https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z94t81BkK0c If you don't know the background of Matthew Saad Muhammad, watch the first six minutes of this you tube video. You will be moved. Sadly, a movie about his life has never been made. It's a testament to his character that he was able to accomplish what he did, coming from nothing. The way he handled the rotten deck he was handed early in life is truly inspirational.
There was a short interview clip of Mike Rossman and Saad Muhammad made a few years ago....they were out in the open ..maybe at a construction yard or dock, talking about the 70's lightheavy era.
If I find it..I will post a link. BTW: Those 2 Marvin Johnson / Saad fights are two of my favorite fights.
You're obviously a huge fan, Saad. What is it about him that so captures your, for want of a better word, imagination? Light heavyweight is traditionally a less glamorous division, although the 70s and early 80s were a hell of an era for 175lbers. And Matt's story is amazing but so are many boxing stories. If you were asked to sum it up in, say, 200 words how would you precis his appeal to you?
Can't write a dissertation right now but... He showed tremendous heart and determination. There was absolutely no "quit" in him either in life or in the ring. He maximized his talent level, actually probably achieved much more than his talent level warranted.
I watched all of his bouts live as he was a Saturday afternoon favorite on CBS sports TV in the 70's. Truely the heart and conditioning of an ATG. Excellent power. He took too many punches which ultimately shortened his prime as a fighter.
:good:goodAwesome!! Thank you. I loved him. Great fighter in a great era, and due to his heart, never disappointing.
Thanks Saad. I wondered if there were any parallels to your own life. I've had a cushy middle class upbringing and Saad is everything I wish I could have been. I haven't overcome any great odds and still failed to achieve a whole lot so when I see what he did and others like him such as Patterson or Bowe, who had tough starts in life, they take on superman levels in my eyes. To do that and still be a nice guy, as those men were, puts them in heroic status. There have been others who have faced horrible circumstances and risen to greatness but without being as humble and pleasant as Saad seemed so they miss the hero cut for me. Plus the fact that he was among the most fun to watch boxers ever and he really is boy's own stuff. Tragedy his life ended how it did with Lou Gehrig's. Life couldn't stop kicking him, could it?
No, I don't look at him as a "Superman." I just see his start as beyond anything other fighters had to overcome. Even Bowe and Tyson knew their mothers, if not their fathers. Saad was abandoned the way someone might abandon a stray dog. He could have looked at himself as a victim, but instead found the inner resolve to improve himself. I feel like our ghettos are filled with people who see themselves as victims, always blaming others for their problems. If Saad's story was made into a movie, I really think it would be a powerful, positive message for youths struggling today.
Besides the 4-5 Top Champions, you had 6-7 top contenders who were just a "hair-breath" away from being champion themselves.
I always thought Mike was a real 'comer' and if he wants to apologize for his behavior(maybe) or his family's criminal s**t, I'll accept that. From what I've read, there was (something) about his family beating a guy senseless, throwing him into the trunk of a car, and dumping him on the side of the road. Mike's involvement? Not sure. That always soured me a little bit on him. That being said, I'm still glad an aging Victor avenged his loss to him and that Yaqui smooshed him in their fight. Back to thread: Saad is a serious study, so sad. What a fighter! As an Indy resident, I couldn't understand why Marvin didn't take one or two gimme's before fighting him? Their title fight is clearly great but their first s c r a p in Philly is one for the ages! I don't think I've ever seen a fight that was so impossible to score. For the first 10 rounds you'de have to have called it even. Matt...ATG
