The biggest fight of all time

[actjac]

The Fight of the Century at Madison Square Garden March 8, 1971. . . . 46 years ago today.

[Tanzio]

Thanks for the memories.

[candyslim]

Now that was the fight that really ignited my lifelong love of boxing and I got to thinking "so apart from Frazier and Ali, who else is there at the summit of this here heavyweight division?" Before long I'd developed a thing about how was it Quarry rated 3rd in the world (Ring Magazine) when clearly Foreman at number 4 would pulverize him?

I think History backed my point of view but the irony is that Jerry Quarry went on to become one of my favourite fighters of all time and one of them I most admired. "Irish" Jerry Quarry you were one helluva fighting man. I salute your memory.

[handsofstone]

I personally never thought much of the fight, Frazier was excellent mind but post exile Ali had a way of stinking out a fight, he was mostly effective but not that night, Smoking Joe was a clear winner and inspired

Still I would've loved to have been around for the build up

[Tony1244]

Now that was the fight that really ignited my lifelong love of boxing and I got to thinking "so apart from Frazier and Ali, who else is there at the summit of this here heavyweight division?" Before long I'd developed a thing about how was it Quarry rated 3rd in the world (Ring Magazine) when clearly Foreman at number 4 would pulverize him?

I think History backed my point of view but the irony is that Jerry Quarry went on to become one of my favourite fighters of all time and one of them I most admired. "Irish" Jerry Quarry you were one helluva fighting man. I salute your memory.

Even though I agree Quarry would have been no match for Foreman, but the Quarry @ 3 and Foreman @4 could still make sense. I'm not sure exactly what month/year you're referring to but if it was 3/71, Quarry had beaten Spencer, Patterson, and Mathis by that time, and Foreman's top victims weren't as good, at the time.

Foreman said he ducked Quarry, and even though I very much liked both fighters, I don't buy that. GF liked Quarry, and as an announcer, he was biased. Great guy is GF, but I always took his comments with a grain of salt.

[candyslim]

I'm sure you're right Tony about their respective records and yes, it would have been about then, but I'd have had no idea back then and would have been basing that purely on eye test, performances and respective physiques, not terribly scientific or even objective I know.

I quickly became a fanatic and my enthusiasm spread downward through the weight-classes but it wasn't until comparatively recently with the advent of box-rec (bless 'em) that I was able to make inroads into curing my ignorance of what was happening in boxing in the period immediately. before I got bitten by the bug.

Would I right in thinking you're of similar vintage to me (60) ?

[candyslim]

I never knew George claimed to have ducked Quarry. That's a hell of a thing to admit to even if it wasn't true and I'm sure it wasn't. I respect George even more for honouring Jerry in that way. It's funny how I saw Foreman back then, a hulking brute lacking human characteristics of humour, compassion, intelligence, probably a few others besides. I could hardly have got him more wrong but I guess I was in good company.

It's sad that most of those great fighters of the seventies are no longer with us. 'cept George of course. I hear he's in training for his latest comeback