Philippines, 29 Mar 2024
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


MUHAMMAD ALI, THE ORIGINAL TRASH TALKER


PhilBoxing.com



Ali.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the number one boxer pound-for-pound in the world today is the number one trash talker in boxing, too. In the age of social media he also used the internet through his Twitter and Instagram to taunt his prospective opponents especially Manny Pacquiao. But when there were no world wide webs and when radio, TV and newspapers were the only means of correspondence, the most popular trash talker in the prize fighting business was Muhammad Ali.

Ali revolutionized the sport through arduous attraction and influence of his personality. He entertained his audience with outrageous and oftentimes ridiculous ranting at his opponents. During those times, most of the managers would do the talking for their fighters. But Ali would grab the spotlight of every interview and press conference to the extent of being vocal even on issues not related to boxing.

Calling himself the "Greatest," Ali regularly taunted his opponent with sarcasm before and even during the bout itself. He would amuse his fans with pre-fight dramatics all made to promote interest in the fight. But most often it is too degrading to his foes and aimed at affecting him psychologically to lose focus on the bout.

He called Joe Frazier "too dumb to be champion." He threatened to whip Sonny Liston "like his Daddy did." He called Ernie Terrell as "Uncle Tom" and Floyd Patterson a "rabbit." Ali was a master of insult and indignity, and when he fought Liston, he reversed his underdog tag when the champion was disturbed by his anger. Still Cassius Clay at that time, he called Liston as "the big ugly bear." "Liston even smells like a bear," Clay said. "After I beat him I'm going to donate him to the zoo."

Referring to Ali's unique but successful strategy, one sportswriter commented that "the most brilliant fight strategy in boxing history was devised by a teenager who had graduated 376 in a class of 391."

In the lead-up to the "Thrilla in Manila" and on each of their other two previous encounters, Frazier received several verbal insults from Ali but he was able to withstood them. Ali called Frazier "The Gorilla" and he always chanted it in a rhyme "It will be a Killa and a Thrilla and a Chilla when I get The Gorilla in Manila." He did this as he punched a gorilla doll who he symbolized as Frazier.

Ali explained to reporter Dick Schaap that it was part of his pre-fight technique: "I like to get a man mad, because when a man's mad, he wants ya so bad, he can't think, so I like to get a man mad." This style caused the defeat of George Foreman, who was so enraged that he lost concentration and was knocked out of exhaustion.

As usual, Ali was talkative and oozing with confidence before the fight. He told David Frost, "if you think the world was surprised when Nixon resigned, wait 'til I whup Foreman's behind!" In an interview, he told the media, "I've done something new for this fight. I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick."

Because of his antics, Ali was wildly popular in Zaire wherever he went, with the crowds shouting "Ali, bomaye" ("Ali, kill him").

Ali was the original boxer who called himself as the "people's champion" and he would predict the rounds in which he would stop his opponents, and often bragged of crawling across the ring if he lost the bout. Ali confessed he imitated the practice of trash talking from "Gorgeous" George Wagner, a popular professional wrestling champion in Los Angeles who attracted thousands of fans to his matches as "the man you love to hate," due to his being big-mouthed.

ESPN columnist Ralph Wiley named Ali "The King of Trash Talk." The Guardian recently declared his time as "golden age of trash talking" in boxing. The Bleacher Report called Clay's invective of Liston "smelling like a bear" and his promise to "donate him to a zoo" after he beat him the greatest trash talk line in sports history.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Wild, Wild Western Conference
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Press Conference Notes: Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson & Seniesa Estrada-Yokasta Valle Doubleheader Set for Friday
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • WEIGHTS FROM BIG TIME BOXING USA IN DETROIT
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Undefeated Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes to Attend Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson Fight Eyes Potential Showdown with Winner
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • PACE to host FIDE chess tilt this weekend
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Preserving a Legacy: The Birth of the Philippine Boxing Historical Society
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Garcia vs Haney: Boxing Match or A Live Mental Break Down?
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Christian Mbilli-Mark Heffron Super Middleweight Main Event & Arslanbek Makhmudov-Junior Fa Heavyweight Battle Set for May 25 at Gervais Auto Center in Shawinigan, Canada
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • MATÍAS MAKES HOMECOMING DEFENSE AGAINST PARO ON JUNE 15
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • ‘ROCKY’ HERNANDEZ RETURNS AGAINST LUGO IN MEXICO ON MAY 11
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • PCAP: Cavite eyeing to bounce back
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • HALL OF FAMER ANN WOLFE TO ATTEND 2024 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
    , Thu, 28 Mar 2024
  • Gathering of champions
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Filipinos AJ Paciones and Ador Torres Make Weight for Title Fights in Highland Boxing Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Visiting Teams All Won vs Hosts; Boston Finally Loses
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Lukas to face undefeated Jaiklom on March 30 in Bangkok
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Sulaiman leaves Manila with fond memories
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Montano to Fight for WBO Oriental Welterweight Title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • JOSE RAMIREZ AND VERGIL ORTIZ JR. HOST FRESNO PRESS CONFERENCE
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Joseph Adorno-Nicholas Walters Weigh-In Results
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Oscar Valdez and Sergio Rodriguez Give Back to Local Phoenix Children Ahead of Friday's ESPN+-Streamed World Title Doubleheader
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • “Granite Chin Box Off” to launch May 11th 4-fighter, 1-night super middleweight tournament
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Starling Castillo Ready For Jesus Saracho After Linking Up With Bob Santos
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Blair "The Flair" Cobbs Joins Forces with Coach Justin Gamber
    , Wed, 27 Mar 2024
  • Cutiyog sweeps Imus tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 27 Mar 2024




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2024 philboxing.com.