Facing ali

[TitoFan]

Glad you started the thread. I meant to do so after watching it a couple weeks ago. Excellent film. Right up there with my favorite doc about Foreman v Ali in Zaire. I was surprised to hear Foreman say he wasn't making contact with Ali. In the Zaire documentary Foreman stated he was getting nervous hitting Ali with all those bombs fearing he Might kill him. Also, first time I heard Foreman speak of his getting hit with the visions of Christianity turning his life around.

And yes, not one of those guys, even Frazier, said anything bad about Ali. It really was done very well and quite unique for its genre. Foreman New why he lost that fight and I still think Foreman could have whooped Ali had he trained better instead of not taking Ali seriously, those are Foremans words. I'm a Foreman freak, my favorite boxer so any Doc with him in it fascinates me. A couple of the guys who fought Foreman mentioned the power of his punch, Damn Foreman Was a bad ass.

Actually I bumped the thread, from 2012. I figured a documentary like this from 2009 must've been commented, and I didn't want to repeat an old thread. But yeah it's a great film which I enjoyed thoroughly. Hearing about Ali from guys like Chuvalo, Shavers, Frazier, and Foreman is a lot different than hearing it from fellow fans.

[Master]

Anyone who says Ali is not the greatest heavyweight of all time for what he achieved, who he fought and when he did it knows nothing about boxing. No one comes close. He is an amazing man and boxer. Absolutely foolish to say otherwise. Just madness.

[g3org3]

Anyone who says Ali is not the greatest heavyweight of all time for what he achieved, who he fought and when he did it knows nothing about boxing. No one comes close. He is an amazing man and boxer. Absolutely foolish to say otherwise. Just madness.

I don't think he was the greatest he got quite a few gifts IMO he was an amazing man and boxer but not the greatest

[Master]

Anyone who says Ali is not the greatest heavyweight of all time for what he achieved, who he fought and when he did it knows nothing about boxing. No one comes close. He is an amazing man and boxer. Absolutely foolish to say otherwise. Just madness.

I don't think he was the greatest he got quite a few gifts IMO he was an amazing man and boxer but not the greatest

No one is greater I am not saying he would beat Lennox but Ali achieved more and was never knocked out in 2 rounds. Ali is the greatest not the best but the greatest.

[powerpuncher]

Anyone who says Ali is not the greatest heavyweight of all time for what he achieved, who he fought and when he did it knows nothing about boxing. No one comes close. He is an amazing man and boxer. Absolutely foolish to say otherwise. Just madness.

I don't think he was the greatest he got quite a few gifts IMO he was an amazing man and boxer but not the greatest

No one is greater I am not saying he would beat Lennox but Ali achieved more and was never knocked out in 2 rounds. Ali is the greatest not the best but the greatest.

Don't back down. He was the best!

[Ron Swanson]

I'm confused why so many dislike Ali. You could argue draft dodger but that argument is crushed by the fact he was never supposed to be eligible for the draft. You could say womanizer or any number of character flaws but why would boxing fans care more about that than what he did in the ring?

I just see it as no heavyweight ever fought and beat better opposition. Sure he got some gifts, I don't think he ever beat Norton, but he fought a who's who of heavyweight royalty. And isn't that what we want from fighters? To get in there and fight other great fighters?

Whether he is the greatest or not is highly debatable. But whether he was great for the sport seems quite clear.

[beenKOed]

I'm confused why so many dislike Ali. You could argue draft dodger but that argument is crushed by the fact he was never supposed to be eligible for the draft. You could say womanizer or any number of character flaws but why would boxing fans care more about that than what he did in the ring?

I just see it as no heavyweight ever fought and beat better opposition. Sure he got some gifts, I don't think he ever beat Norton, but he fought a who's who of heavyweight royalty. And isn't that what we want from fighters? To get in there and fight other great fighters?

Whether he is the greatest or not is highly debatable. But whether he was great for the sport seems quite clear.

If you like Ali and think he was the greatest, good for you! I'm probably of the exact opposite opinion, I don't like Ali and I don't think he was the greatest, good for me! Truthfully, I don't care what anyone else thinks about Ali, I'm completely certain I'm right! How about the rest of you?

[walrus]

Anyone who says Ali is not the greatest heavyweight of all time for what he achieved, who he fought and when he did it knows nothing about boxing. No one comes close. He is an amazing man and boxer. Absolutely foolish to say otherwise. Just madness.

I hear you master. Ali was an amazing man. It was terrible watching some of his comeback fights. He looked ill in the ring prior to the fight and worse during the fight. He did amazing things for boxing, was a real dick to Frazier but an incredible boxer. Still, I don't think he is the greatest heavyweight of all time. He is certainly one of the greatest but I can't see the greatest. Like a number of us here he was before my time. I was surprised to see some of his dirty tactics but that was probably a bigger part of the game back then, not that we don't see it now. He certainly put on some of the greatest fights in boxing history. Just the Frazier fights and Foreman cement his name as a great.

That Liston fight that Liston threw was also amazing to see. Is it known if Ali knew that was going on prior to the fight, damn that was bad. Think I'm going to YouTube it this eve.

PS props to my boy @Bill Paxtom for staying out of this thread, his fingers must be burning.