Muhammad Ali documentary by Ken Burns debuts tonight on PBS at 8ET, will run for 4 nights in a row, examines the relationship of Ali with Malcolm X!

[basquebromance]

Bigger than boxing! watch it!

Muhammad Ali | Ken Burns | PBS | Watch Muhammad Ali | Full Documentary by Ken Burns Now Streaming | PBS

Muhammad Ali brings to life the iconic heavyweight boxing champion who became an inspiration to people everywhere. All episodes now streaming.

www.pbs.org

 

[White 6]

Bigger than boxing! watch it!

Muhammad Ali | Ken Burns | PBS | Watch Muhammad Ali | Full Documentary by Ken Burns Now Streaming | PBS

Muhammad Ali brings to life the iconic heavyweight boxing champion who became an inspiration to people everywhere. All episodes now streaming.

www.pbs.org

Skip The Walking Dead for that? Are you out of your mind Basque?

 

[Otis Mayfield]

Ken Burns is usually pretty good.

Check out his Vietnam series, if you haven't already.

 

[basquebromance]

"There has never been a boxer like Clay. he had the fresh, unmarked face of a teenage matinee idol and a smile to match. in a sport dominated by ponderous sluggers, his jitterbug style ushered in a new age for the sport" - Ali biographer Bob Sacamano

early on, Malcolm saw something in the young Ali that not many did. "not many people know the quality of mind he's got in there", Malcolm bellowed about Ali

"he is a loudmouth windbag and at the same time a remarkably sincere, humble, and dedicated athlete" - Ali's biographer Jack Olsen

in 1960, when he was still Cassius Clay, he participated in the Olympics in the Soviet Union, telling a local reporter there: "America is still the best country in the world, counting yours"

"X & Ali were like very close brothers. it was almost as if they were in love with each other...without X, Ali would never have become...THE KING OF THE WORLD!" - Ferdie Pacheco, Ali's physician

 

[basquebromance]

 

[basquebromance]

Ali signed this pic for Mike Tyson!

 

[basquebromance]

"a bunch of cats told me, Cassius, let's go to church, or you'll never get to heaven. i told them, when i get an expensive house, a cadillac, and the world title latched onto my name, that's heaven. walking around with 25$ a week with 4 children at home crying cause they're hungry, that's hell" - Cassius Clay

Patterson was dull, quiet, and sad
Sonny Liston was just as bad
Along came a kid named Cassius Clay
who said "i'm gonna take Liston's belt away"

 

[basquebromance]

Malcolm was admired for his fearlessness. he would debate anyone, anytime, anywhere. he debated like Ali fought, swinging from the opening bell, hitting his opponent with hard cuts and fierce jabs.
he cultivated a combative style, bobbing and weaving, dictating the terms of the debate on his own terms. he was not interested in scoring points, Malcolm swung for the KO

Ali's bombastic persona was inspired by the wrestler Georgeous George: "when i watched him speak, i said to myself, man, i really want to see this match, whether he wins or loses, i wanted to see what happens" - Ali on George

"boxing, wrestling, it's all a show. a lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth. so keep bragging, keep sassing, and always be outrageous" - George told Ali

"black supremacy is as dangerous as white supremacy" - MLK said, while condemning Malcolm X

 

[basquebromance]

notes from the documentary:

"don't humiliate yourself. our country depends on it's youth. really, i don't see how you can stand yourself" - Sonny Liston told a young Ali

"more people in the world understand Einstein's theory than those who think Cassius will beat me" - Sonny Liston

he's not doing as he should
he lives in a white neighborhood
because he don't like black
i'm gonna put him on his back

"where do you think i would be if i didn't shout and holler and let people take notice of me? i would be poor, washing windows or running an elevator saying "yes suh" and "no suh" and knowing my place" - Ali

Boxer Cassius Clay
Hit the ring yesterday
Posing, shouting, full of action
promoting Clay, the big attraction
Clay attacks and Liston starts to retreat
if he goes back any further he'll end up on a ringside seat
Clay swings with his left, swings with his right
young Cassius is putting up a fight
Liston keeps backing down, but there's not enough room
It's a matter of time till Clay lowers the boom
Clay lands with a right, what a beautiful swing
the punch throws Liston the Bear straight out of the ring
Liston is still rising and the ref wears a frown
he can't start counting till Liston comes down
Liston is disappearing from view as the crowd goes frantic
radar stations have picked him up somewhere over the atlantic
who would have thought when they came to the fight
that they'd witness the launching of a human satellite?
the crowd did not dream when they put up the money
that they'd see a total eclipse of Sonny

Clay said he was so pretty that his face should be considered a national resource and preserved by the secretary of the interior, as opposed to Liston, whose face should be appropriated by the Bureau of Wildlife

"listen you n*** fag***, if you don't get out here in 10 seconds, i'm gonna pull out your tongue from your mouth and stick it up your ass" - Liston bellowed when Cassius was tailing him

when Clay was asked to show his support by purchasing a lifetime membership in the NAACP, he said the only way he would join is if they paid him 250 thousand dollars

when Ali declares "I am the greatest", he is not just talking about boxing. lingering behind those words is the bitter sarcasm of Dick Gregory, the shrill defiance of Miles Davis, and the utter contempt of Malcolm X

wealth helped Ali escape discrimination, a luxury most blacks can't afford. he had more money than most youths ever dreamed of

"he can't punch. I'll get locked up for murder if i box him. He don't know how to duck, how to run, how to do anything" - Liston on Clay

asked if he resented Clay's constant verbal attacks, Liston said: "Let that Cassius keep talking. the more he talks, the more money i'll make"

the word's being passed around
that i'm a charming guy
the greatest fighter who ever lived
i'll gladly tell you why
my secret is self-confidence
a champion at birth
i'm lyrical, i'm fresh, i'm smart
my fists prove my worth

Ed Sullivan asked Clay how long would he last if they boxed each other
"One"
"One round?"
"No, one punch"

 

[katsteve2012]

It was a good documentary by Ken Burns. He's a very respectable historian.

