By Don Colgan
Next January, Muhammad Ali will be 65-years-old. In this diminished era of fragmented championships, mediocre titleholders and declining public acceptance of boxing as a major port in the United States the Sweet Science is in acute need of a potent voice that will help shape public opinion. A voice that will get the man in the street thinking boxing when he turns to the sports section of his morning newspaper.
Last Saturday night, Floyd Mayweather, Jr won a dominant 12 round decision over Carlos Baldomir. For a few days there was speculation that Mayweather would have a difficult night without his trainer, Roger Mayweather, who was spending the evening incarcerated.
Baldomir was a veteran fighter on the rise and had two stunning victories to his credit in 2006. A startling and decisive 12 round verdict over Zab Judah and a 9th round stoppage over Arturo Gatti that effectively stalled Gatti’s career.
For one of the few times in recent years there was chatter about an upcoming championship bout. Mayweather-Baldomir became a prime topic on the sports talk programs both Thursday and Friday nights. Than Mayweather does what he always does, administered a sound thrashing to Baldomir, further cementing his position as the number one pound for pound fighter in the world.
Yet boxing desperately needs that voice. It should have been Muhammad Ali. As boxing’s elder statesman, Ali’s powerful personality and unmatched stature would have played a central role in strengthening boxing’s position in the mainstream of the American sports landscape. The Tyson era punctuated a steep decline in boxing’s popularity, with the dysfunctional and emotionally disturbed Michael Gerard supplanting Ali as the dominant personality in the sport.
The cruel manipulation of young talent by Don King. The destructive rivalry of King and Bob Arum that slowly eroded public support for boxing. The decline of boxing’s lifeblood, the inner city fight clubs that provided so much excitement and talent during the late 1950’s and 1960’s. The dissected championships, which robbed each weight class of the powerful recognition afforded an undisputed champion.
In 1973, even the most casual fight fan knew that Joe Frazier reigned as Heavyweight Champion of the World, Bob Foster was the dominant Light Heavyweight Titleholders, the great Carlos Monzon ruled the Middleweight class, the stylish “Mantequilla”, Jose Napoles, was the undisputed Welterweight champion of the world and the emerging Roberto Duran was beginning his reign as Lightweight champion for the ages.
Hence the need for a powerful voice in boxing. It won’t be Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield or Lennox Lewis. The great Marvelous Marvin Hagler is a distant memory.
Even Sugar Ray Leonard has faded into the background, now more a memory than an active force in boxing.
The voice belongs to Ali. However sadly, he can’t assume the role that was so naturally his.
There was a time for Ali to stop. Perhaps many times. Certainly after the Thrilla in Manila there was little left to prove. Yet Ali forged on through his second reign, soaking up beatings from Frazier, Norton, Shavers, Spinks and later a cruel defeat at the hands of Holmes in a bout that certainly contributed to his condition today.
Remember, Ali had a style that actually invited punishment. Even though he was impossible to hit solidly during his prime years, in the early and middle 1960’s, his gradual decline in foot speed, particularly after his three year hiatus, made him an increasingly vulnerable target. Ali always had the ring skills to prevail. Yet winning became equated with absorbing punishment, particularly later in his wondrous career.
There was eight fights that directly contributed to his condition today. At least four of them were unnecessary and contributed directly to the neurological damage so painfully visible in Ali for the past twenty years.
Ali-Chuvalo I:
Ali was in his prime and battered Chuvalo for 15 one sided rounds. Yet he revealed a vulnerability to a crowding, hard hitting puncher. Chuvalo connected with dozens of brutal shots to Ali’s ribcage and midsection. He gave no quarter and lost 12, perhaps 13 of the 15 rounds. Yet he wouldn’t stop coming and unlocked the secret to beating Ali!
Ali-Frazier I:
Ali had slowed down noticeably after his three year absence from the ring. Frazier took tons of punishment yet broke Ali down with a ferocious body attack compliment with crushing left hooks to the head. Ali was badly hurt in the 11th round and nearly knocked out in the 15th. He fooled with Frazier and absorbed Joe’s savagery. His pride led him to believe he had won. He battered Frazier in a misshapen hulk yet took the second and most violent battering of his career.
Ali-Foreman:
Ali may have “Roped a Dope” in regaining his championship yet he absorbed hundreds of thunderous punches to the head and body over eight round. He was too smart, savvy and tough to lose to Foreman yet paid a dear price in lying against the ropes against the most destructive puncher of the ages.
Ali-Frazier III:
Ali was a proud champion in the rubber match with Frazier yet he fooled himself into believing Frazier was through and would succumb early. Joe’s hatred of Ali fueled one more magnificent effort by the Philadelphia battler and Ali absorbed sickening punishment in over 100 degree heat from the 5th through the 11th rounds. Joe nearly knocked Ali’s head off with the most destructive left hooks he through during his career. After this grueling and great triumph Muhammad Ali had nothing left to prove.
Ali-Norton III:
Ali could never figure out Norton. The ex-Marine controlled 8, perhaps 9 of the 15 rounds and scored repeatedly and heavily against Ali. Ali knew he would have to be a warrior that night in Yankee Stadium yet, after 14 rounds, the title looked to be changing hands. Yet mysteriously Norton decided to take the final round off and Ali, in Angie Dundee’s words, “Fought like hell” and earned a very narrow and disputed decision in another bout in which he had slowed to the point where absorbing punishment was the price to pay for victory.
Ali-Shavers:
Ali was all but done. Shaver’s was a murderous puncher and came very close to dropping, possibly stopping Ali in the 2nd round. This was another night, another horrible 15 round war, more brutal blows to the head that Ali simply could not avoid. Yet, he still had too much talent, heart and residual skill to lose the crown to Earnie. So he fought back hard over the final two rounds and had Shaver’s reeling at the bell ending the 15th round. Another successful title defense, more brutal punishment to his head and body.
Ali-Spinks I:
The great Champion was running on fumes and thought he could take the night off against young Leon Spinks, a former Olympic Champion who had all of seven bouts under his belt. Yet Spinks punched non stop for 15 rounds and chase the 36 year old Ali all around the ring. Leon was not a crippling puncher yet he contributed mightily to Ali’s neurological demise with hundred of hard blows to the head that Ali could not avoid.
Ali-Holmes:
There is really nothing left to say. Ali should never have taken this bout and his handlers, included the venerable Dundee, were looking for one more miracle. Yet they were not taking the punches. Holmes was a masterful champion in his prime, and he tried not to hurt Ali too much. Yet he punished Ali for ten rounds. There was speculation about Ali’s real condition before he got into the ring. A drug he supposedly was given to help him lost weight and appear in fighting trim. Yes, Ali appeared fit when he entered the ring. He was a shell of the great champion he once was.
No doubt Ali should never have fought Norton, Shavers, Spinks or Holmes. He was in a steep and permanent decline and risked his neurological health every time he entered the ring.
He even absorbed punishment in his successful defenses against Lyle and Wepner. He should have retired after Eddie Futch told Frazier “Sit down son, you’re taking too much punishment and I’m not going to let you take any more”.
Hence the voice boxing needs so greatly today was silenced.