'The Last American Heavyweight Floored By Muhammad Ali'

[ThatOne]

Go to the 2:30 mark:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7I-98nGXcc

If you think he went down from exhaustion there is nothing I can do to disabuse you of that notion.

[Controversial]

The problem with quotes from losing fighters is they often make every excuse under the sun why they lost. How often does a fighter blame his performance on an injury or problem when he has an easy win? When they lose they excuses start coming out. Wepner might have been knackered, it was the 15th round so I'm sure he was tired, but he didn't fall over from exhaustion.

[ThatOne]

Ali toyed with Wepner through the first eight rounds.
In the ninth round, Wepner stepped on Ali's foot and hit him with a right to the ribs, which knocked the champion flat on his back for an official knockdown.
Using his speed and agility, Ali dominated the tenth through the fifteenth rounds.
In the fifteenth round, Ali battered Wepner's bloodied face until the "Bayonne Bleeder" crumpled into the ropes.
Wepner beat referee Tony Perez's count, but Perez stopped the fight as Wepner was visibly shaken and unable to continue.

[ThatOne]

Ali toyed with Wepner through the first eight rounds.
In the ninth round, Wepner stepped on Ali's foot and hit him with a right to the ribs, which knocked the champion flat on his back for an official knockdown.
Using his speed and agility, Ali dominated the tenth through the fifteenth rounds.
In the fifteenth round, Ali battered Wepner's bloodied face until the "Bayonne Bleeder" crumpled into the ropes.
Wepner beat referee Tony Perez's count, but Perez stopped the fight as Wepner was visibly shaken and unable to continue.

[Controversial]

'Quality comeback opponent for Tyson'

That 'Honor' goes to Peter McNeeley.

McNeeley a mediocre club fighter had previously been stopped by unknown Stanley Wright (8-5 record)

Tyson released from jail and favourite to regain his crown decided this ham and egger would be an ideal opponent for him. McNeeley hit Tyson with some good punches and even forced Tyson to clinch a few times. Tyson who was meant to be the most feared puncher ever but couldn't keep club fighter McNeeley down even when hitting him with his best punches, even Brian Neilson later managed to knock McNeeley out.

The "fight" was stopped by disqualification with McNeeley keen to continue and many boos could be heard. Why did McNeeleys corner jump in when their man was keen to continue, hmmm?

Tyson said in post fight interview "I always look to fight the best".

McNeeley said "I've been hit harder by my sparring partner Garing Lane".

Sugar Ray Leonard said McNeeley should sack his cornermen, maybe Leonard knew something fishy was going on?

[BoxBuzz]

In Ali's career he did appear to have a bit of a perverse wish to punish some of his opponents. And more often than not he did not want to rush the torture. I think Terrell and Wepner are examples where he knew he was the unquestioned boss man. And so, he liked to keep his opponent in a "pre KO" mode for the entire duration if possible. Wepner just couldn't quite make it though without falling down. I don't think Ali actually intended for him to be pulled out of the oven before he heard the timer go off.

I think almost every fight that Il Duce wants to frame as a "surprise performance" by an opponent who either makes it to the bell, or close to the bell, can also be seen through the lens of Ali's perverse interest in taking the wings off of bugs.

It's all perspective I guess.

[BoxBuzz]

Ali, taking a wing off of a bug....

[BoxBuzz]

Wepner did step on some toes during the fight....and managed to look pretty good in this moment of the bout.



But c'mon...you gotta admit...Ali looks to be in better shape on his way down, than Chuck who looks to be a bit surprised by the moment.

[BoxBuzz]

Official Knockdown photo.

Who called that one?

[BoxBuzz]

Not sure Ali even meant to let this happen, but there it is anyway.
That fall prevented at least 20 seconds of additional beating.

[knurak]

That's pathetic if they really came to fight Ali with no game plan. Wepner was obviously less talented, less naturally gifted. To come with no game plan is basically to accept defeat before getting in the ring.

But hey, let's celebrate the bums Ali beat up on, because fvck Ali, right? USA!! USA!! Lol Ill Douche strikes again.

[gilgamesh]

Chuck Wepner

January 7, 1975

"It was like I hit the 'Lottery'. I got offered a bout for the World's Heavyweight Championship
with Muhammad Ali."

"They offered me $100,000 for the fight, and $10,000 in up front Training Expenses for a
bout set for March 1975. I was going to get more in 'up front' Training Expenses than I would for
a fight."

"I wasn't even ranked in the Top 10, and I asked, 'Why me'."

Don King told me, "Because your white."

A formula Don King would use again with Cooney vs Holmes.

[gilgamesh]

January 5, 1976

Muhammad Ali was supposed to defend his Championship against #3 WBA /#3 WBC Heavyweight
Ron Lyle at Madison Square on March 25, 1975.

