Conteh vs Ali?????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNIqJI_GTd4

1.00 minute in..they have a bit of banter..dont know how relevant that is.

 

Not sure about Conteh, I know Torres was considered during the mid 60s as a possible opponent

 

What a guy.

 

Good post Fleaman. I can,indeed,remember Conteh starting his pro career as a heavyweight. No pun intended though,it was as a very light heavyweight. He only hit 180 lbs.or so. He did challenge Ali at one or two press conferences. The two struck up a friendship,and the story goes that it was Muhammad himself who suggested that John campaign in the lighter division. Very good move !

 

Top scouser and he could sing as well:nono

 

Haha, you met him Al?

 

I think he was more of a viable opponent for Ali than the likes of Coopman, Blin, Dunn.

It's a shame Conteh blew his prime with excessive partying, but I guess it was great fun at the time. And unlike the likes of George Best, Paul Gascoigne, and others, he appears to have not let that party-animal persona turn him into some washed-up middle-aged drink/drugs wreck. He looks as good as ever.

In those days boxers knew how to be cocky and brash without being complete assholes.

 

Yes, when he was champ he used to come in our boozer, the Big House to see me old fella. Great times, he was one of my first idols, him and Kevin Keegan.
I remember going down to London with me dad for the European cup final in 78 and we went to see Conteh training in Hampstead at Ralph Charles' pub. I think it might have been "The Load of Hay". John was working out and sparring with Lotte Mwale. He was getting ready for the Mate Parlov fight.
Him and my dad were taking the **** out of each other. There was only a few of us there.
I saw him fight Len Hutchins at the Stadium and James Dickson in his last fight. I was at the weigh in for that one, got a photo somewhere of us all together.

 

ali said that after him, conteh was the best looking fighter about !!
i can remember conteh fighting at heavyweight but it was obvious that his future was in the light-heavy division.
he was being lined up with the ageing bob foster but of course foster retired and conteh won one title and galindez the other.

 

what did you think of the decision in the parlov fight ??
i remember him KOing preacher lewis and a columbian (?) named rogers.....he was awesome

 

I thought he should of got it at the time, Parlov was wearing some sort of plastic skin on his brows if I remember rightly. I haven't watched it since.
By the way, where have you been?

 

i thought conteh should have got the nod against parlov.
had a few problems !!

 

Conteh certainly does still look good. Caught him on The Weakest Link Boxing special a few weeks back. Entertaining programme. Anne Robinson had a meaner stare-down than Sonny Liston.

 

as long you didnt have the hair of Keegan its fine