timmy Kellard didn't beat him up because of those insults...

 

I was 12 years old, and I was listening to the Fight Of The Century on March 8 1971, on my mom's stereo console hi fi radio. I remember that the fight started out with the commentator announcing that Muhammad Ali had won the first two rounds. Then Joe Frazier won the next round. I remember thinking that this fight might be a replica of Ali's victory over Oscar Bonavena, 3 months earlier. But then I kept hearing how Ali began to toy with a very determined Frazier and lose rounds. I had followed boxing since 1965, and started to believe that maybe the 43 month layoff that Ali had endured, was starting to affect his stamina and reflexes. I heard that Frazier staggered an exhausted Ali in round 11 against the ropes. Then came round 15, Joe landed that perfect left hook that dumped Ali on the seat of his trunks, first time since Henry Cooper turned the trick on a pre champion Ali in 1963, even before JFK's assassination. When Ali bounced up right away, I even assumed that Ali suffered his first defeat. I was right, a unanimous decision victory for undisputed Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier. The next day in my English class, our teacher read a statement from the English book, it read, Cassius Clay said I am The Greatest, my teacher replied, He Was Not The Greatest Last Night.

 

Jesus Christ I'm in play pen with 9 yr olds!

 

I will be the one to confirm that there was no PPV, internet, HBO back in 1971, not even Watergate. Closed Circuit Television or radio broadcast were the options if you did not see the fight in person.

 

You went to a movie theater to see the fights. I recall many of these shows...Ali-Richard Dunn (ugh), Rumble in the Jungle, and the worst one, the most shocking one was the "No Mas" Duran-Leonard II bout. The entire theater went silent, and we all shuffled out, mumbling "I can't believe Duran quit...he just quit". Also Duran-Leonard III which was a waste of good money. Holmes-Cooney, etc. etc.

 

Not even close to being a thought.

 

You know my friend, I went to the second Ali vs Frazier fight in 1974 with my older brother who almost got drafted in the 1971 lottery, he was a few numbers off. I went to the Duran vs Hagler in 1983 with my brother in law. both fights I have mentioned were on Closed Circuit Television at the Local community center. The first Ali vs Patterson fight, I attended with my dad and uncle in 1965, it was shown on the big screen at the local high school. I was quite young, but I do remember it very well. I was impressed by Ali, have followed boxing ever since.

 

I'm not far past 30 but 'have the knees of an 80 year old'. Does that count?

 

I knew I was getting old when I would see a hot chick somewhere and think to myself "Wow........I wonder what her mom looks like. "

 

Even worse. "Wow...I screwed her grandmother".

 

I remember it well. I was watching, with a friend, with whom I had bet $100 on Ali to win. BUT I got my $100 back when Ali beat Foreman.

 

I was a senior in college. Aside from seeing it live, the only real option was closed circuit TV in certain local theatres. I don't know if there was live radio broadcast but as close as I was to NYC at the time there was none fin my location. Some radio stations announced that they would relay a round-by-round summary after each round. I listened to these summaries with my grandfather. I was rooting for Joe and when he staggered Ali in round 11 figured it may be over soon. The radio announcer said at the conclusion of round 12 , "Well, the fight is still on ....".
At the end of round 15 the announcer said, "the fight is over but we don't have a winner yet. There was a knockdown" and at that point I just knew that it was Joe that scored the KD. Then the winner was announced - Frazier! It was pure excitement all the way and one of those very rare occasions when the world stopped doing whatever it was doing and tuned in.

A friend later told me that he watched the fight on closed circuit TV and it was the most exciting sporting event that he had ever seen. He said the threatre was sold out, and somebody called in a bomb threat. NOBODY moved out of their seats!

 

I was just under four months short of my 16th birthday. At school the following morning all of us kids in the Ali camp were gutted.