Ali with 6'6" actor Clint Walker on the set of The Dirty Dozen

[QueensburyRules]

However, Chamberlain’s attorneys’ official reasoning for withdrawing from the fight was that the after-tax money he would receive was only $500,000. This made the money from that bout too small for the future Hall of Famer to deem worthwhile.

As Los Angeles Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had a lucrative contract offer for Chamberlain, provided he give up "this boxing foolishness," that settled it for the big man — he was re-signing with the Lakers and backing out of the fight. The decision may have deprived fight fans of what would have been a curious in-ring matchup at the very least, but one can't say it wasn't good for Wilt's basketball career. With Chamberlain patrolling the middle, the Lakers won the 1971-72 NBA championship — his second and last title before his retirement in 1973.


Wilt Chamberlain didn’t turn up for the big fight
Wilt was done with his NBA career by then. He had completed 13 years of career in the NBA and touched heights in his field. On the other hand, Muhammad Ali had reached a peak in his career and recorded 31-0 with 25 knockouts by then. But around that time he had faced defeat against Joe Frazier in heavyweight championship title.


The duo was finally set up by Jim Brown to go up against each other. Well, the day had arrived. Ali was at the press conference waiting for Chamberlain to arrive. But guess what? That never happened. Wilt didn’t make his appearance and it became a piece of huge news all over the sporting world.



Rumors started encircling around why the NBA star didn’t make an appearance at the final moment. Chamberlain’s attorneys had made a statement in response to all these questions. The reason that they gave was that the after-tax money was going to be only $500,000 which wasn’t worth the effort and time.

There was plenty of gossip around this for a long time. Later in an interview, Wilt mentioned his reasoning. “I remember leaving my place in L.A. and — my father is a big fight fan — and I said, `Dad, I got a couple of days off, and I’m getting ready to go to Houston to sign to fight Muhammad Ali.’” His father rather advised him to go and play his game. “And I looked at my Dad and said, ‘Well, Dad, you’re probably right.”

There have been various assumptions about WIlt sneaking out of the whooping matchup of these two stars. But at the end, those rumors are all we got. Imagine what would have happened out there in Madison if this actually happened?

- - Scott to snailsnarfer Ivitch, “Cain’t beam you up until you can follow the timeline beginning with Wilt and Ali on Cosell’s Wilt vs Ali 1967 ABC sports promo.

[Ivich]

What's Rock Hudson's height then?

Variously reported as 6' 4 1.2" & 6'5"

[Ivich]

- - Scott to snailsnarfer Ivitch, “Cain’t beam you up until you can follow the timeline beginning with Wilt and Ali on Cosell’s Wilt vs Ali 1967 ABC sports promo.

Ivich to moronic ,infantile, Queensbury Fool.Jog on you pathetic, attention seeking troll.

[Slugfester]

Ivich to moronic ,infantile, Queensbury Fool.Jog on you pathetic, attention seeking troll.

QB may not know he is a subject of conversation right now over at Thunder Dome. Even in a poll. How's that for attention? The man? is a success!

[Ivich]

QB may not know he is a subject of conversation right now over at Thunder Dome. Even in a poll. How's that for attention? The man? is a success!

Pity he doesn't confine his activities to the Thunderdome.

[Slugfester]

Pity he doesn't confine his activities to the Thunderdome.

He likes to make his nest of branches in the history section. He leads in the high troll poll right now. He just mauled poor Zaroku like a stepchild for top seed. Easy work. Never left his branch.

[QueensburyRules]

- - So Ali on the set of The Dirty Dozen dwarfed by Clint Walker puffs up the petticoats of the girlish here posing as boxing fans...priceless...

[Ivich]

- - So Ali on the set of The Dirty Dozen dwarfed by Clint Walker puffs up the petticoats of the girlish here posing as boxing fans...priceless...

No , Clint Walker was fine,actually it's your ****** posts that get on everyone's nerves

[Ivich]

I can see why you called me on that I was about a million miles off in my height quote.

Nothing personal, I just thought you would like to know. I appreciate your sarcasm,although in this instance I find it to be misdirected.

[QueensburyRules]

No , Clint Walker was fine,actually it's your ****** posts that get on everyone's nerves

- - Go snarf down a bucket of snails and a few liters of French wine and U be just fine...