BoxRec

DUBLIN -- The very mention of certain places call to mind the famous bouts of Muhammad Ali's career: Miami Beach, Zaire, Manila, New York City and of course … Dublin.


What fight fan will ever forget Ali's 11th-round TKO victory over Al "Blue" Lewis in Croke Park, the same stadium in which British soldiers fired on an Irish crowd in 1920, killing several spectators and a Gaelic football player?

It doesn't ring a bell? Then you haven't been haunting the Dublin sports pubs lately, where photos of Ali's visit to Ireland are as commonplace as pints of Guinness.

"Ali was like the Pied Piper," eminent boxing writer Budd Schulberg said. "It was really kind of magical. He had enormous influence over there … he was a fellow Irishman."


http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing ... id=3484739

What is also sad is this, ever since then there has not yet since been a big/significant heavyweight fight in Ireland. I think Innisfree is prime due for another big heavyweight bout, the last time one was even discussed was Tyson-McBride but in the end it took place here in America.

HomicideHenry wrote:What is also sad is this, ever since then there has not yet since been a big/significant heavyweight fight in Ireland. I think Innisfree is prime due for another big heavyweight bout, the last time one was even discussed was Tyson-McBride but in the end it took place here in America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T8jr8WQ ... re=related