[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
Ali - greatest of all time.
He was either “that good” or had one of the best PR machines in all boxing - either way…[/quote]
I think he’s easily one of the best if not the best heavyweight fighters of all time. He’d longevity, dominated his era, and nearly beat every great fighter of his time excluding Holmes. There were also things about him that went beyond what he did in the boxing ring. In the late stage of his career he’s urinating blood throughout his training camp due to the physical abuse of boxing and then would fight a 15 round fight. I think a big aspect of his popularity is his personality, Ali is easily still a relevant athlete despite being retired for 30 years.
An interesting thing about Ali is he wasn’t nearly as popular as you might imagine during his career, only in the 1970s and 1980s was he a popular fighter. He’s a likable person and had a good following until he converted after the first Liston fight, that killed his popularity with mainstream America. And then to refuse to be drafted? It’s over with. Only from his outspokenness about the ban and desire to fight Frazier did he stay relevant in the sport of boxing, then with the decline in popularity of the war and his fights with Frazier and Foreman he reclaimed the lost popularity.
Eric Heiden hasn’t been mentioned yet, but winning every single speed skating event at the olympics is more impressive than the triple crown of horse racing.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Here’s another cool one when he’s training for Foreman. He shit talks the entire time he’s training, but my favorite part is at 1:50.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Here’s another cool one when he’s training for Foreman. He shit talks the entire time he’s training, but my favorite part is at 1:50.
Hahaha! Fucking legend.
David Haye can’t compare to that.[/quote]
None of the guys, not even Floyd, come close to the awesomeness of Ali’s shit talking. And his ability to back all of it up.
Please inform me as to why people are debating “greatest athlete ever” in a thread called “greatest American sports moment”?
It doesn’t mean shit that this guy was a marine and native American and a good track runner, that Ali was his own PR machine and dodged the draft on religious beliefs, or some chick was a fantastic all around athlete who became banned from men’s sports. This thread is about moments rather than athletes. Take that to a thread that is relevant, or start your own.
Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling #2. Hammering the supposed invincible German so hard that his corner had to throw in the towel in the first round. This is really on par with Owens winning Olympic gold in Munich really, both were victories so lopsided that it left absolutely no question as to who was the better athlete. It put a crack in the “invincible” German reputation at the time, and cemented those two men on top of the sports world.
Lake Placid in 1980 needs not to be explained. Greatest all-time moment in American sports bar none.
But he took a beating from Foreman until George finally wore out and Ali came alive in Zaire.
I mean, George literally beat his ass and Ali let him.
Could you imagine that strategy being used today? Nobody in the game today has that kind of fortitude.
“All right, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to let him tire himself out by adsorbing round after round of heavy fisted bombs to the body… Then I’ll have enough pop and speed to execute him with the quickness.”
And he went out and did it.
George was a broken man after that fight. Ali didn’t just beat George, he took some of his soul and manhood. Just took it from him.
[quote]grayman19 wrote:
Please inform me as to why people are debating “greatest athlete ever” in a thread called “greatest American sports moment”?
It doesn’t mean shit that this guy was a marine and native American and a good track runner, that Ali was his own PR machine and dodged the draft on religious beliefs, or some chick was a fantastic all around athlete who became banned from men’s sports. This thread is about moments rather than athletes. Take that to a thread that is relevant, or start your own.
[/quote]
I had asked the same question previously. I don’t disagree.
I was replying to attacks on Ali because I think highly of him. It should have been taken to another thread but it wasn’t, so live with it.
I agree. Mostly because these were the examples I put up haha. But yes, they were momentous in their own right.
[quote]grayman19 wrote:
Please inform me as to why people are debating “greatest athlete ever” in a thread called “greatest American sports moment”?
It doesn’t mean shit that this guy was a marine and native American and a good track runner, that Ali was his own PR machine and dodged the draft on religious beliefs, or some chick was a fantastic all around athlete who became banned from men’s sports. This thread is about moments rather than athletes. Take that to a thread that is relevant, or start your own.
[/quote]
oh noesssss a post went off topic, that never happens in a thread.
Jim Thorpe was told by the King of Sweden he was the greatest athlete in the world. There is your moment.
Another moment, Dara Torres at age 41, winning a silver medal as part of the U.S. 4x100-meter medley relay team. Torres’ split on the 4x100 medley relay (52.27) is the fastest 100-meter freestyle split in relay history. That was pretty exciting to watch.
[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
Ali was the grand shit-talker, for sure.
But he took a beating from Foreman until George finally wore out and Ali came alive in Zaire.
I mean, George literally beat his ass and Ali let him.
Could you imagine that strategy being used today? Nobody in the game today has that kind of fortitude.
“All right, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to let him tire himself out by adsorbing round after round of heavy fisted bombs to the body… Then I’ll have enough pop and speed to execute him with the quickness.”
And he went out and did it.
George was a broken man after that fight. Ali didn’t just beat George, he took some of his soul and manhood. Just took it from him.
He is THE American Legend. [/quote]
Yeah, but George is alive and well selling his famous grill worldwide. That’s another type of knock-out!
[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
Ali was the grand shit-talker, for sure.
But he took a beating from Foreman until George finally wore out and Ali came alive in Zaire.
I mean, George literally beat his ass and Ali let him.
Could you imagine that strategy being used today? Nobody in the game today has that kind of fortitude.
“All right, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to let him tire himself out by adsorbing round after round of heavy fisted bombs to the body… Then I’ll have enough pop and speed to execute him with the quickness.”
And he went out and did it.
George was a broken man after that fight. Ali didn’t just beat George, he took some of his soul and manhood. Just took it from him.
He is THE American Legend. [/quote]
Yeah, but George is alive and well selling his famous grill worldwide. That’s another type of knock-out!
Okay… that was cheap. Sorry.
[/quote]
I think it’s actually somewhat embarrassing for him. He’s the heavyweight champion of the world and accomplished quite a lot in the sport of boxing but he’s more known for his grill than his athletic career. At least he can cook delicious meals while the fat just drips away.
[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
Ali was the grand shit-talker, for sure.
But he took a beating from Foreman until George finally wore out and Ali came alive in Zaire.
I mean, George literally beat his ass and Ali let him.
Could you imagine that strategy being used today? Nobody in the game today has that kind of fortitude.
“All right, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to let him tire himself out by adsorbing round after round of heavy fisted bombs to the body… Then I’ll have enough pop and speed to execute him with the quickness.”
And he went out and did it.
George was a broken man after that fight. Ali didn’t just beat George, he took some of his soul and manhood. Just took it from him.
He is THE American Legend. [/quote]
Yeah, but George is alive and well selling his famous grill worldwide. That’s another type of knock-out!
