Myths that cant stand up to scrutiny?

[Felix25]

I used to think that shortly after returning home from the 1960 Rome Olympics Cassius Clay (as he was called then) threw his gold medal in the Ohio River... after being turned away at a restaurant because of the colour of his skin.

Recently, however, I read that this claim first appeared in print in a 1975 Ali biography... and that most people today believe it was simply a "good story"! I have of course no way of knowing which is true.

But Im wondering if you guys can think of other boxing-related myths/tall tales that we probably should dismiss as being just that... or that we at least should take with a pinch of salt!

[joeandthebums]

I used to think that shortly after returning home from the 1960 Rome Olympics Cassius Clay (as he was called then) threw his gold medal in the Ohio River... after being turned away at a restaurant because of the colour of his skin.

Recently, however, I read that this claim first appeared in print in a 1975 Ali biography... and that most people today believe it was simply a "good story"! I have of course no way of knowing which is true.

I believe Ali later claimed to have fabricated the whole thing, he apparently misplaced the medal - but like you said, the popular story is the better one.

But Im wondering if you guys can think of other boxing-related myths/tall tales that we probably should dismiss as being just that... or that we at least should take with a pinch of salt!

It's a good topic and I imagine that a good percentage of the most popular tales differ from the actual reality.

I haven't looked into these but would be interested if anybody has details and sources for; Willie Pep winning a round without throwing a punch and Buster Douglas odds of 42-1 against Mike Tyson.

[Ray Corso]

"good story"!............yes racisizm is a good story!

I believe the "story" was true and Ali tried to soften the reality later in life stating the medal was misplaced, lost!

What scrutiny are you talking about?

[The Old LefHook]

Life is a series of corrections.

[sonnyboyx2]

Rop-a-Dope in The Rumble in the Jungle... myth

i have watched the fight around 50 times and only the BBC version with Harry Carpenter doing the commentary make any claim of Ali laying on the ropes.. rope-a-dope simply never happened, it was a prizefight and both boxers fought their fight. Ali leaned backwards against the ropes to avoid head punches on a couple of occasions, but he certainly never lay on the ropes and let Foreman "punch himself out" which many seem to believe... Ali tired out Foreman by punching him.

[Ray Corso]

Don't know what fight you watched but Dundee was screamin all night to "get the **** off the ropes"!
The "rope a dope" was very real!
Ray

[NChristo]

Pound for pound was a term created for Ray Robinson, wrooong.

News article from 1933 describing Tony Canzoneri as "the greatest human fighting machine of the modern era, pound for pound", there's more articles then this one and I believe there's a article describing Bob Fitzsimmons as being pound for pound also.

[LacedUp]

I believe Ali later claimed to have fabricated the whole thing, he apparently misplaced the medal - but like you said, the popular story is the better one.



It's a good topic and I imagine that a good percentage of the most popular tales differ from the actual reality.

I haven't looked into these but would be interested if anybody has details and sources for; Willie Pep winning a round without throwing a punch and Buster Douglas odds of 42-1 against Mike Tyson.

Strange because he has claimed it many times that it happened.

And was also given an honourary medal.

[rightsideup]

Duran knocking out the horse seems to have to many variations to be true.

[Bundana]

I haven't looked into these but would be interested if anybody has details and sources for; Willie Pep winning a round without throwing a punch and Buster Douglas odds of 42-1 against Mike Tyson.

Here's a rather detailed description of how the Pep thing originated:
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ory?id=3522638