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Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Joseph William Frazier, nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Frazier was known for his strength, durability, formidable punching power, and relentless pressure fighting style. He was also the first boxer to beat Muhammad Ali. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and as an amateur won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Muhammad Ali and Henry Cooper fought two boxing matches with each other. Their first match took place on 18 June 1963 and the second on 21 May 1966. Ali won both matches. The first fight was stopped by the referee in the fifth round, and the second in the sixth round. Both fights were stopped after Cooper started bleeding excessively from a cut to the left eye. The first Ali-Cooper bout is remembered for being one of the four fights in which Ali was officially knocked down in the ring by his boxing opponent, as well as leading to the mandate that ringside handlers always have an extra pair of boxing gloves available.
Muhammad Ali and Karl Mildenberger fought a boxing match on September 10, 1966. While Mildenberger's unorthodox southpaw style caused Ali some discomfort in the early rounds of the bout, Ali won the fight through a technical knockout after the referee stopped the bout in the 12th round. This was the first time a sports event was broadcast via satellite through color telecast.
Muhammad Ali and Jean-Pierre Coopman fought a boxing match on February 20, 1976.This was Ali's first boxing bout after Thrilla in Manila.Ali won the fight after knocking out Coopman in the fifth round. In an interview, Coopman denied claims that he had been drinking champagne before the fight, but confirmed that he had drunk some champagne during the fight to help him move faster and to feel euphoric.
Olympic Light heavyweight boxing champion Cassius Clay fought Tunney Hunsaker in a six-round match on October 29, 1960. Clay won the bout through a unanimous decision on points. This was Ali's first fight as a professional. Hunsaker was a part time boxer who was for many years a respected police officer in Fayetteville, West Virginia. He also helped to train young fighters and he and Ali were friends for many years afterwards. In a 1980 Sports Illustrated article, Hunsaker said he didn't agree with Ali refusing to be drafted during the Vietnam war, but he still respected him greatly as a fighter and as a man.
Heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Bob Foster fought on November 21, 1972. Ali won the bout by knocking out Foster in the eighth round. Ali knocked Foster down seven times and this was the only fight in which Ali ever suffered a cut. The bout was notable because it was one of the first boxing matches refereed by Mills Lane.
Heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Oscar Bonavena fought at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 7, 1970. Ali won the bout, his first at the current Madison Square Garden, through a technical knockout in the 15th round.
Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell was a professional boxing match contested on February 6, 1967, for the WBA & WBC Heavyweight Championship. The fight went 15 rounds, with Ali winning through a unanimous decision.
Cassius Clay fought a ten-round boxing match with Charlie Powell in Pittsburgh on January 24, 1963. Clay won the bout by knocking out Powell in the third round.
Cassius Clay fought Sonny Banks in a ten-round boxing match at Madison Square Garden in New York City on February 10, 1962. Clay won the fight through a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round. The event is remembered for being the first professional boxing match in which Ali was officially knocked down in the ring by his boxing opponent.
Cassius Clay fought Argentine Alex Miteff in a ten-round boxing match in Louisville on October 7, 1961. Clay won the fight through a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the sixth round. Miteff and Clay would feature in the 1962 film Requiem for a Heavyweight.
Cassius Clay fought a ten-round boxing match with George Logan in Los Angeles on March 23, 1962. Clay won the fight through a technical knockout after the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round. This was Clay's 13th professional victory and before the fight Jack Dempsey predicted he would win the title. Logan sustained a serious eye injury during the bout that eventually led to its stoppage. Logan later claimed his cornermen told him to use low blows against Clay but he refused. Logan was later a truant officer and a police officer in his native state of Idaho.
Cassius Clay fought a ten-round boxing match with Willi Besmanoff in Louisville on November 29, 1961. Clay won the bout through a technical knockout in the seventh round after the referee stopped the fight with Besmanoff sprawled on his back on the canvas.
Cassius Clay fought an eight-round boxing match with Texan Donnie Fleeman in Miami on February 21, 1961. Prior to this fight, Fleeman had a record of 51 fights with 45 wins including 20 knockouts. Clay won the bout through a technical knockout after the referee stopped the fight in the seventh round. This was the first time Clay had gone over six rounds in a boxing match. It was also the first time Fleeman had ever been knocked down in a boxing match. Fleeman retired from boxing after this fight.
Cassius Clay fought a ten-round boxing match with Don Warner in Miami on March 28,1962. Clay won the fight through a technical knockout after the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round. Warner would later serve as a sparring partner for Joe Frazier.
Cassius Clay fought a ten-round boxing match with Tony Esperti in Miami on January 17, 1961. Clay won the bout through a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the third round after Esparti's left eye had been cut by Clay's jabs. Esperti was later convicted of first degree murder for gunning down mafia boss Thomas Altamura, a member of the Gambino crime family.
Cassius Clay fought a boxing match with Herb Siler in Miami on December 27, 1960. Clay won the bout through a technical knockout after the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round. The fight had taken place soon after Clay had joined the 5th Street Gym.
Cassius Clay fought Jim Robinson in a boxing match at Miami Beach Convention Center on February 7, 1961. Clay won the fight through a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the first round. Robinson was a last minute replacement for another fighter who was supposed to fight Clay on the night of the fight; this was Robinson's second professional boxing match.
Muhammad Ali is widely regarded by boxing commentators and historians as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. Boxing magazine The Ring named him number one in a 1998 ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras. In 1999, The Associated Press voted Ali the number one heavyweight of the 20th century. In 1999, Ali was named the second greatest boxer in history, pound for pound, by ESPN; behind only welterweight and middleweight legend Sugar Ray Robinson. In December 2007, ESPN listed Ali second in its choice of the greatest heavyweights of all time, behind Joe Louis.
References
- ↑ "Muhammad Ali's ring record". ESPN. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ↑ Thomas Hauser (1991). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times . Simon & Schuster. pp. 47–8.
- ↑ Felix Dennis & Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. p. 64.
- ↑ "Retired boxer reflects on fighting the 'Greatest of All Time'". The Times-News. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "Hometown boxer maintained close relationship with Muhammad Ali". Star News Online. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ Michael Ezra (2009). Muhammad Ali:The Making of an Icon . Temple University Press. pp. 37.
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