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ALI IN OCTOBER: THE MONTH OF THE MOST LEGENDARY FIGHTS OF THE GREATEST
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 31 Oct 2020
Every month we look at the triumphs and tribulations of Muhammad Ali in that particular month. This time we take a look at October, a month in which he fought legendary battles like The Thrilla in Manila, The Rumble in the Jungle… and the sad Last Hurray.
October 1, 1975 – Joe Frazier, Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
Result: Ali KO14
At the culmination of their legendary rivalry, their trilogy, Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in one of the most gripping and grueling battles in boxing history, one of the greatest fights of all time. “A level of violence in boxing rarely seen,” wrote The New York Times. Ali attacked his opponent early, but ‘Smokin’ Joe ‘picked up the momentum in the fifth round and hit Ali for several rounds. Ali rebounded in the 12th and both warriors were exhausted by the end of 14 rounds, and Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch, did not allow his fighter to come out in the 15th. Ali raised his arms in victory, then collapsed and later said, “It was like death. The closest thing to dying that I know of. ”
October 2, 1980 – Larry Holmes, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Result: Holmes TKO10
Muhammad Ali came out of retirement in 1979 and attempted to capture the WBC heavyweight title for an unprecedented fourth time, and in 1980, a faded version of The Greatest had his shot against former sparring partner and champion in his own right, Larry. Holmes. There were no knockdowns, but Holmes dominated ‘The Last Hurray’ and the three judges gave him every round. Holmes hit Ali like a heavy bag for a full 30 minutes before Ali’s coach Angelo Dundee stopped the fight after the 10th round, the only TKO loss in Ali’s career.
October 7, 1961 – Alex Miteff, Freedom Hall, Louisville
Result: KO6 clay
Miteff was a promising Argentine heavyweight contender known for his body attacks, but he was no match for ‘The Louisville Lip’, Cassius Clay, who would knock him out in the sixth round. Both Clay and Miteff appeared in the 1962 film ‘Requiem for a Heavyweight’.
October 20, 1973 – Rudi Lubbers, Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia
Result: Ali UD
Ali dominated the set-up fight for a rematch with Joe Frazier and easily won the fight via a unanimous decision against Lubbers. Ali hit the Dutch champion often, but couldn’t bring him down.
Ali was interviewed mid-fight by British television journalist Reg Gutteridge, something that is rarely seen in sports. They later became friends and when Reg was ill in a London hospital during the 1980s, he said that one day he woke up to find Ali praying by his bedside.
October 26, 1970 – Jerry Quarry, City Auditorium, Atlanta
Result: Ali TKO3
After three and a half years out of boxing, due to his refusal to be admitted to the Army, Ali made his comeback in Atlanta against Jerry Quarry, the top ranked player. Ali won on a third round TKO to start the ball rolling to claim the heavyweight title that would eventually happen four years at a certain boxing event in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali and Quarry fought again in 1972 with Ali winning by technical knockout in the seventh.
October 29, 1960 – Tunney Hunsaker, Freedom Hall, Louisville
Result: Clay UD
The professional debut of the 1960 Olympic light heavyweight boxing champion.
Cassius Clay, 18 years old. Clay arrived at Freedom Hall in Louisville in a new pink Cadillac, also winning in style with a brilliant six-round unanimous points victory over Hunsaker, who also served as chief of police in Fayetteville, West Virginia. “Clay was lightning fast … I tried all the tricks I knew to throw him off balance, but he was too good,” said the boxing cop.
October 30, 1974 – George Foreman, May 20 Stadium, Kinshasa, Zaire
Result: Ali KO8
What a fight to wrap up Ali’s ‘October Fist’: ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’. The fight against heavyweight champion George Foreman was one of Ali’s best moments. Ali leaned on the ropes and let Foreman hit himself, which he did at the end of Round 7. Writer George Plimpton described Ali’s posture as “a man leaning out the window trying to see something in your roof. ” And it worked. In the eighth round, Ali dropped Foreman with a couple of combinations, the final right hand sending the exhausted champion to the deck. Foreman did not get up in time and Ali became world champion again. ‘Big George’ Foreman regained a share of the heavyweight title in 1994, at age 45.
The Muhammad Ali Trophy:
The Muhammad Ali Trophy is also known as the Jackpot in Boxing and is awarded to the winner of each World Boxing Super Series weight class. Ali gave his blessing to the WBSS and agreed to give his name to the award created by the late world-renowned artist Silvio Gazzaniga, who also designed the iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy.
Ali Trophy Winners:
Season II: Josh Taylor (super lightweight), Naoya Inoue (bantamweight), Mairis Briedis (cruiserweight)
Season I: Aleksandr Usyk (cruiserweight), Callum Smith (super middleweight)
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