Thread: Worth taking 1 more look: Marciano vs Ali VİDEO

I don't really get it, it was obviously choreographed so Ali must have agreed to 'lose' the fight?

I might have to read up on it some more. I know Marciano had been retired a while but had enough competitiveness to lose a fair amount of weight to do this but how did they come to this conclusion?

Marciano was never that slow during his best days and could be very explosive, he certainly had the power to stop Ali but he was horrendously slow in that video, it would not have been a fair contest.

Not really sure what I'm trying to say but interesting video.

Originally Posted by armyash

I don't really get it, it was obviously choreographed so Ali must have agreed to 'lose' the fight?

I might have to read up on it some more. I know Marciano had been retired a while but had enough competitiveness to lose a fair amount of weight to do this but how did they come to this conclusion?

Marciano was never that slow during his best days and could be very explosive, he certainly had the power to stop Ali but he was horrendously slow in that video, it would not have been a fair contest.

Not really sure what I'm trying to say but interesting video.

Marciano was 46 when they sparred however many rounds it took them to get the footage they needed/wanted. Fourteen years out of the ring, Marciano was never that pudgy, either.
The footage was to dramatize a computerized version of a fight between Ali and Marciano. They fed a bunch of data into a computer and it determined that Marciano would win by 13th round stoppage. They filmed endings for every contingency.

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

Originally Posted by armyash

I don't really get it, it was obviously choreographed so Ali must have agreed to 'lose' the fight?

I might have to read up on it some more. I know Marciano had been retired a while but had enough competitiveness to lose a fair amount of weight to do this but how did they come to this conclusion?

Marciano was never that slow during his best days and could be very explosive, he certainly had the power to stop Ali but he was horrendously slow in that video, it would not have been a fair contest.

Not really sure what I'm trying to say but interesting video.

Marciano was 46 when they sparred however many rounds it took them to get the footage they needed/wanted. Fourteen years out of the ring, Marciano was never that pudgy, either.
The footage was to dramatize a computerized version of a fight between Ali and Marciano. They fed a bunch of data into a computer and it determined that Marciano would win by 13th round stoppage. They filmed endings for every contingency.

Thanks for that! I assume Ali didn't get a say in what the computer decided the outcome would be, I can't imagine he would have been happy with that, I think it was Ken Norton who refused the role of Apollo Creed in the Rocky films because it would have meant losing. 14 years out of the ring? it was strange seeing Marciano move around even after all that time he still fought with the same style. Not sure he would get away with bending down so low nowadays trying to avoid punches haha.

Originally Posted by armyash

I assume Ali didn't get a say in what the computer decided the outcome would be, I can't imagine he would have been happy with that,

Ali had to wait to see the result in the movie theatre Jan 20, 1970 like everyone else. Over 600 theatres played it and hundreds of thousands of Boxing fans went to see it.

The undefeated Ali's response in Philadelphia at the result:
"I think it's time for me to quit when I get whupped by a 46 year old man and a computer that was made in Alabama." - Muhammad Ali


The Rock Rocky Marciano died 4 months earlier and never knew if he won or lost.

I think it was Ken Norton who refused the role of Apollo Creed in the Rocky films because it would have meant losing.

I saw a Stallone interview where Stallone said that based on Norton's incredible physique, Stallone thought Norton would be the perfect opponent as Apollo Creed, but upon seeing him in person, Stallone knew he couldn't cast Norton as he was waaaay too big. Film is about the suspension of disbelief, but Stallone knew casting Norton was asking too much of the audience as nobody would ever believe the 5' 9½, 178 lb Stallone could defeat the 6'3", 225 lb specimen.

Stallone defeating the 6'½" Carl Weathers or the 5'10½" Mr. T was at least believable.
Hell, look how small Stallone looked against light-heavyweight Tarver.

Stallone said he weighed only 163lbs in Rocky III against Mr.T, but man he was shredded.

6' Shavers was asked to go in for a test. Stallone asked Earnie to go a little harder in sparring, so Earnie says he put a little more pop into a bodyshot but didn't hit him too hard, yet Stallone still had to go to the hospital. That was all she wrote for Earnie in the Rocky movies!

By the time the computer made a decision, and the film was released to movie theaters, Marciano had died in a plane crash. Ali- I think he was still Cassius Clay at the time- handled the situation very gracefully.

Thanks for the info guys!

sorry but ıt splıts my heart thınkıng that Rocky never knew he even won thıs fıght too. They sparred 101 rounds exactly accordıng to the producer of the fılm. In several rounds they actually DID trade hard shots. Ali jabbed Marciano's toupe (haırpıece for those who dont speak French ......and after Rocky complaıned about ıt, and Ali contınued to try to razz hım, Marciano actually belted Ali with a real double left hook to the body and SINCE aLİ WASNT EXACTLY READY FOR THAT (SHOULD have been as he was harrassıng Rocky there for a bit) they apparently needed to halt the action as Ali needed to get his wind back. Then Rocky proceeded to belt the shıt out of Ali's arms and Ali admıtrted later on that hıs arms were sore for "several days after" from catchıng Rocky's shots on the arms.