One that always sticks in my mind was his fight with Ernie Terrell, when he kept saying "What's my name?! (and throwing a vicious combination in between saying it several times.) Terrell for some reason would only call him Cassius Clay.
I also visited the Ali Center in Louisville KY. a few years back. Well worth it if you are ever near or in Louisville. http://www.alicenter.org/about/
Cutman Scabbers wrote:
Who is the opponent here in the red trunks -- Leon Spinks?
Michael Dokes
Thank you. So that was an exhibition?
It was a showfight against a young talent
53 wins and 6 loses was his endresult, with a peakrating of 1187, that's by distance higher as any heavyweight boxer currently has.
I won't say he was a top contender when he did this, but it wasn't like a complete idiot either. He was probably about as good as Deontay Wilder a few years ago.
When the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled in his favor and ended his blackballing for rejecting the draft... He said, "I've won unanimous decisions before, but this is the most satisfying. When you have 8 wise men or 3 wise men they usually do the right thing."
"I don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts. That's what makes you a champion."
I wish someone would put Floyd and Ali's quotes and accomplishments side by side and put this GOAT talk to bed forever. Ali was the GOAT, plain and simple. To be the GOAT, you need to consider who they fought and who they didn't and Ali fought them all in the best era of talent in his division. You also have to consider outside the ring accomplishments and notoriety and no one was more beloved in all of sports than Ali. Hands down, the GOAT.
about his mum
Through her strong Christian belief, Clay had a great influence on the life and spiritual upbringing of both of her sons. Muhammad Ali later said, "My mother is a Baptist, and when I was growing up, she taught me all she knew about God. Every Sunday, she dressed me up, took me and my brother to church, and taught us the way she thought was right. She taught us to love people and treat everybody with kindness. She taught us it was wrong to be prejudiced or hate. I've changed my religion and some of my beliefs since then, but her God is still God; I just call him by a different name. And my mother, I'll tell you what I've told people for a long time. She's a sweet, fat, wonderful woman, who loves to cook, eat, make clothes, and be with family. She doesn't drink, smoke, meddle in other people's business, or bother anyone, and there's no one who's been better to me my whole life."[11]
I think one of his greatest lines was in the middle of the Pre Sonny Liston Fight interview. He had already delivered a few zingers and the reporter was able to keep a straight face.
You have to remember this was a time when even sports interviews were considered a serious business. The reporters were dressed to a T, Neatly Groomed and extremely professional.
Reporter: Well I just saw Sonny The Other Day,,,,,
Ali: (interupting), Aint he ugly?
Honestly, my favorite moment is probably the Spinks rematch. I was 9 years old and was a big fan of both. I couldn't believe he was winning back his title. Second would be, as an adult I became more of a Frazier man, the way he bounced up in the 15th round like it was a flash knockdown in the first.
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Honestly, my favorite moment is probably the Spinks rematch. I was 9 years old and was a big fan of both. I couldn't believe he was winning back his title. Second would be, as an adult I became more of a Frazier man, the way he bounced up in the 15th round like it was a flash knockdown in the first.
Yeah that's truly impressive. Most any Heavyweight would've been out cold from that shot.
