BOXING

Mohammad Ali

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The champion of his generation, Ali had it all. Born Cassius Clay in Louisville Kentucky, he was named after an abolitionist reformer who fought to free the slaves. As an olympic gold medalist, he was able to challenge one of the most feared champions after only a few professional fights.

Sonny Liston was a man who had a lot of trouble with the law. He had been arrested 19 times and done time for armed robbery and assaulting a policeman with intent to kill. He was big and mean. He had destroyed the previous champ, Floyd patterson in two fights. The second one in a first round KO. His sullen attitude, and reputation as a devastating puncher, made him a heavy favorite over the incredibly brash young challenger.

Clay mugged for the cameras and told the world he was too fast, and too pretty to lose. Most fight fans didn't take him seriously. He had won the olympic gold medal as a light heavyweight, and though as a pro, he had beaten Doug Jones and the aging Archie Moore, he was not highly regarded as a heavyweight.

In the first four rounds Clay demonstrated a quickness and boxing ability that had never been seen in his weight class. He avoided Liston's big punches, and landed stinging shots frequently. In the fifth round Liston blinded Clay by rubbing caustic (used in his corner to stop cuts) from his gloves into the challengers eyes. Clay was in trouble but managed to survive the round. In the sixth, with his vision cleared, Cassius took charge. He landed hard punishing shots to the head of the champion. Liston retreated before the angry onslaught of Clay. The speed and accuracy of Clay's punches took their toll, and Liston did not answer the bell for the seventh round.

Cassius Clay as reigning champ, led the way for many subsequent atheletes by converting to Islam. He adopted the name Mohammad Ali by which he was thereafter known. This was another controversial move by a champion who had already polarized the public with his overtly arrogant and disrespectful attitude toward his opponents. He made the statement around this time that annoyed his detractors, and seemed charged with hubris: "I am the greatest!". He made up poems that taunted Liston, and subsequent opponents before his matches. His ability in the ring however, was no longer in question.

In the rematch, Liston secured his place as one of the true bums of boxing history by going down in the first round (after absorbing several solid shots) from what most observers said was a phantom punch. He had refused to call Ali by his new name during prefight interviews. As he lay on the canvas, Ali stood over him shouting "What's my name?!? What's my name?!?" He did get up, but the fight was stopped a few seconds later by the referee (former titleist "Jersey" Joe Walcott).

Ali defended his championship seven times, defeating the top fighters in the world until in 1967 he was stripped of his title because he refused military service. At the time the Vietnam war was at it's peak. Once again Ali had made a decision that was extremely controversial. He said he had nothing against the "vietcongs". He was hailed by the anti-war movement, but reviled by the mainstream establishment. History has vindicated this stand he took, and in fact it may have been a pivital point in the growing public opposition to the war. Ali didn't get another shot at the championship until 1971. We will never know what he may have accomplished in those prime years.

Ali lost to Joe Frazier, the de-facto champion who was to prove to be his great rival in boxing. After Joe was beaten by George Foreman Ali won a non-title rematch in a gruelling 15 round decision. He also beat Ken Norton who had broken his jaw in a fight a few months earlier. This set up one of his greatest fights, "The Rumble in the Jungle", when Foreman accepted his challenge, and the bout was scheduled to be held in Zaire. Foreman had defeated both Frazier and Norton, and was favored to beat Ali. Ali had announced before the fight that he would win by means of the "rope-a-dope". Most fans assumed that it was the usual pre-fight bluster that had been his trademark since Liston. However, Ali leaned back against the ropes all through the fight, avoiding the big punches that had felled the other top contenders, and took control of the fight in the later rounds to defeat the tired Foreman. He had clearly outsmarted the champ. Ali then became only the second heavyweight to regain his championship (the other being Floyd Patterson).

During his second reign, Ali fought the greatest fight of his carreer, "The Thrilla In Manilla", against Joe Frazier. In the early years, he had been known for his speedy footwork and boxing ability. It wasn't until the Norton fight when he went 13 rounds with a broken jaw, that fans realized how tough this man was. In Joe Frazier, he met his toughest opponent. This was probably the most exciting heavyweight championship fight in the second half of the 20th century. In a war of wills many heavy punches were exchanged. When the bell rang to start the 14th round, Joe could not answer. Ali was the winner, but it proved to be a phyrric victory. Both fighters were never the same afterwards.

Ali defended seven more times as his skills deteriorated, until at last he lost to Leon Spinks. He defeated Spinks in the rematch to become the first heavyweight to regain his title twice, but because Spinks had avoided the manditory challenge of Ken Norton, the WBC refused to sanction the fight, and awarded the title to Norton. The championship of the world was divided until it was unified some years later by Mike Tyson .Ali subsequently lost to Larry Holmes and retired.

Today the great champion Mohammad Ali suffers from Parkinson's desease. His speach is slurred, and although he continues to make public appearences from time to time it is a sad reminder of the glib outspoken Ali of yore. It is not clear if The Champ's condition is fight related, but it seems a likelihood. Perhaps partially as a result of the "Thrilla in Manilla", championship fights have been reduced to 12 rounds in duration.

A legacy remains of courage and character both in the ring and in his personal life. The brash young Cassius will forever remain enshrined in the hearts of his generation as Mohammad Ali, "The Greatest"...Champion of Champions.