But that bout was cancelled, and it was announced that Muhammad Ali would fight 'unranked' Chuck Wepner
in Jamaica on March 24, 1975.

Muhammad Ali had wanted $2,000,000 as a Fight Purse,

But, the Promoters {London-based 'Hemdale Leisure Corp'} said - "Who's Kidding Who"

Ali did wind up fighting Lyle though, so...no harm, no foul.

[gilgamesh]

Oh man Ali didn't stop a guy in the round he predicted? I've never seen that before!

This whole thread amounts to "Ali beat Wepner...but he didn't beat him good enough so I'm gonna bust his balls over it"....weak sauce Il Douche. You can do better

[BoxBuzz]

Well can anyone ANYONE explain to me this?

How the hell does a guy like Wepner FLOOR ALI Huh? Explain that to me. If it's even possible.

Cuz I say Ali must be a bum if he can be knocked down by the Bayone Bleeder.

Would somebody just Give me a break.

[BoxBuzz]

Alright...I'm getting concerned....Ali was not being nice with his language here. A lot like Incognito was to Martin...and we know we can't have this sort of thing going on whether it's Chess, Boxing or Football.

Il Duce would you be in favor of a ref being able to take away a point for bad english?

And if Wepner was too slow to compete in the ring center, then there should be some sort of warning to "slow down".

[Giancarlo]

Is The Duchess channeling Chuck?

Or, as usual, just making these quotes up?

[hhaehre]

Well can anyone ANYONE explain to me this?

How the hell does a guy like Wepner FLOOR ALI Huh? Explain that to me. If it's even possible.

Easy, the answer is Tony Perez.
Another question: How was Wepner allowed to rabbit-punch Ali about a 1000 times throughout the fight?
Again the answer is Tony Perez

As for the fight itself I think far to much has been made of Wepners 'valiant' effort. He fought a dirty negative shite fight and hardly won a round against an under-prepared, unmotivated champ who knew he could beat Wepner in his sleep. Had Perez not dropped the ball on the kd, Chuck probably would have gone the distance.

[BoxBuzz]

Il Duce....have your honestly not seen this picture....or has it been photoshopped?



Notice anything about the footwork here?

[gilgamesh]

So Buzz...how long are you gonna let this clown hang around with this bullsh*t day after day? Are we just gonna have to be flooded with these horsesh*t topics for years to come? Surely they can't remain all that amusing to you? The novelty of it all wore off for me after about a week.

[ThatOne]

So Buzz...how long are you gonna let this clown hang around with this bullsh*t day after day? Are we just gonna have to be flooded with these horsesh*t topics for years to come? Surely they can't remain all that amusing to you? The novelty of it all wore off for me after about a week.

I know that wasn't directed toward me but since I have come under personal attack for responding to him I feel it is incumbent for me to respond now. At first I was a bit upset by Duce's railing against Muhammad Ali but then I realized most of it was done in a jocular matter. He rarely gets exceeding personal with other posters...If he did that would be another matter. Also, it isn't Duce's threads that are cluttering the front page, it's the gentleman who was repeatedly asked not to. However the ignore option exists for situations just like that.

That's my two cents for whatever it's worth.

PEACE
That One

[BoxBuzz]

Il Duce....have your honestly not seen this picture....or has it been photoshopped?



Notice anything about the footwork here?

Il Duce....was this photoshopped or is that a 225 pound fella stepping on Ali's foot.

Is that a knockdown....well yes it is an official knockdown.

But had the ref seen what you and I are seeing would it be a knockdown?

Just wonderin'.

[BoxBuzz]

So......


He was in no trouble....was controlling the action...and his foot was stepped on.

I understand that if you push a guy down trip him, or even pay him to rest....and the ref don't see it and calls it a KD....it's a KD. Officially.

But I just can't tell if your frontal lobe has delivered this message to your hippocampus or not.

I know it would be fully functional if it was Ali doin' the steppin'.

Ground control to Major Douce......Please respond.

[evrenb]

Trolling personified. If Ali's son was on this board he would cite this as bullying....full if sh1t you are...

[BoxBuzz]

Ok....and Wepner hit him with everything including the Kitchen sink and a pipewrench....women fainted, the air chilled, a dog barked......the sun shone, the sea parted, the thunder rolled the ref farted.


and...............Wepner stepped on Ali's foot. See picture....which you did NOT provide in favor of another view after the fact, mysterious for a man who simply wants the facts to be known.


But you do not see this picture. or acknowledge the action. Yet you capture many other details....and are even keen on adding a few.


How was the fragrance by the way? Cuz something's smelling bad about your description.....I assume it's the ref's gas.