Last night I stumbled on the Ali Frasier bout from 1974. Starting about half way through II. Talk about leaving it on the arena. Those guys went at it. Toward the end I was pretty much holding my breath because it felt like any second one could knock the other out....even though I pretty much knew how it would end.

I was an Ali fan from early on. I remember when he changed his name fro..m Cassius to Ali. I remember my uncles being against it. I have no memory of what my Dad said about it but I suspect not much. I loved his activism for racial rights.

The history books say Ali and Joe grew old together that night in Manilla. The fight ended with Joe not going into the ring for round 15. The second part of 14 he was nearly defenseless as Ali landed a lot of punches, though they were both so tired they could barely scratch their nose.

In later years Ali confessed to playing things up about Joe to bolster the gate and regretted what it did to Joe. Joe for many years would not forgive Ali but near the end of Ali's life when he was clearly being ravaged by the disease he finally died from, (was it parkinsons?) I believe Joe did shake Ali's hand.

Great stuff!

Too bad we did not understand what all the blows were doing to their brains.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or as most people know it, concussion. Fighters and football players deal with it as an ongoing problem and concern.

If you are going to play the game then get ready to deal with the injuries.

Even though numerous neurosurgeons and neurologists have weighed in on the risks, the NFL proceeds on like nothing is wrong. Perhaps because the fans demand their football games?

Somewhat off topic, 30 for 30 on the Buffalo Bills was great. I forgot they went to the Super Bowl four time in a row and lost all of them. I always heard the final game is not a must win game, just get to the final game, and enjoy having gotten there.

I think to most, losing the SB scars them. I do agree that reaching it is an accomplishment.
Most forget, the Frazier won one of the three fights. I watched a movie on Ali-Frazier, years ago. In that movie true or not, Frazier stood up for Ali and got him back into boxing. Ali rewarded him by calling him an Uncle Tom to hype the fight. Some places you don't go.
There was an interview with Frazier in the 90's or so. This is when Ali was know to have Parkinson's. Frazier was blasting that he gave him that. You could feel the anger.

Why not start a football thread?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I mentioned football because both football and fighting share a commonality; head injuries. There is a reason Ali ended up at the end of his life the way he did. The head can take only so many blows. Eventually the body will succumb to the head trauma.

Every sport requires a price be paid; many tennis players end up with elbow, knee and hip problems. That said, I'd rather deal with elbow, knee or hip issues than head trauma.....but that's just me.

Thanks for the explanation.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I well remember Cassius Clay in the 1960's, he was brash as well as a good boxer .

Back before P.C. you'd say an old boxer was "punchy" .

Sad because everyone knew damn well how they all ended up but no one really cared, they just wanted to watch the violence .

Not so much different that football, they get punchy too, every time the safety equipments get better the coaches use it as an excuse to have ever harder hits .

Not too far from me lives a street bum who went to U.S.C. and was a poor student but a fantastic footballer, in his first or second professional game he took a hit that shattered his knee beyond any chance of repair, he was functionally illiterate so that was than ~ to the streets he went .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Sorry Tom W., I also mentioned it that there were only two in both instances and there could only be one winner. Having gotten into that position was the accomplishment.

I saw a great movie about Ali's career some years back:

Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World

You can see the first half right here:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp1xaq

Maybe, I dunno, can't click for full screen.

It's interesting in part because they interviewed sports writers from Europe and the US, also some famous actors, Rod Steiger and James Earl Jones, all this interspersed with clips from his fights. You can get a good preview of it from the vid at the link.

https://www.amazon.com/Muhammad-Ali-Through-Eyes-World/dp/B00005RIIX

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

He was an astonishing boxer. Frasier was such a powerful man with strength endurance and an ability to take punches.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The rumble in the jungle with Foreman was pretty wild also.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I have several books on Ali. The biggest point I remember with him was he boxed everybody. He did not duck people. He went back for a rematch with Ken Norton even after Norton broke his jaw. Ouch!s

The jaw was broken in the mid part of the bout. Ali finished the bout with the broken jaw which he did his best to protect.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.