Freak athletes of Boxing history

I’m not sure Qawi qualifies as a freak as such, but watching the little 5ft 5 inch Dwight bouncing overhand rights off 6ft3 George’s head with wild abandon in a HW fight was a freakish sight indeed!

 

Unfortunately no CT - just going by sheer memory. However, I will see if I can find something online.

 

I also saw it, and as I recall, Ali finished a distant last. He was more distance oriented, having learned his manner of running from Archie Moore (who he outsprinted up a hill at Moore's training camp then ran out of gas as the old Mongoose passed him saying "Pace yourself! You'll last longer," a lesson Ali always retained.

 

Thanks man, I’m glad you saw it also. I tried some time back to find something online re the race but came up with nothing.

Just a quick search now still turns up nothing.

Ali def. didn’t frame himself for sprinting. As I recall, he appeared a bit lumbering in his efforts to run against the clock and he wasn’t young young at the time. I don’t even know that he was properly attired for the event.

Aside from his performance in the sprint, Ali had one of the best set of functional legs for boxing - very well developed thighs and calves the potentials of which were realised in his insane mobility.

You could probably take an elite sprinter who would be hard pressed to replicate Ali’s leg movement for even just a few rounds.

I recall reading that Liston had to have his pants specially tailored to accomodate his over sized thighs - but when Ali came along his own thigh measurement was actually at least on par with that of Liston’s if not in fact larger.

Manny PAC’s calves are also notable for their size. On the flip side, a fighter like Hearns could be fully cognisant but his skinny legs, in their own right, would sometimes betray him.

Finally, despite his legs being disproportionately small as compared to his well developed upper body, the record reflects that Bob Fitz’s legs must’ve still served him reasonably well.

The physique on appearances doesn’t always translate to what we might expect in the sport of boxing.

However, even without knowing his confirmed prowess as puncher, Fitz’s upper body, including broad shoulders and sinewy arms suggested a perfect build for slinging well leveraged, powerful punches.

 

Wilma Rudolph beat him at the Olympics and we know Joe Frazier came dead last in his 1973 sprint contest.

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Announcer : “Joe Frazier…who’s been having his problems in some sports”.

That comment was as brutal as one of Joe’s left hooks. Okay, not so good at the weightlifting or the swimming BUT poor old Joe had also already lost the title to Foreman in that same year. Talk about a pile on.

 

That tall guy Hayes who won the race was Usain Boltesque as he won the race from behind there. 11.5 for a non sprinter wasn’t a bad time either.

 

Yeah even for yards it's ok i guess.

 

Ah yes…it was yards not metres. Using my schoolboy knowledge of mathematics I think that time if the distance was converted into metres might still be sub 12 seconds, (my schoolboy maths wasn’t great so Im probably wrong) so yes, still not too bad. Slightly slower than what I first thought of course.

 

I’ve now been told by my wife the time would be above 12 seconds if it was 100m. She was a high school nerdy swat so I think I better believe her. I better stay away from any posts that involve mathematics in the future!

 

They also mentioned that they were running against/into the wind, so we can allow him something for that.

Also, they said the track was asphalt and hard. I know they still have tracks with asphalt but as part of compound mix - not sure if that track waa similar or if it lent itself to good running times..

Oh, and a shout out to little Rocket Rod Laver, about 35 yo as at that time, came in 3rd.

 

Did she take into account the extra 10 yards or so would be accounted for by a guy at around top end speed? The initial time lost starting and accelerating would be already behind the runner when adding and working out timeage for the extra yards.

 

Nope she didn’t. She just looked over my shoulder saw what I wrote, and dismissively said “no. That’s wrong. He’d be well over 12 seconds. Then went to the kitchen and made breakfast. I’ll repeat what you said JT but say it’s all my own work!

 

Yes taking all things you said into consideration…that 11.5 now looks very good indeed.
Yes I was surprised seeing Laver doing so well at his age. The guy was a bit of a phenomenon though so I shouldn’t really be surprised

 

Vic - I’m reading all this with bated breath.

What IF your Mrs sneaks another peek and sees that it was really @JohnThomas1 who made the observation that you’ve just owned?

Maybe she’ll then type a reply under your name giving JT a serve back. This could get very complicated!