What was Ali's work ethic like?

At the local right now. I'm young and in shape, but unfortunately not a world champ or loaded with cash lol.

 

Tough luck, pal

 

I always feel like after Zaire, Ali put it on cruise control. He rarely seemed to be in good shape. Doesn’t seem like he felt there was much to prove. He clowned a ton whereas in the 60’s, he made his opponents look bad. He could dig deep & be a warrior when he needed it sometimes but late 70’s was more entertainer than fighter.

 

there is this famous quote, i don´t know who wrote/said it:

after manila ali stopped being an athlete and started being a businessman only (paraphrasing).

 

I think early in Muhammad Ali's career his work ethic was very good, the desire was there. Angelo Dundee and Drew Bundini Brown made sure he was doing his roadwork, sparring, a hitting the heavy bag as well as skipping rope. During Ali's first title reign from 1964-1967 he was in fighting condition, his weight reflected it, he looked fit. Ali weighed his heaviest on March 29 1966 against George Chuvalo, Ali weighed 214 lbs. In his other 8 title defenses, he was lighter, around 203 and 211 lbs. But when Ali returned on Oct 26 1970 after a 43 month banishment for defying the U.S Selective Service Law, he looked somewhat fit, he started to weigh 215 lbs and his training habits displayed overconfidence, not wanting to hit the gym anymore, that resulted in his two losses to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. For the first Norton match on March 31 1973, Ali weighed 221 lbs, he began to appear pudgy and listless. Many think extra weight is modern day manly but in reality it causes damage to the heart, having to lug around excess weight around.

 

Make hay while is the sun is shining.

 

He seemed it - I just remember seeing footage of Ali, Holmes and Frazier hanging around after the wrap party for Champions Forever, and Holmes was giving Ali crap (kind of kidding) that he never trained seriously and only did two weeks for Zaire - he may have meant Manila, or maybe he was just busting Muhammad’s balls a bit … here’s the clip:

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