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MUHAMMAD ALI "THE GREATEST" TRIVIA PART IV By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Fri, 10 Jun 2016  Ring Magazine, the Bible of Boxing, rated Muhammad Ali the number one in a ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras in a publication in 1998. Ali was listed the second greatest fighter in boxing history by ESPN.com behind only welterweight and middleweight great and pound-for-pound king Sugar Ray Robinson. In 2007, ESPN identified Ali the second greatest heavyweights of all time following Joe Louis. Meanwhile, the Associated Press chose Ali as the No. 1 heavyweight fighter of the 20th century in 1999. * * * Ali was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in 2002 because of his contributions to the film industry. But his star is the only one out of the many to be mounted on a vertical surface due to his request that his name not be stepped upon. * * * Ali most probably signed more autographs than any other human being in history. He never refused an autograph request because, when he was a little kid, one of his favorite boxing idols declined to sign one for him. When young Cassius Clay asked Sugar Ray Robinson for his autograph, he was told, "I ain't got time." Ali did not forget this incident and he maintained a P.O. box for fans to send autograph requests. * * * Ali's fighting style was considered a highly unorthodox boxing method for a heavyweight and it was popularized by his byword ?float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?. He was not an indisputable power puncher and depended on his great hand speed, impressive reflexes and persistent motion, dancing and whirling around opponents almost all throughout of the fight, keeping his hands low and then thrashing out with a fast, piercing left jab that he hurled unpredictably. His excellent footwork was so strong and it was just too hard for his opponents to chase him atop the ring and trap him against the ropes. * * * Using a synchronizer, Jimmy Jacobs, who co-managed Mike Tyson, measured young Ali?s punching speed versus Sugar Ray Robinson, who fought as a welterweight then as a middleweight, considered by most experts as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing history. Ali was measured to be 25% faster than Robinson, even though Ali was 45?50 pounds heavier. * * * Ali's career record is 56-5 with 37 knockouts in 61 total bouts. He fought a total of 550 rounds. He had 9 fighters rematched: Joe Frazier (3 fights), Ken Norton (3 fights), Jerry Quarry, George Chuvalo, Joe Bugner, Leon Spinks, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, Henry Cooper. Ali's record in rematches is unblemished at 11-0 (including third fights with Frazier and Norton). * * * Ali is the boxer with the most countries he fought in with 12 - United States, England, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Ireland, Congo (Zaire), Malaysia, Philippines, Bahamas and Puerto Rico. His professional career spanned 21 years and two months. He was stripped of his title and license for 3 years and 7 months. * * * Ali was knocked down 4 times to Sonny Banks in 1962, Henry Cooper in 1963, Joe Frazier in 1971, Chuck Wepner in 1975. He did not lost by knockout, only by TKO or stoppage to Larry Holmes. He went on three official retirements: in 1967 after being stripped, in 1979 after beating Leon Spinks, and in 1981 permanently after losing to Trevor Berbick. Photo shows Muhammad Ali with Sugar Ray Robinson. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.  |
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