The Greatest!

[Woods Devil]

Muhammed Ali died yesterday. He was a great boxer, I watched some of his fights with my Dad when I was young. I have watched most of his old fights since. I wish his family comfort in their hard times. That said, he was one of the greatest self promoters of all time and a great heavyweight fighter but there were greater fighters in other weight classes in my opinion as an old boxing fan.

I remember watching Julio Cesar Chavez fight back in '93 and '94 and thinking that I was certainly watching the final stage of the career of the greatest fighter of all time. Julio was 87-0 before the draw with Pernell (Sweat Pea) Whitaker and 89-1-1 after his loss to Frankie Randall the next year but Julio beat Randall a few months later and went on to a record of 107-6-2 before finally retiring in 2005.

In my not so humble opinion Julio Cesar Chavez was the greatest fighter of all time.

[Woods Devil]

1990 - Julio Cesar Chavez Vs Meldrick Taylor 1 Fight of the year 90

[Mayaca]

As with a lot of "greats" there is so much opinion and circumstance....

What if Ali didn't get forced out for 3 years because of refusing to be drafted? We won't know how great he would have been with an unbroken career.

I think he rightly deserves to be mentioned whenever you discuss great boxers because he changed the sport forever. He invented trash talking. Not that I love how far it went, but he was a icon. He also found new ways to win which is a mark of aging greatness.

Jordan added the fade-away, Ali used his defense to wear out Foreman. He had been a speed striker before, but the growth of style is part of what made him great. I was, and am a fan. "The greatest" is subjective to each fan. If you like the blocky power style of Tysen or the smooth hands of Frazier, you pick your own greatest. Ali is mine.

[Woods Devil]

Ali had amazing hand speed and the ability to bend a rope better than any man before. His trash talk did get the fans worked up and may have had an effect on some opponents but I believe that it also got him an ass whooping in his first meeting with Joe Frazier. Frazier was sympathetic to Ali's plight and wanted to fight him earlier but he was deeply hurt by the disrespect shown by Ali. Ali was the more talented fighter but Frazier was a proud man who walked thru everything Ali had that night. That was a great night.

I really liked Marvelous Marvin Hagler and wish that his meeting with Sugar Ray Leonard had been fought when they were in their prime but that is how it often goes with great opponents. They both make their money in their own weight class and then meet up at the end for one last big payday.

The three fights that Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward gave us in the early 2000s will always be among my favorites of all times even though those guys aren't in the same leage with the all time greats.

[Necio]

You can't mention boxing greats without mentioning an oldie, Jack Johnson.
Powerful, durable, and one hell of a shit talker.
Dude was a monster in the ring.
73 wins, 13 losses, 40 wins by KO.
All back in the day of 15+ rounds of boxing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I-eT4kmrTQ

BTW - how the hell do you post a vid, not a link???????????

[Woods Devil]

BTW - how the hell do you post a vid, not a link???????????

Click the "A" at the top right of the comment box and look for the insert video tab.

[swampbilly]

george foreman

nuff said

[Woods Devil]

Jack Johnson was a big sumbitch, that's for sure

I always preferred the smaller fighters for the faster pace.


Ali said himself that he was the best heavyweight but that Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest fighter of all time.

Don't forget The Rock!

[Woods Devil]

george foreman

nuff said

I always enjoyed listening to George talk about boxing and commenting on fights. He is a smart man and knows boxing better than most.

[gamgee]

Lots of good heavyweights. Hard to pick the best. You never know how one style will fare against another.

[Steve28]

Ali was a great but he was no Drederick Tatum.

[Woods Devil]

I've always been impressed by fighters who had the talent and power to move up and fight in a heavier weight class and those guys usually give a great fight that is fun to watch.

Floyd Patterson began as a light heavyweight before moving up to win the heavyweight title more than once.

Evander Holyfield was a cruiserweight champion before moving up to win the heaviweight crown.

As I said before, the three fights between Irish Mickey Ward and Arturo Gatti were great. Gatti moved up from light welterweight to fight Ward at super welterweight.

[Woods Devil]

Ali was a great but he was no Drederick Tatum.

Tatum was the man!

[Mayaca]

Tatum was the man!

His charity work was impressive. Nice he could do so well after his prison stint.

[dudeman]

His charity work was impressive. Nice he could do so well after his prison stint.

All the charity work in the world won't change the fact he pushed his own mother down the stairs.