Happy 39th Anniversary!

[yancey]

Hey guys, today is the 39th anniversary of one of the most important athletic events of the 20th century.

The night when two undefeated heavyweight champions met at a time when both men were closest to their peaks in what would easily be the most important fight of their careers. Their seminal moment, if you will.

The one night when the whole world was watching.

And, oh yes, before I forget, the night that Smokin' Joe Frazier knocked Muhammad Ali on his butt and emerged as undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

Guys, let's all smoke the peace pipe today in observance of this moment.

Or, in possibly some very isolated cases, at least the crack pipe.

[ThatOne]

Congratulations on the high point of Smokin Joe's career. May you always remember it fondly.

[granberry]

[granberry]

[granberry]

[granberry]

The defining fight of Ali's career.

He couldn't defend himself against Joe Frazier's left hook

and he couldn't punch hard enouigh to keep Frazier off him.

[granberry]

When Ali and Frazier got into the ring as undefeated fighters

Ali left the ring as a defeated fighter.

Frazier knocked Ali flat on his back in the 15th round.

Frazier also knocked Ali down in the 11th

but the 'referee', who had stuck his fingers in Frazier's eye in the previous round, called it a "slip."

For the rest of the 11th round, Ali staggered around so badly that even Ali salesman Ferdie Pacheco called it "the terrible 11th" in a book he wrote.

Frazier's manager and trainer Yank Durham was alive and present for that fight, so Eddie Futch had no opportunity to betray Frazier.

The other two fights are of no significance, except of course to Ali partisans who are desperate to hide from the fact that Joe Frazier (who no one ever called the greatest fighter of all time), beat the hell out of undefeated Ali and knocked him flat on his back.

They can't swallow that, so they awkwardly try to focus attention away from that.

[ThatOne]

When Ali and Frazier got into the ring as undefeated fighters

Ali left the ring as a defeated fighter.

Frazier knocked Ali flat on his back in the 15th round.

Frazier also knocked Ali down in the 11th

but the 'referee', who had stuck his fingers in Frazier's eye in the previous round, called it a "slip."

For the rest of the 11th round, Ali staggered around so badly that even Ali salesman Ferdie Pacheco called it "the terrible 11th" in a book he wrote.

Frazier's manager and trainer Yank Durham was alive and present for that fight, so Eddie Futch had no opportunity to betray Frazier.

The other two fights are of no significance, except of course to Ali partisans who are desperate to hide from the fact that Joe Frazier (who no one ever called the greatest fighter of all time), beat the hell out of undefeated Ali and knocked him flat on his back.

They can't swallow that, so they awkwardly try to focus attention away from that.

That's like saying that Joe Louis' rematch with Max Schmeling was of no signifiance. Even coming from you it's a particularly poor thought out argument.

And if he loses the second fight with Frazier he doesn't get to clown Foreman who clowned Frazier (twice)

[BoxBuzz]

Joe's moment, what a fighter! The only man to beat Ali in his prime. Truly the fight of the century. What made Ali decide to come back for more in the future should be considered a mystery. Who would possibly want more than one "Old Fashion Joe Frazier style beatin'" in a singe lifetime? Even when you win, if you are in there with that guy for any length of time, you also lose.

[ThatOne]

Joe's moment, what a fighter! The only man to beat Ali in his prime. Truly the fight of the century. What made Ali decide to come back for more in the future should be considered a mystery. Who would possibly want more than one "Old Fashion Joe Frazier style beatin'" in a singe lifetime? Even when you win, if you are in there with that guy for any length of time, you also lose.

I tried to refrain from raining on Yancey's parade. That's why my comments were celebratory and congratutory.


But an athlete who is is disallowed from practicing his craft at the age of the 26, 27, 28, and 29 and then comes back just shy of 30, not having practiced his craft for three and one half years is not in his prime.

LeBron James is 26 years old. He is considered by most to be the greatest active basketball player. If He was disallowed from playing basketball for three and one half years, and came back a few months shy of 30 would he still be considered in his prime?

[granberry]

Yep, Ali is "the greatest of all time" with LOTS and LOTS of excuses.

The Ali partisans have to work overtime to explain his obvious failings.

[ThatOne]

Yep, Ali is "the greatest of all time" with LOTS and LOTS of excuses.

The Ali partisans have to work overtime to explain his obvious failings.

No human is without failing except Christ, Jesus.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ3aUmSBSbY

Ali's chin was insane

[Collins2000]

Joe's too good for this thread.