Muhammad Ali vs Michael Dokes(1977 Exhibition)

[Caractacus]

April.16.1977 Miami Beach,Florida
ABC's Wide World of Sports cancels the Larry Holmes vs Stan Ward bout that was scheded to have been broadcast that day,
and instead shows Muhammad Ali doing an exhibition with Jody Ballard and Michael Dokes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM6UpbLgLJI

[HomicideHenry]

Even though Dokes was 17 years old, he showed all the signs even then of something special. Ali's antics, didn't seem to sway the determined young man--- and its an awesome look at Dokes as an amateur. Its a shame so much talent was eventually wasted on drugs. Dokes had all the makings of being something great.

[Caractacus]

Michael Dokes was born in August 1958 so he would have been about 19 and half years old here in April 1977.
Muhammad Ali was 35 years old and 233 lbs here.

"Look at me play with this man!"

[Caractacus]

The 1975 Pan-American games from Mexico City were televised by CBS
but I wonder if there is still available the video footage of
Michael Dokes defeating Trevor Berbick in the semi-finals
and then fighting Teofilio Stevenson for the gold.

[Caractacus]

Its too bad(for whatever reason)
Michael Dokes and Earnie Shavers never fought.
I think that would have been a good fight for the Buckeye state(Dokes being from Akron and Shavers from Warren Ohio).
around 1980.
Dokes was comin up and Shavers was going down but still around.

[Duch]

Here you go:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uypYuhsT_Rg

[Caractacus]

I was almost expecting Ali to begin starting to do this,and he probably would have if the exhibition had gone on for another round.

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

[Caractacus]

Michael Dokes amateur boxing record was 147-7.

He also lost in an upset in the semi-finals to Big John Tate in the 1976 Olympic Trials.
I think that was televised too.

[Caractacus]

If you watch the pre-fight coverage on the Dokes vs Cobb I youtube video.
You can briefly see 17 year old Michael Dokes knocking out Gilbert Acuna of Costa Rica
(1:27 of the first round)
to win the finals of the North America Continet Boxing Championship
July.26.1975
as shown on ABC's Wide World of Sports.

[Caractacus]

The bout with Teofilia Stevenson was also televised of course .
Stevenson knocked down Dokes in the first round,but Dokes came back pretty good for the next two rounds.
I think you can briefly view the knockdown in one of the Teofilio Stevenson's greatest hits videos on youtube somewhere.

[evrenb]

Coke and women ruined Dynamite. If he had the mindset of Marvin Hagler he could have been great....he didn't and he wasn't....

[Caractacus]

April.16.1977 Miami Beach,Florida
ABC's Wide World of Sports cancels the Larry Holmes vs Stan Ward bout that was scheded to have been broadcast that day,
and instead shows Muhammad Ali doing an exhibition with Jody Ballard and Michael Dokes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM6UpbLgLJI

Michael Dokes was 19 years old and was already a professional fighter when he did this exhibition with Ali in 1977.
Dokes turned pro just after his 18th birthday,
Mainly because he had earlier lost in the semi-finals to John Tate in the Olympic Boxing trials in June 1976
.
Dokes (managed by Carl King)became a sparring partner to Larry Holmes 1976-1977.

[dempseyfire]

It amazes me how fast Ali was in this clip vs a guy in Dokes who had perhaps the quickest hands in the division, and this was in 1977 . . Ali physically was well past his best by then.

[Caractacus]

BTW after this exhibition Dokes became a sparring partner to Ali during 1977-1979.
(fee about $1,200. for two hours of sparring with Ali).

[Nile4000]

Michael Dokes amateur boxing record was 147-7.

He also lost in an upset in the semi-finals to Big John Tate in the 1976 Olympic Trials.
I think that was televised too.

Lost also to Leon Spinks in the 1974 National AAU Light Heavyweight finals...at the tender age of 15!

[Caractacus]

At age of 15 yrs,thats when Michael Dokes admitted that he first started using cocaine.
It started when he went to visit some friends in New York City from Akron Ohio.
(Dokes also admitted first startin doin some drugs like Marijuana at age 13(1972).

[Caractacus]

Here is how it went for Dokes at winning the 1976 Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship
( of which highlights were televised from the Orange Bowel in Miami,FL in March 24-27 1976)

March.24.1976 -Preliminaries
Dokes vs Warren Evans RSC1
Dokes vs Terry Groshek RSC3

March.26.1976-Quarter-Finals
Dokes vs John Tate WPTS

March.27.1976-Semi-Finals
Dokes vs Greg Page WPTS

March.27.1976-Finals
Dokes vs Woody Clark-finals WPTS