Has Eddie Futch been given enough credit.

[TBear]

Very overrated based on the Ali fights with Norton.

Only if you overlook his work with Larry Holmes, Virgil Hill, Rid**** Bowe, Michael Spinks, Alexis Arguello, Marlon Starling, Trevor Berbick, Wayne McCullough, Mike McCallum, Alexis Arguello, Bob Foster, Montell Griffin(the first Roy Jones Jr. fight).

[TBear]

Actually Futch wasn't Frazier's trainer when he beat Ali. Yank Durham was.

Scott you might be right but this was on Wiki.

Eddie Futch was first hired by Frazier, and his chief cornerman and manager Yank Durham to help him prepare for a fight with "Scrap Iron" Johnson in 1967. He trained Frazier to stay low and constantly bob and weave, in order to create a sense of persistent motion and pressure. This also took advantage of Frazier's lack of size to make him an elusive target. It was unique fighting style that enabled him to get inside where his punches could reach his opponents without taking as much punishment as boxing with a more conventional fighting style would.

The tactic proved to be highly effective, and Frazier remained undefeated, winning the New York title from Buster Mathis, and WBA crown from Jimmy Ellis with devastating knockouts. All of which led to the inevitable showdown with Muhammad Ali in the bout promoters deemed "The Fight of the Century" which took place in March 1971 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Fight of the Century

In developing Frazier's strategy for the Ali fight, Futch thought it important for him to land body punches on Ali consistently throughout the fight in order to wear him down. Additionally, Futch noted Ali would often lean his head out of a punches way so you'd hit nothing. Ali couldn't do this with the body. So 'kill the body and the head dies' was the time old boxing proverb and plan. He also felt that Frazier's constant bobbing and weaving would make Ali uncomfortable because he would often have to punch down at Joe's head (Ali almost never threw body punches) and he'd never had to do that before. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in watching films of Ali, Futch noticed that his uppercuts were thrown sloppily, and incorrectly from a technical standpoint (Futch said Ali threw what he thought were uppercuts.) He instructed Frazier to throw a left hook over the top of, Ali's right uppercuts, and told his fighter to expect to beat Ali to the punch when doing so. In the 15th round, when an exhausted Ali opened the round by throwing a half-hearted uppercut, Joe Frazier feinted a left hook, and then unleashed a huge sweeping left hook at Ali's head, which floored him, creating an iconic moment in boxing history.

Frazier won the fight by a unanimous decision, and was recognized as the undefeated, undisputed champion of the world. It was a great achievement.

[Scott9945]

Scott you might be right but this was on Wiki.

Eddie Futch was first hired by Frazier, and his chief cornerman and manager Yank Durham to help him prepare for a fight with "Scrap Iron" Johnson in 1967. He trained Frazier to stay low and constantly bob and weave, in order to create a sense of persistent motion and pressure. This also took advantage of Frazier's lack of size to make him an elusive target. It was unique fighting style that enabled him to get inside where his punches could reach his opponents without taking as much punishment as boxing with a more conventional fighting style would.

The tactic proved to be highly effective, and Frazier remained undefeated, winning the New York title from Buster Mathis, and WBA crown from Jimmy Ellis with devastating knockouts. All of which led to the inevitable showdown with Muhammad Ali in the bout promoters deemed "The Fight of the Century" which took place in March 1971 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Fight of the Century

In developing Frazier's strategy for the Ali fight, Futch thought it important for him to land body punches on Ali consistently throughout the fight in order to wear him down. Additionally, Futch noted Ali would often lean his head out of a punches way so you'd hit nothing. Ali couldn't do this with the body. So 'kill the body and the head dies' was the time old boxing proverb and plan. He also felt that Frazier's constant bobbing and weaving would make Ali uncomfortable because he would often have to punch down at Joe's head (Ali almost never threw body punches) and he'd never had to do that before. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in watching films of Ali, Futch noticed that his uppercuts were thrown sloppily, and incorrectly from a technical standpoint (Futch said Ali threw what he thought were uppercuts.) He instructed Frazier to throw a left hook over the top of, Ali's right uppercuts, and told his fighter to expect to beat Ali to the punch when doing so. In the 15th round, when an exhausted Ali opened the round by throwing a half-hearted uppercut, Joe Frazier feinted a left hook, and then unleashed a huge sweeping left hook at Ali's head, which floored him, creating an iconic moment in boxing history.

Frazier won the fight by a unanimous decision, and was recognized as the undefeated, undisputed champion of the world. It was a great achievement.

Good find TBear. Thanks.

[Bennyhill]

Good find TBear. Thanks.

Hopefully this taught you that you still have a lot to learn.

[Scott9945]

Hopefully this taught you that you still have a lot to learn.

There is still plenty that I need to learn. None of it will come from a phony racist alt like yourself though. Anytime you want to try and match boxing knowledge with me will be just fine.

[rightsideup]

It amazes me how one can be a true boxing loyalists and be racist's considering all the great competitors coming from all back grounds. I think talent, resolve and charisma are what ardent , mature fans evaluate boxers on.