Cassius Clay vs Alex Miteff (How Much Did They Pay Alex To Take A Dive)

D9,

On Question 2,

A) Bad Investment
B) Couldn't fight
C) Buying time

A little bit of all three. Cassius got some 'bad' write ups in the Louisville Newspapers
after the Alonzo Johnson 'fiasco'.

He was 'labeled' Cautious Cassius, and some questioned his heart, and they called
him 'Cassius the Coward'.

It was important to get a 'knockout win' in the next bout, and against a name opponent,
or former contender. Alex Miteff fit the bill 'perfectly'.

Cassius was still a 'skinny' 190 lb. fighter, and the hope was that he would grow
into a solid 205 lb. Heavyweight within 18-months.

 

D9,

If you look into the LSG Management Group, you will get a better understanding
of who they were, and what they were all about.

Investors, who were looking to make money.

All businessmen from the Louisville area, with loads of money.

They had an overwhelming edge, when they put Cassius Clay into professional
bouts.

A) Selected opponents
B) Pay the opponent a large fight purse, for a non-threatening performance
C) Collapse on 'cue', to make Clays' predictions look authentic

Take a look at the Lamar Clark 'circus side-show'. Not one legitimate fighter
out there at that time would fight him, because he was labeled a 'joke'. Then
the LSG Group puts that bout together, and promotes Lamar Clark as some kind
of 'knockout machine'.

Nobody had even heard of the guy, until LSG promoted him.

 

Red Dillon,

Louisville Sportswriter, commenting on Alex Miteff -

Previous bouts;

May 20, 1960..............L Dec 10 - Eddie Machen (New York)
December 6, 1960........L Dec 10 - Henry Cooper (London)
March 6, 1961.............W Dec 10 - Alonzo Johnson (New York)
March 27, 1961............L Dec 10 - George Chuvalo (Canada)
May 16, 1961...............L TKO 5 - Cleveland Williams (Houston)
June 22, 1961..............L TKO 7 - Bob Cleroux (Canada)
August 31, 1960...........W KO 3 - Jimmy McCarter (Los Angeles)

We're not sure what Alex Miteff's handlers are trying to accomplish,
as they are putting this guy in the ring with anyone who can fight. If
anything, it is obvious that they are trying to cash in on his name and
once #6 Heavyweight ranking.

In May of last year, Alex took a bad beating at the hands of fast hitting
Eddie Machen, resulting in an early retirement from the ring. But Alex was
talked into a bout with Henry Cooper in London 5-months later, and after
getting his ears boxed off in nearly every round, Alex almost pulled off an
upset, by flooring the British Heavyweight with a left hook. That one punch,
seemed to save his career temporarily.

In March 1961, and in New York, Alex plodded his way to a Decision victory
over Alonzo Johnson, but he was far from impressive.

But, Miteff's handlers, instead of feeding the 26 year-old a steady diet of
soft touches to help build up his confidence and improve his record,
threw the Argentinian into a 'trifecta' of tough bouts as a visiting villain.
A 10-Round battering by Canadian George Chuvalo, a brutal knockout loss
to murderous punching Cleveland Williams in Houston, and back to Canada
for a battering by Bob Cleroux.

In his recent bout, Alex was paid $1500 for a visit to Los Angeles to be an
opponent for former National AAU Heavyweight Champion - Jimmy McCarter.
Alex was supposed to lose, but he won, and that victory has injected a
moment of life into his dying career.

The promoters here in Louisville needed a 'name opponent' for this Nationally
Televised bout with Cassius Clay, to showcase the 20 years-old's skills.
They attempted to get Alex on the 'cheap' for $3500, but his handler's held
out and demanded more than the typical opponent fight purse fee. Insiders
said, Alex's name on Cassius Clay's win record is worth a '5-figure purse',
and the promoters who were at first reluctant with that amount, finally agreed
to $10,000.

The Heavyweight career for Alex Miteff is truly over, and the only thing he has left
is his Argentinian Pride, and his name. Unfortunately, the only thing Alex can sell
is his name, as he is being tossed around by his handler's, as a way to get a few
more pay-days before he gets sent off to pasture, or the hospital.

 

Sal,,,,,,

You just read it, and enjoyed it.

I don't trash fighters, I post an argument.

 

Mr. Choklab

The first of the many stumbles by Alex Miteff

September 25, 1959 (War Memorial Stadium -Syracuse, New York)

The 24 year-old Alex, was the #7 Heavyweight, with a record of 20-3-1 (11 KO's).

They brought him up to Syracuse, to take on Detroit Heayweight, 25 year-old
Billy 'High Shoes' Hunter, a 6' 3" 187 lb. boxer, with a slashing left jab.

Billy at 15-6-3 (7 KO's) wasn't a big puncher, but was a precise puncher.
He also was a stablemate of Sugar Ray Robisnon.

Out-weighed by 23 lbs., Hunter just kept using precise left jabs, to bust the eye-brows
open on Alex, who was 'blood-drenched' by the 5th Round. More finesse and more left jabs
turned Alex into a 'crimson mess' by the end of Round 7.

The bout was stopped, when Dr. Charles E. Bender ruled that Alex was too badly cut
to continue, as he was getting sliced apart by Billy Hunter.

 

John Maff,

I respect your opinion,,,,,,

This thread though, on Alex Miteff is 'correct'.

He quit 4-times after the Eddie Machen bout, forgetting about
becoming a Heavyweight Contender anymore.

But would be the 'visiting opponent' for the right price.