By Manifesto Joe
Here's one answer to an old debate in boxing circles: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Louis. Here's the opinion of an old pro who had just fought the prime Ali:
"Louis wouldn't have a chance; he was too slow ... There's no way to train yourself for what he (Ali) does. The moves, the speed, the punches and the way he changes style every time you think you got him figured. The right hands Ali hit me with just had no business landing but they did. They came from nowhere. Many times he was in the wrong position but he hit me anyway. I've never seen anyone who could do that. The knockdown punch was so fast that I never saw it. He has lots of snap, and when the punches land they dizzy your head; they fuzz up your mind. He's smart. The trickiest fighter I've seen. He's had twenty-nine fights and acts like he's had a hundred. He could write the book on boxing, and anyone that fights him should be made to read it."
-- Zora Folley
Sports Illustrated, April 10, 1967
I just watched the YouTube archives on Ali vs. Ernie Terrell, of which sportswriter Tex Maule said: "It was a wonderful exhibition of boxing skill and a barbarous display of cruelty." Ali was clearly pissed because Terrell kept calling him "Clay." -- MJ
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As long as we're on the topic of boxing, there's never been a sport that inspired more great movies, from "Raging Bull" to "Million Dollar Baby."
I was vegging out, watching TV the other day and the 2006 movie "Rocky Balboa," came on. I didn't expect much. So I was quite surprised to find that this was actually an entertaining, inspiring film. OK, it was no "Raging Bull." But it was worthwhile in its own way.
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