Was Tex Rickard REALLY Worried About Race Riots?

[billeau2]

I never understood the race riots bit because it's exactly what sells, but I never really cared because I do not think reasonable excuses absolve anything any better than unreasonable ones. So I have little motivation to get to the bottom of it.

People say actions speak louder than words but don't practice that ****. Did X fight Y? No? I'll hold them to it then. You can't change my mind with well thought out and logical reasoning, just the tune of my criticism. The words used to explain the lack of action do not negate the lack of action....they are just words; almost useless.

The bolded. Its a point I feel is relevant in its irrelevancy as well. The problem I see with it is how it negates so much other information. Even as a kid in East Harlem in the 70's one would witness occasional spurts of a gang of whites attacking a black individual. There were still enclaves of irish in the area where these attacks would happen. Of course by them it was mutual... But these attacks pale by comparison to how well the area functioned. We had all kinds of social centers for people, free head start educational programs ( I went to head start in the projects lol). So without even discussing "a bottom of it" its deceptive enough to pervert aspects of the problem.

Race relations were on a continuum in this country. There were places where they were awful and places where they were not so bad. Politically we were still a ways off from Jackie Robinson for sure... But Murica back then was hardly a place where gangs of irish insurgents with filed teeth, ready for "rough and tumble" all out warfare, roamed the streets, and Blacks cowered in abject terror.

[ShoulderRoll]

That fight was a snooze - Frazier throwing pitty pat punches- Ali refusing to engage - one exciting round (11th) and one flash KD (15th) in a round where almost nothing else happened.

One exciting round and one flash KD doesn't make a fight of the century; very overrated fight.

I don't think you know what a flash knockdown is.

[Willie Pep 229]

I don't think you know what a flash knockdown is.

One punch and the guy gets up un hurt.

[ShoulderRoll]

One punch and the guy gets up un hurt.

You don't think that Frazier left hook hurt Ali?

[Willie Pep 229]

You don't think that Frazier left hook hurt Ali?

Na, exhaustion; he takes that punch earlier he doesn't go down.

[Anthony342]

I don't think you know what a flash knockdown is.

I know. It's when your girl agrees to flash the opponent, distracting him long enough for you to knock him down. Flash knockdown. Like in that episode of Quantum Leap.

[QueensburyRules]

- -You're the first guy on all my years to disparage The fight of the century. Wasn't it Ring fight of the year? Both guys prime and motivated. The 2 nd and third fights were lessor fighters though the third had unexpected Rocky clubfighter drama, ruined for me when Eddie pulled the plug on Frazier before the 15th while Ali screaming for Dundee to cut his gloves off aka Liston 1.

[Willie Pep 229]

- -You're the first guy on all my years to disparage The fight of the century. Wasn't it Ring fight of the year? Both guys prime and motivated. The 2 nd and third fights were lessor fighters though the third had unexpected Rocky clubfighter drama, ruined for me when Eddie pulled the plug on Frazier before the 15th while Ali screaming for Dundee to cut his gloves off aka Liston 1.

Yea I know - partly because your post had nothing to do with the thread and partly because the fight didn't actually live up to anticipation, and notice I didn't say hype, the fight didnt need to be hyped. It was the most anticipated fight of its generation - but in my opinion it didnt live up to expectations ( of course I realize that would be close to impossible) with the only true drama coming when an exhausted Ali pulled himself off the floor in the 15th (and as I said earlier an exciting 11th) otherwise it just wasn't that intense of a fight. To much holding and Frazier's punches didnt seem that effective and Ali made it pretty clear from the get go he wouldn't push for a KO and would be content with a decision.

[QueensburyRules]

- -You in a rarefied minority Pep. The People hyped up the fight that may have created the neferious ticket reselling industry of today with the press in a literal ****** over it. I mentioned because the fight easily in the top 10 historical fights in history looking at all the angles. This is the history section and I saw nothin on BS about the fight and the new format don't allow me new topics or quotes save rarely. That fine, no interest in the fight any more, but we got Rocky in a 'rasslin' farce and Weensie still posting meaningless ABCs and 123s endlessly and so on. As a strict fight basis, I'd rate Pryor/Arguello 1 higher in intensity and strategy for example, but that fight lacks the full measure of historic value. Like the Louis/Schmeling rematch, the international scale of The People's interest was unprecedented even if the fight was a dud in a consensus of what a good fight should be.

[billeau2]

Yea I know - partly because your post had nothing to do with the thread and partly because the fight didn't actually live up to anticipation, and notice I didn't say hype, the fight didnt need to be hyped. It was the most anticipated fight of its generation - but in my opinion it didnt live up to expectations ( of course I realize that would be close to impossible) with the only true drama coming when an exhausted Ali pulled himself off the floor in the 15th (and as I said earlier an exciting 11th) otherwise it just wasn't that intense of a fight. To much holding and Frazier's punches didnt seem that effective and Ali made it pretty clear from the get go he wouldn't push for a KO and would be content with a decision.

No fight as anticipated as this one could live up to the hype. Queenie actually makes a good point, the historical value should be sufficient. Even fights that are somewhat historical, like the David and Goliath spectacle of Braddock versus Bauer, are a gift when they actually are a good scrap. it seldom matters and always there is someone to deconstruct these fights... Its not that Braddock magically had to use his left arm and developed some finesse... rather it is that Bauer didn't train hard.

Boxing fans are fickle. The best world series contest I ever watched was (I believe it was 1975) between the Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds. Two of the best teams, the Reds were a little better and it showed by them winning a close last game in the series. Yet, seldom do we hear about the quality of play in a world series when we talk about winners, losers, best teams, etc... The fact that Ali and Frazier were somewhat equally matched... and both men were incredible fighters, is just not a relevant issue.