Ali was really hurt by the knockdown against Frazier in the 15th round. He even had to go to the hospital after the fight due to the punch he took. Ali did get up quickly but Arthur Mecente did not even bother to check if he was OK. Then Ali takes lots of punches on the ropes and looks spent for a minute afterwards. I know Ali lasted to the bell and the ref probably thought it was close on the scorecards in one of the biggest fights of all time so why stop it, but surely a boxer's well behind is paramount? I have seen lots of fights stopped when the boxer was in less trouble, without a knockdown. Also the ref seemed to miss a real knock down by Frazier in the 11th round. Am I saying the ref was poor in the fight? No. However, Ali was in real trouble of being stopped by the ref in that 15th round and another ref might have stopped it without the need for the judges to give the fight to the deserving winner.
No. He shouldn't have, Ali hopped right up with no problem. He was able to follow Mercente's instructions. He had the strength to smother Frazier, and was effective later in that same rd. With some beautiful combinations, though Frazier absolutely dominated that rd. And Arthur Mercante sr. was one of the great referee's in the sports history.
Everyone talks about the 15th round and Frazier certainly put an exclamation point on it with that sizzling left hook! Ali got up, and was in shape to continue. No stoppage was needed. But the 15th wasn't Frazier's best round. He pounded the heck out of Ali in the 11th and had him hurt. You could score the 11th round 10-8 for Fraizer.
Off-topic a bit, but the scoring system employed for this fight was the NY rounds basis with no extra points given for a knockdown or if a fighter was visibly hurt or battered. So the 11th and 15th were simply scored as Frazier's round. There was a supplemental points provision, but that could only be employed in the event a judge had scored the bout even. So if he had the fight scored 7-7-1 he could then employ the supplemental points for Frazier for his 11th and 15th rounds. It really was a flawed system compared to our 10 point must system. I recently scored this fight using the NY rounds system and had Frazier winning 7-6-2.
I think Ali was hurt. Out of it on the way down, sometimes the canvas can wake a guy up. Other times is the fall that causes the damage.
hurt as in hit and down yeh, but not hurt as in needed it stopped. this is the point, Mendozi, not just " i think he was hurt". read the thread title.
ok Mendi, my apologies, ALi was fine to keep going as he wasnt a weak chinned w laddie we both agree - even if you think he was "out of it", which i do not agree and NOONE else does agrees with you there either.
This is first time i’ve heard anyone suggest the referee should have stopped the fight, certainly by the standards of the day,no way. Ali took a beating in that round and after the knockdown took a few more big left hooks from Joe without ever looking like going down again. I must say there seems to be a hint of a pro-Frazier agenda from the OP.