Who likes Ali?

[Ilves]

One of the best boxers ever, clever guy, charismatic and looked like a male model, but who actually likes that guy?
He was a douche but sadly that is overlooked because of his brilliance as a fighter and as an entertainer. I'm not saying you have to be perfect, but Ali went pretty low on constant basis.
I don't know if he changed as a person and I respect his choice of opposing Vietnam's war, but I just can't look up to a man who acted like he acted.

[BodiesInFlight]

I never knew the man as a person, only a boxer so can't comment.

[M Bison]

I liked watching his fights at times but he was a bit too much when he opened his mouth at times.

[bojangles1987]

He definitely went too far sometimes, and wasn't that good a person from what I've read.

Most superior athletes are like that. Especially in the sport of boxing. It's hard to be humble when you're the absolute best in the world at something.

[Ilves]

He was an arrogant, loud-mouthed braggart who set a bad example with his lack of respect for other boxers. He was over-hyped by the media.

He was racist against his own people (called black boxers ugly, called Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom and a gorilla).

He received several gift decisions in fights he deserved to lose.

He refused to fight for his country when drafted.

I don't agree with that being negative. It's one of the very few things I admire about him.
Not many people, especially black superstars, had the balls to criticize USA for a bull**** war killing civilians and destroying their lands with chemicals that still affect unborn babies to this very day.

[Suckmedry]

He was an arrogant, loud-mouthed braggart who set a bad example with his lack of respect for other boxers. He was over-hyped by the media.

He was racist against his own people (called black boxers ugly, called Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom and a gorilla).

He received several gift decisions in fights he deserved to lose.

He refused to fight for his country when drafted.

Ali was an individual, his personality and fighting style had never been seen before. Sure, the way he treated Frazier was un gentlemanly but that's what made their rivalry what it was, a real rivalry not a manufactured one like today. They hated each other.

What fights were these?

A country that wouldn't let him eat At the same table As a white man. A country who had oppressed and marginalized his people for hundreds of years. Ali stood up for what he believed in a sacrificed his prime in the sport to do so. Courage isn't always about fighting, sometimes courage is about being an individual and doing something that you know will alienate you and make you enemies. Why should Ali have supported a pointless war fought by a country who oppressed his race? He showed he was a real man by doing what he did.

Let's look at the real reason you hate Ali, Tunney. It's because he was a hw champ who set the world on fire with his style and charisma, while your hero wlad, while an admirable man and good fighter, has none of these things compared to Ali and it shows in how popular hw boxing is today.

[Weltschmerz]

Ali was a media doll.

[Suckmedry]

I'm sick of seeing true legends of the sport like Ali and Frazier denigrated on here. These Guys were true warriors who gave their lives and their health to the sport, and made it one of the most popular sports in the world at that time. It's a basic respect thing, Ali is an elderly, handicapped man now and Frazier has passed on. These men paid their dues to the sport and to the fans and deserve to be talked about with a degree of respect. That doesn't mean they are immune to criticism, but they should just be given that basic respect they more than deserve.

[SBleeder]

Raymi? An ATG, to be sure.

[Ilves]

I'm sick of seeing true legends of the sport like Ali and Frazier denigrated on here. These Guys were true warriors who gave their lives and their health to the sport, and made it one of the most popular sports in the world at that time. It's a basic respect thing, Ali is an elderly, handicapped man now and Frazier has passed on. These men paid their dues to the sport and to the fans and deserve to be talked about with a degree of respect. That doesn't mean they are immune to criticism, but they should just be given that basic respect they more than deserve.

I think they get very much respect, especially Ali who is almost worshipped by many. At the same time Vlad & Vitali (who I'm not a fan of) gets called ******, klitoris, *****ko, *****... you name it, gets spit on and slapped despite the fact that they are gentlemen with wisdom and intelligence, respect and social skills, class and behavior.
Who exactly has talked trash about Ali compared to, let's say Vlad and Vitali?