I DVRed a Classic Wide World of Sports episode from February 15, 1976 by ABC which featured Howard Cosell visiting the then-reigning Heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali at his Deer Lake, Pennsylvania log cabin and showing him old fight films of all the heavyweight legends. Here are some of the comments Ali made?
About Jack Johnson: ?Jack Johnson had a wild style. He had to be a great fighter because he beat everybody at that time. He had a great defensive style against the people that were hitting at him. I wasn?t hitting at him. He was good for the time.?
Jack Dempsey: ?He was a good fighter but he wouldn?t have beat me. No left jabs, no left hooks, just a lot of wild fightin?. Take it and give it. They throw punches from anywhere. I can?t prove it but I think they wouldn?t have a chance with fighting me. That kinda man wouldn?t stand a chance. These fighters didn?t know how to dance, these fighters didn?t have any footwork?Like a bunch of women, no skill, no class, no nothing?They were great at slugging, they could take a lot, they could hit and hurt you, and they could go all night long, 100 rounds if they had to. If I couldn?t knock ?em out I?d have to beat em to the punch. I?d just have to box em all day, box and move.?
Gene Tunney: ?If you look at Gene Tunney, this is where boxers started getting better. He throws punches sharp and quick. He?s strong, fast and quick. He?s about the best of the old-timers. I?d say Tunney is the greatest old-timer, as far as punching is concerned, and skill. Tunney uses good movement and footwork, something that most heavyweights don?t have. I thought I was the only heavyweight to do it. He?s jabbing and moving.?
[Cosell compares Tunney’s footwork to Ali’s in the Frazier fights but Ali doesn’t completely agree.]
?He?s moving like me ? but no rhythm.?
?Dempsey is dangerous in close, like Frazier and Marciano. Tunney wants to pop him and keep his distance. Dempsey is a good ducker, he could bob a lot. Tunney?s the best of that era. I see him sometimes and I tell him he was one of the best of all times.?
