Ali destroys the giant 1970

There is a little known sparring session that took place in 1970 just after Ali finally managed to get his licence back. Ali turned up at Angelo's fifth street gym, and he wanted to test himself. He had not been training for years and was 20 pounds overweight at 235 pounds.

Bundini proudly said to Ali that that was his new baby in the ring. "Since you gone I have to have a new baby and he's a good one. I got a living alligator, eats anything that moves. A half starved alligator guaranteed to eat up lions tigers elephants and fat, overweight ex heavyweight champs."

Ali said "He needs a sparring partner. I'm going to help you get him in shape for a few rounds."

Bundini protested " Champ look me and yours friends. I would do anything you say. But he is in top shape, and you in know shape. I just thought you wanted to loosen up like a normal person would. It's hard for a half starved alligator to bite easy. He might not want to do it. He has respect for you."

Ali "sure, tell him I have two thousand dollars in my pocket from a Yale lecture. Tell him I will give him two thousand dollars if he shakes up Muhammad Ali."

Ali entered the ring with the 6'6 226 pound heavyweight giant, that four boxing bankers had came to watch because they were interested in him. His last six straight knockouts had taken place right here in Miami Beach.

Ali talking about what happened "the bell rang and the giant came out directly in to my path, not with a lounge or rush, but with a smooth feinting motion. His left flicked out and I could see his range was very long and his defence excellent.
I moved back, shifted and danced lightly giving him body fakes, none of which he fell for. His left kept flicking out. He was a talented pro, much taller than me and four years younger.
I always take a measure of a mans movement,reach, speed, even before taking advantages of whatever openings I can see. The only one round knockout in my career is with Sonny Liston and I attribute that to the fact that I had already calculated and timed his motions in the earlier fight.
Before the end of the first round the giant had decided on his attack. His left began raining in on me from long range, and he would follow up with a crushing right cross. In a second I had backed in to the rope and he was unleashing a furious combination of lefts and rights that jarred my bones, even though I caught most on my arms and leaned away from them. It was easy to understand why no fighter could go the distance with him, but when the bell rang I had taken his measure. If my reflexes were all right I should be able to thread the needle and tailor a suit to fit him.
When the bell rang for the second round he came it throwing bombs. When he had thrown hand grenades before, now he was shelling out fifty millimetre cannon and I knew he would not stop. He had analysed me too and judged the main chance for a strike was total saturation. His chin was tucked between his large powerful sloping shoulders and his drive was relentless.i knew he would not tire.
I was calling for my right to counterattack over his left, using my right almost like a jab, but much faster. I had his movement so catalogued and timed that I knew the meaning of the slight twitch that would involuntary appear in his throat when he was abou to unleash a bomb. Then I would cut over his blow. I began beating him to the punch again and again until the blood began to flow from his mouth. One series of combinations stunned him and he began to wobble. His prospective backers jumped up, crying "stop it! Stop it!" The timekeeper began banging the bell and Jeff Merrit sank slowly into Bundini's arms.

 

He had a good win/loss ratio 24-3 losses, and very impressive power. Has a very good first round KO over Ernie Terrel too. I like hearing all the sparring stories that a lot of people do not talk about. I read the thread about Ali sparring yesterday, and I noticed nobody brought up this detailed sparring session that was under very impressive circumstances against Merritt.

 

Very nice find. I find it impossible to find many intros ting stories online. I have to read books to find any interesting stories that not that many boxing fans know. Seems like Merritt had good skill, size and power when he was healthy and motivated. Which he seemed like he was when he faced Ali in sparring. Wonder what his amateur achievements and record was.

 

Yes called The Greatest. Most of his books have little stories that are quite interesting, that you do not hear anywhere else.

 

Well hopefully is is true, because it is a nice story, but Merrit could be telling the truth himself. Ali has the books and the bigger voice giving him the ability to write his history in his own favour.
The story is not impossible though, Merrit did not develop in to a world beater like Ali.

 

Good find. He looks raw, but you can tell he is big and has a lot of power. Reminds me of a taller slimmer Foreman there.