The nicknames that Muhammad Ali gave his opponents.

Did Ali ever come up with a nickname for Ken Norton?

 

Even Ali couldn't have come up with a better one than "Tricky Dickie".

 

I was going to mention that.

 

Cooper, the Tramp ? Hadn't heard that one. Although he came from a traditionally poor background, thanks to his manager, Jim Wicks, Henry dined in the finest restaurants, (He met his beloved Wife, Albina, in one where she was a waitress), and could hold his own in the finest company.

 

Most of the well informed political journalists, not just in the States, knew exactly what Nixon was for years Richard M. Woodward and Bernstein just happened to be the guys who got the goods.

 

LOL, after calling Chuvalo The Washer Woman, Ali got off lightly merely being labelled “Cautious” Clay by George.

I would’ve opted for “Nauseous” Clay myself.

Ken Norton went hard on poor Holmes also - calling Larry a Neanderthal Man.

Of course, when Mikey T. came along Ali called him “Kong”.

 

Gassious Cassius ?
Dear old Richard Dunn actually did his own poem about Ali. As close as Richard got to bothering him !

 

Bless him. My Dad knew him as a Para and had known his manager, George Biddles for years. Biddles managed all the Fighters in the Midlands here in the UK for years. Johnny Prescott, Jack Bodell, Wally Swift. Dunn was a washed up journeyman when George got him. In 12 months, he won the the British, Commonwealth and European Titles and fought Ali for the World Title.
You're not going to believe this, (I still question my 8 year old self), but we actually thought Richard could win !
My Dad was still in touch with him until he died. He sent a lovely message to Dad's funeral.

 

No disrespect to Dunn but several of the KDs appeared a bit comical, the way Richard wavered back and forth on the spot, then teetered and tottered before going down.

But hey, he kept getting back up, great courage, and I remember one Ali punch causing Dunn to go down to his haunches, very close to a KD but not quite - then as Richard came back up from the crouch, he threw a jab at the unsuspecting Ali - LOL, great stuff.

Finally, Ali’s over enthusiastic winding of his arm at fight’s finish - it’s a wonder he didn’t rip his arm out of its socket - ha!

 

Ali did have a problem with southpaws and left hookers Richard M. Mildenberger was a very capable Fighter.
All I can say about Dunn is that he fought with the courage of the Airbourne. Richard was still swinging as he hit the deck. As a family, we were very proud of him. Good Lord, he was actually fighting Ali !