I like his optimism and spirit.
All these injuries haven't broken his spirit
They haven't, but he has to face reality now. His body can't cope with training and sparring now, even after surgery. He needs to move on. There's life beyond boxing.
Stay away all you guys that read this I am old enough probably to be your grandfather I seen Archie Moore in Sugar Ray in the early 50s none of these Pretenders would have ever beaten Sonny Liston and believe me the fights he had work with Clay were totally fixed don't believe that phantom punch crap...
Sonny Liston got his ass whooped in the first fight and it would've been more of the same had he not taken a dive. The punch landed, I believe he could've gotten up, but decided not to for reasons we don't know, very likely mob threats or he just didn't feel like taking a sustained beating over rounds like he did in the first one. I do not believe at all the first was fixed, I believe Liston was terrified of Ali and got his completely SCHOOLED.
With that said, we haven't seen a heavyweight in a long time capable of lasting during that era, or during the 70s. It's amazing to me how today with modern nutrition and personal trainers and all the devotion to conditioning athletes today that hardly any of them can even get through half a fight without being exhausted. Imagine any of these current bums going 15 rounds in a hard fight? I doubt Joshua could take that either, somebody like Ali would've tired him out and put him away.
It's got to be frustrating that the divison is wide open now that he's at the end of his career. No doubt he's still top 5, but can his body handle a training camp? How many injury/cancellations is this now?
Bellew, Fury x2, Charr, went into the first Bellew and Wlad fights with real injuries as well. Dude just can't stay healthy.
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