"The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! Rumble, young man, rumble!" rip
He must be chatting with Bruce Lee right now.
Muhammad Ali has died
81–90 of 191 posts
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wonder if is now ingrained in boxing training to move like that -- no one notices a big difference like they did with Ali because everyone is trained to move like that. Looking back through the videos I have to think that none of the heavyweight boxers move like that today. I wonder if there will be a renaissance in boxing where you have a whole generation of boxers moving like Ali. Does anyone follow boxing? Can a…
Sadly, boxing as a sport has much declined since Ali's day, and especially in recent years. In particular, the heavyweight division has been found most acutely lacking for some time. However, you are correct that heavyweights don't and have not typically "moved like that". Even those who were relatively fast and defensively gifted (e.g. a young Tyson) didn't move as poetically. He moved like a boxer of a much lower w…
At 1:21 and 1:35, Ali does this shuffle thing with his feet.
How does one do that? I just tried it, and I can't imagine how I would move my feet that rapidly even with extensive training. I'm pretty lanky. Would it be easier to foot-shuffle if I had Ali's build? Or would it be even harder because of his mass.
And does this maneuver have a name? It seems like he does it when he's winding up for a jab combo. To make his punches unpredictable. Am I reading his movements correctly?
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#83The saddest thing about Ali's life IMHO is that he lived in a world where the best way he could make his living was hitting and being hit by others. It is time to recognize boxing for the barbarism that it is and retire it from the repertoire of human activity along with bullfighting and bear baiting.
It's not barbarism when it's consenting adults. Bulls and bears do not consent.
I agree that OPs point is not necessary and his analogy with animal murder is plain wrong, but the definition of barbarism does not hinge on the existence of consent. Brutal, uncivilized, or cruel imply barbarism. Consent does not imply non-brutal and civilized and uncruel.
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#84Don't care for people hitting each other, even if it is consensual
HOWEVER - he overcame amazing odds for growing up in a heavily racist, segregated country and I have massive respect for him giving up his career while refusing to serve in the Vietnam War and kill others simply at the order of the government.
So why do we always wait for people to die to honor them - why not do it when they can appreciate it?
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly, boxing as a sport has much declined since Ali's day, and especially in recent years. In particular, the heavyweight division has been found most acutely lacking for some time. However, you are correct that heavyweights don't and have not typically "moved like that". Even those who were relatively fast and defensively gifted (e.g. a young Tyson) didn't move as poetically. He moved like a boxer of a much lower w…
At 1:21 and 1:35, Ali does this shuffle thing with his feet. How does one do that? I just tried it, and I can't imagine how I would move my feet that rapidly even with extensive training. I'm pretty lanky. Would it be easier to foot-shuffle if I had Ali's build? Or would it be even harder because of his mass. And does this maneuver have a name? It seems like he does it when he's winding up for a jab combo. To make hi…
One thing people underestimate about boxing is how much training goes into the feet movement. Any boxer at that level can do things with their feet that is pretty baffling. Training your feet and calfs in boxing is extensive. That said one of the things that made Ali so astounding is that for a big guy he was super light on his feet.
That foot shuffle doesn't have a name, and he isn't doing it for a tactical advantage. He's showing off. Nearly anyone else on the planet who tried it would have a coach in there ear ripping them a new one. But you know, the greatest of all time gets to do things others can't.
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Ali wasn't "allowed" anything. He lost his livelihood for roughly a third of his athletic prime for standing up for his beliefs. He faced constant racism and bigotry. Joe Frazier supported Ali financially when he was unable to box and supported the restoration of Ali's licence. "The greatest" [sic], who for reasons you have stated should have been more aware than most about racism and abuse, paid back this great fr…
Ali also turned his back on Malcom X: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/02/25/467247668/...
Lol
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Ali wasn't "allowed" anything. He lost his livelihood for roughly a third of his athletic prime for standing up for his beliefs. He faced constant racism and bigotry. Joe Frazier supported Ali financially when he was unable to box and supported the restoration of Ali's licence. "The greatest" [sic], who for reasons you have stated should have been more aware than most about racism and abuse, paid back this great fr…
Ali also turned his back on Malcom X: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/02/25/467247668/...
Lol
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ali wasn't "allowed" anything. He lost his livelihood for roughly a third of his athletic prime for standing up for his beliefs. He faced constant racism and bigotry. He was viewed as a bad guy by most of the country for much of his early career. Many people even refused to call him Muhammad Ali including other African American boxers. He persevered and became popular through shear will, determination, charisma, and…
> Ali wasn't "allowed" anything. He lost his livelihood for roughly a third of his athletic prime for standing up for his beliefs. He faced constant racism and bigotry. Joe Frazier supported Ali financially when he was unable to box and supported the restoration of Ali's licence. "The greatest" [sic], who for reasons you have stated should have been more aware than most about racism and abuse, paid back this great fr…
And here we have classic white male tears.
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
Damn...whenever I watch boxing movies like Rocky, I always think the action and power look so fake compared to what you normally see when watching broadcast boxing fights. But I guess if you grew up watching videos of Ali, you'd have a higher expectation of razzle-dazzle.
I wonder if is now ingrained in boxing training to move like that -- no one notices a big difference like they did with Ali because everyone is trained to move like that. Looking back through the videos I have to think that none of the heavyweight boxers move like that today. I wonder if there will be a renaissance in boxing where you have a whole generation of boxers moving like Ali. Does anyone follow boxing? Can a…
Boxing is in a bit of a vicious cycle and has been for some time. During Ali's prime boxing was more popular generally. It was a mainstream sport that lots of people watched. It was also going through a golden era with regard to talent especially at the heavy weight level. There was Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Liston all fighting at the same time which of course amplified the popularity.
Now boxing doesn't have any of the all time greats boxing and its less popular, meaning its unlikely to have greats start boxing again. Add in how much less acceptable head injuries are in sports, the decline of youth boxing in the USA and the rise of MMA and it is unlikely we will see boxing be anything more than it is now, an occasional big fight for a couple of top contenders and not a lot else that makes it into the general mainstream.
As for moving like that, part of it is that bigger guys more generally move better than they used to so the difference isn't as pronounced but its also Ali being special.
Re: Muhammad Ali has died
#90He is a man who have a heart that bigger than his fists. “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave maste…
Don't let that fool you. The real reason Ali didn't go to war was pure fear. He's always been a very egotistical man.