BoxRec

If you know the answer to this question you really know your boxing

26th June 1976 Muhammad Ali D15 against a wrestler named Antonio Inoki. The contest took place in Tokyo, Japan.

YOU ARE fornicating RIGHT!!!

The 15 round contest between Boxer and Wrestler was under alot of scrutiny but was in fact a legit match between a 'rassler' and the heavyweight champion of the world.

Ali had severe damage to his legs and never again did he go into the fields of exhibition bouts with wrestlers.

It might also be a good fact to know that Inoki was a former Judo master as well!!!

PEACE

oh and for bonus points...what other boxer/wrestler match take place that same night?

was it chuck wepner and andre* the giant* . the taz.

......which wasn't that succesful for Chuck as he was lifted over the head and thrown out of the ring by Andre. The fact that Wepner didn't bleed rates as one of the bigger upsets of the year.

Homicide Henry wrote:
YOU ARE fornicating RIGHT!!!

language henry, please!

I once saw Leroy Neiman "draw" Ali.

I was with Chuck and Neiman the other night as we had our 33rd annual Induction and Award Ceremonies for the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame (I have been the President of the last 17 years). Also being honored were Jameel McCline, George Jones, Bill Gallo, Joe Miceli and Mike Tinley to name a few. We also had Lou Duva and Larry Hazzard giving out some of the awards.

Hey Hhascup..how about doing a little post on Joe Micelli. Not a great fighter but a good one and a real pro..a "what town is this and who am I fighting" kind of fighter who put up some good action fights against the best of his era. Actually, I was mad at him for a while for knocking out my local lightweight future champ friend Bud Smith and mad at the judges for giving him the decision on the rematch that he shouldn't have got.But hey... he didn't vote. Colorful guy who did a lot of things well.

Joe was their last week and he was very Greatful for the honor. Here's a story that we had in our AD book.

Joe Miceli came from the Mulberry Street section of New York’s lower east side. A neighborhood where the law of survival was the only law rigidly enforced. At 17, Joe elected to survive through fighting.

A converted southpaw, he became known foe a vicious left hook that, when delivered on target, meant “goodnight” for his opponent. He was one of the most popular fighters of boxing’s television era. Primarily a lightweight, he fought the best of 3 divisions. Of Miceli’s 112 bouts, 37 were televised ranking him behind Kid Gavilan (47) and Tiger Jones (45) for the most bouts televised in the 1950’s.

The List of some of his opponents reads like a roll call of boxing legends: like IKE WILLIAMS (Lightweight Champion), WALLACE BUD SMITH (Lightweight Champion), KID GAVILAN (Welterweight Champion), Johnny Saxton (Welterweight Champion), JOHNNY BRATTON (Welterweight Champion),, DON JORDAN (Welterweight Champion), CURTIS COKES (Welterweight Champion), VIRGIL ATKINS (Welterweight Champion), GENE FULMER (Middleweight Champion). He was ranked in the welterweight top 10 from 1950 to 1956, but was never granted a world title bout.

Today, Miceli, now 72, lives in Brentwood, LI. In 1993 he had quadruple-bypass surgery and doing fine. He is a very active member of Ring 8, New York City’s chapter of the Veterans Boxing Association. Two years ago they honored him as the UNCROWNED CHAMP presenting him with the BELT. In April of 1997, he was inducted into the SUFFOLK SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

hhascup- wanted to thank you for the Miceli information but forgot what thread it was on. I figured out he was a converted southpaw quite a while before I read about it, because one of his best punches was a left uppercut, a very difficult and seldom used punch by an orthodox fighter. I was at ringside for a couple of his fights in Cincinnati and I think it was against Johnny Lombardi that he threw a combination of.....left uppercut, short left hook to jaw and then a wide left hook to the same spot. A real pro of the "what town is it and who and I fighting" school. Glad to hear he's still around and doing okay.

Rosendo Alvarez