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Wow you guys have got my juices flowing with this thread.
First of all who is the best?? Too tough too call. I never actually saw Joe Louis or Rocky M. I am tempted to say Joe Louis he was remarkable. His KO punch was a straight right that often never traveled more than 8 inchesPOW!!! He demolition of Max Schemling (the 2nd fight Schmeling kicked his ass and stopped him the first fight) was brutal. He had so many title defenses in a row when he was in his prime. The only problem is that he didnt beat great fighters at the time. They called his opponents, THE BUM OF THE MONTH CLUB. The same could be said of Rocky as well. He didnt beat too many good fighters let alone great.
Now Ali beat some very good fighters in his day. The trilogy with Frazier was tremdous. Dont forget he lost about 3 years of his career (near his prime years) when he refused Uncle Sams invite into the US Army.
Joe Frazier never forgave Ali how he treated them all those years back. He still would never talk to him and actually revels in Ali's ill health today. That fight in March 1971 was so much more than a boxing match. It was the establishment guy (Frazier) v the rebel counter culture choice (Ali). The establishment won that night.
About Tyson v Douglas that was, perhaps, one of the BIGGEST upsets in the history of sports. He was a 42-1 FAVORITE if you can believe it. I wonder if anyone laid $42,000 to win $ 1,000?? Douglas kicked the shit out of him as well. That fight is on ESPN Classics a lot and I ahve seen it many times.
Larry Holmes is an over looked heavyweight. He followed a legend and the public never really accepted him but he was VERY good. I remember when he fought Ali. The betting line was almost even because the public LOVED Ali and thought he might be able to capture that magic one more time. Someone close to me in the business told anyone who would listen to load up on Holmes-li was SHOT-well past it. The fight wasnt even competitive and Holmes felt bad kicking his ass like Rocky felt VERY bad when he kicked Joe Louis' ass.
BTW I know Bumpa is winding me up......
First of all who is the best?? Too tough too call. I never actually saw Joe Louis or Rocky M. I am tempted to say Joe Louis he was remarkable. His KO punch was a straight right that often never traveled more than 8 inchesPOW!!! He demolition of Max Schemling (the 2nd fight Schmeling kicked his ass and stopped him the first fight) was brutal. He had so many title defenses in a row when he was in his prime. The only problem is that he didnt beat great fighters at the time. They called his opponents, THE BUM OF THE MONTH CLUB. The same could be said of Rocky as well. He didnt beat too many good fighters let alone great.
Now Ali beat some very good fighters in his day. The trilogy with Frazier was tremdous. Dont forget he lost about 3 years of his career (near his prime years) when he refused Uncle Sams invite into the US Army.
Joe Frazier never forgave Ali how he treated them all those years back. He still would never talk to him and actually revels in Ali's ill health today. That fight in March 1971 was so much more than a boxing match. It was the establishment guy (Frazier) v the rebel counter culture choice (Ali). The establishment won that night.
About Tyson v Douglas that was, perhaps, one of the BIGGEST upsets in the history of sports. He was a 42-1 FAVORITE if you can believe it. I wonder if anyone laid $42,000 to win $ 1,000?? Douglas kicked the shit out of him as well. That fight is on ESPN Classics a lot and I ahve seen it many times.
Larry Holmes is an over looked heavyweight. He followed a legend and the public never really accepted him but he was VERY good. I remember when he fought Ali. The betting line was almost even because the public LOVED Ali and thought he might be able to capture that magic one more time. Someone close to me in the business told anyone who would listen to load up on Holmes-li was SHOT-well past it. The fight wasnt even competitive and Holmes felt bad kicking his ass like Rocky felt VERY bad when he kicked Joe Louis' ass.
BTW I know Bumpa is winding me up......
Will never forget it. Freshman in college, in a room of about 20-25 of us watching it. As the momentum shifted, found ourselves cheering on Douglas, all of us sensing, and wanting to witness, a most unbelievable historical moment . . .
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