CC Lyle for having the nads to post this thread. ( i have to wait a few hours it seems)

If you already haven't you will eventually find as I have, that people give passes to certain boxers, but others the like to examine under a magnifying glass and highlight the first possible flaw they see.

But it seems that if the boxer is flamboyant enough, and the media (in this case Howard Cossell) makes the fighter out to be the "peoples champ" then they are very forgiving.

Ali was very very gifted with speed. He was a great boxer but he did hold often and no one really called him on it. It often seems to be part of the bigger mans game plan in many cases.

But no doubt people are very forgiving of this guy.