However, this one on Netflix explores the relationship between Malcom X and Ali in greater detail.

 

[basquebromance]

It was a good documentary by Ken Burns. He's a very respectable historian.

However, this one on Netflix explores the relationship between Malcom X and Ali in greater detail.

wow. didn't know that. Netflix does a poor job of getting the word out. i'm gonna watch it as soon as i have some free time

 

[rupol2000]

I think that if I fought Ali I would kill him with one blow. I once fought with a guy of his size, and did a right hook with a step, hit the cheekbone, I break my arm, and he lost consciousness and lay in bed for two weeks, and I was afraid that he would die. If a simple guy from the street can split the skull with one hook, then why couldn't Foreman and Fraser do it, had Ali an iron head?
It's just that after Marciano, comedy-performances are shown instead of boxing.

They say when Dempsey fought, teeth flew into the ring.

Ali just f*'g freak.

 

[katsteve2012]

I think that if I fought Ali I would kill him with one blow. I once fought with a guy of his size, and did a right hook with a step, hit the cheekbone, I break my arm, and he lost consciousness and lay in bed for two weeks, and I was afraid that he would die. If a simple guy from the street can split the skull with one hook, then why couldn't Foreman and Fraser do it, had Ali an iron head?
It's just that after Marciano, comedy-performances are shown instead of boxing.

They say when Dempsey fought, teeth flew into the ring.

Ali just f*'g freak.

In many of Dempseys fights during his era, there were no "neutral corners" after knockdowns.

He was free to stand over his opponents and pummel them back to the canvas if they tried to get up.

Obviously, it goes without saying that Ali's opponents, just like you, probably had a "plan" going into a fight with him.

Until they got jabbed in the nose or punched in the eye a few times.

 

[rupol2000]

In Dempseys era, there were no "neutral corners" after knockdowns.

He was free to stand over his opponents and pummel them back to the canvas if they tried to get up.

Obviously it goes without saying that Ali's opponents, just like you, probably had a "plan" going into a fight with him.

Until they got jabbed in the nose or punched in the eye a few times.

Including by the famous Phantom Punch lol. Apparently Sonny Liston missed a few rehearsals, he played very badly.

 

[katsteve2012]

Including by the famous Phantom Punch lol. Apparently Sonny Liston missed a few rehearsals, he played very badly.

The outcome of the second Sonny Liston fight was definitely questionable to many.


What is NOT questionable is the way that Ali demonstrated that he could decisively beat Liston in their first fight.

Even after Listons corner purposely tainted Listons gloves in an attempt to blind Ali.

 

[rupol2000]

The outcome of the second Sonny Liston fight was definitely questionable to many.


What is NOT questionable is the way that Ali demonstrated that he could decisively beat Liston in their first fight.

Even after Listons corner purposely tainted Listons gloves in an attempt to blind Ali.

Don't tell me tales about Ali. Anyone who has stood in the ring knows that boxing like that is impossible. Even if he stood in the corner and completely covered, a good puncher would have kill him through the defense and blown him to shreds, he would not have lived to see his parkinson's disease.

 

[rupol2000]

Part of the problem is that most heavy 60s, especially African Americans, have poor speed. Foreman was a powerful puncher, but there is no speed in his punches. Such blows usually push the opponent but do not injure him. Even Tyson, who was considered a fast boxer, did not have a good punching speed, he invested with his whole body and pushed opponents. A high-quality blow should not push, it should shake your head, fly in like a bullet. This is also part of the show. It is always better to hit the head quickly than hit hard. You must not see your opponent fall, you must see him disconnect while standing, otherwise your punches are shit.

 

[rupol2000]

I don't like the British style of boxing, but the classic American school also preaches the wrong principle. Fully shifting weight from foot to foot, putting all of your weight into a kick is not a perfect kick. A good shot does not put all the weight into the shot, but uses the weight of the body to accelerate the arm, just like a stone thrower does.
The mass is needed not to put it into a blow, but in order to use it for acceleration, this is the ideal principle of good punch.
In the classic American school, it turns out that they first bring their fist to the target, and then try to insert the fist into the body. This must be ruled out. They thereby reduce the acceleration trajectory, which is critical for speed.

 

[rupol2000]

It is believed that amplitude punches are noticeable, but this is nonsense. Not the blow itself is noticeable, but the preparation to the blow.
There is no need to make a special swing, moving the hand away, but also do not need to reduce the amplitude

 

[katsteve2012]

Don't tell me tales about Ali. Anyone who has stood in the ring knows that boxing like that is impossible. Even if he stood in the corner and completely covered, a good puncher would have kill him through the defense and blown him to shreds, he would not have lived to see his parkinson's disease.

Whatever I state about Ali are not "tales" as I sat and talked with him, during his career and after it ended, as well as attended his fights, and knew his late biographer, Howard Bingham.

I've not just "stood" in a ring or observed from a distance and had delusions of granduer about what I wished I could do.
I participated in two different divisions.

Perhaps you should watch fewer Rocky movies, and watch some films of actual fighters, then have someone who understands the sport, explain what you are seeing.