Wepner-Ali knockdown

But the knockdown is a statisical fact of the fight, thus it is legitmate...

We may all know the circumstances of the knockdown, but in future that may change, as less boxing people become intrested in Ali, and research his career properly.

 

I'll have to watch it again to be sure but it very well could have been legit. Ali wasn't balanced right when hit and was not expecting Wepner to hit him like that. Ali did not complain when it was ruled a knockdown either.
Doesn't mean Ali was hurt but was caught unexpectedly

 

Here’s my take. Wepner did land a hard punch to Ali's arm pit / chest region. Ali went down. Ali got up bracing himself on the ropes and looked a bit shaken up.

However, a photo shows Wepner did step on Ali's foot, and therein lays the debate. Did Wepner step on Ali's foot before or after the punch? The film does not show.

The referee felt it was a knock down. I think it was, though it was not a clean knockdown. The significance of this fight is lost in modern times. Wepner did not deserve a title shot, but he did inspire a young actor named Sylvester Stallone. Wepner's gameness inspired Stallone to write, and star in the movie Rocky.

 

Wepner as you say had no skills ,but I hate to hear people call him a F*****G Bum,Chuck Wepner was a brave man whatever his skills or lack of them,he took a beating from Ali and Liston and many othe r top notchers ,he never looked to quit and many times had his face opened up like a tin of peas,Id like to see you in there with Liston and Foreman ,Mr Spencer,the ring can be a lonely place ,its a long time since I was in one but I remember that,I think you would do well to think about that before calling a brave man a BUm

 

Mendoza says:

Here’s my take. Wepner did land a hard punch to Ali's arm pit / chest region. Ali went down. Ali got up bracing himself on the ropes and looked a bit shaken up.

However, a photo shows Wepner did step on Ali's foot, and therein lays the debate. Did Wepner step on Ali's foot before or after the punch? The film does not show.

The referee felt it was a knock down. I think it was, though it was not a clean knockdown. The significance of this fight is lost in modern times. Wepner did not deserve a title shot, but he did inspire a young actor named Sylvester Stallone. Wepner's gameness inspired Stallone to write, and star in the movie Rocky.

Hey McVey, please show me where I called Wepner a bum? If anything I praised his gameness vs Ali.

 

It was no knockdown. Ali haters push the line that it was. The motive is obvious.

 

It was. Ali took a 3 count.

 

Actually, judging by the film, I think their legs are a little far apart at the time Ali goes down for Wepner to be standing on his foot. It looks to me like Ali is going backwards a bit off-balance, possibly about to slip, and then Wepner connects with a relatively ineffectual body blow at just the right moment and does cause Ali to fall. A flash knockdown? Absolutely. But I think it was at least arguably a real one.

 

He went off on the ref during an interview with Cosell soon after the fight.

 

Sorry the post was intended for the poster who described Wepner as such,namely Thad Spencer,I thought Id edited it ,apologies.

 

I have seen the Wepner KD several times, and am fully satisfied it was a consequence of Ali's foot being stepped on. The punch itself was a non-entity to the midsection.

I do agree that the evidence is not conclusive though, as you cant actually see the fighters feet at the time of the KD.

 

Apology accepted. For the record, I don’t think you’re a bad poster.

 

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[FONT=&quot]But was Ali already on his way down before Wepner stepped on his foot? This is the $64,000 question. Wepner seems to land the punch first, then put his foot on a falling Ali's foot as he stepped forward.

I know a thing or two about photography. There is a chance this photo was edited. Wepner's ankle and foot look a bit funny in this photo. I'm serious. It looks like someone might have doctored this photo and rotated Chuck's ankle to the left. If someone steps on the front of your foot, odds are your toes hit the mat. Ali's toe portion of his shoe is not pressed to the matt. It’s in the air. I want to see the film[/FONT]

 

Mendoza,

in your earlier post you state

1) Wepner's punch was hard
2) Ali got up and looked shaken up

Have we both watched the same fight??? For my money, the punch was feeble and Ali didnt look in the slightest bit shaken up...

Can you expand a bit on this? Also, the point about photo doctoring. This is a fairly serious accusation, do you have any harder evidence? Wepner's ankle looks normal to me as does Ali's foot.