Tag Archives: Ali

Happy Birthday ~ ALI

Ali, Heavyweights, History, , ,
In rememberence of Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday this week, January 17, I am bringing back one of my favorite features on THE GREATEST that was part of a series I did for for this Web site. Here now, for your enjoyment, is that story. Happy Birthday Champ!

Muhammad Ali

 

By David Martinez / Boxing HistorianThis is the last of a six part series on Muhammad Ali. It has truly been my pleasure to share with you my personal accounts of THE GREATEST heavyweight champion in my era of boxing.

For those of you who have missed any of this special series, you can simply go to the menu on this website and click on the category, “Ali”, to view each part.

So, in my final, part six, I will take you back to Saturday afternoon, March 5, 2005. The location was the Stevens Steak House, Commerce, California. The event was the annual California Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee ceremonies.

This wasn’t even a live fight, but I will simply recognize it as one of the most memorable events that I have attended in my almost fifty years of involvement in boxing.

As the ceremonies were just about to conclude, the doors opened at the restaurant and the 600-plus SRO crowd started to chant “Ali, Ali, Ali, Ali, Ali” as the three time heavyweight champion entered the room. It was so electric, it was as if the Pope himself had walked into the room, and it was one of those moments in time where one just had to be there to witness and feel it.
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JOE FRAZIER / R.I.P.

Ali, Heavyweights, History, , , ,

 By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

This past week boxing lost a great champion, Joe Frazier, who passed away after a brief battle with liver cancer at the age of 67.I will always remember Joe, and I am so blessed to have lived in his boxing era and to have witnessed his fights. He was a relentless fighter and fought every round going forward behind a vicious left hook, with his opponents having to withstand constant pressure from Smokin’ Joe.If there were six fights, in my opinion,  that absolutely stood out in his career they would have to be:

September 21, 1966  / vs. Oscar Bonavena … Frazier down twice in second round to rally and win a hard fought 10 round decision.

RING TRIVIA answers for June 2011

Ali, Trivia,

( a monthly feature from dmboxing.com )

 

1) Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. What other former heavyweight champion was also born in Louisville and note both fighters also had their first professional bouts in Louisville ?

ANSWER ~ Marvin Hart

 

2) Which boxer was 22 years, 11 months younger than George Foreman when they fought ?

ANSWER ~ Shannon Briggs

 

3) The last TV comercial performed by Rocky Marciano before his death in 1969 was for what automobile product ?

ANSWER ~ STP Oil Treatment

 

 

RING TRIVIA for June 2011

Ali, Trivia,

1) Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. What other former heavyweight champion was also born in Louisville and note both fighters also had their first professional bouts in Louisville ?

a) Jim Jeffries

b) Marvin Hart

c) Gene Tunney

d) Max Baer

 

2) Which boxer was 22 years, 11 months younger than George Foreman when they fought ?
a) Axel Schulz

b) Tommy Morrison

c) Michael Moorer

d) Shannon Briggs

 

3) The last TV comercial performed by Rocky Marciano before his death in 1969 was for what automobile product ?

a) STP Oil Treatment

b) Fram OIl Filters

c) Pennzoil

d) Texaco Gasoline

 

 

( RING TRIVIA is a monthly feature from David Martinez Boxing … with answers always available three weeks later for viewing )

 

JACK “The Giant” O’HALLORAN

Ali, Heavyweights, History, Jim Amato, , , ,


THE FORGOTTEN WHITE HOPE
By Jim Amato / Senior Boxing Writer

As Muhammad Ali ruled the heavyweight division in the mid 60’s, white hope contenders came and went. Henry Cooper, George Chuvalo and Karl Mildenberger all were vanquished by the “Greatest”. When Ali was forced to relinquish his crown in 1967, the best of the white contenders was probably Jerry Quarry. By 1969 a huge brute of a man named Jack O’Halloran had compiled an impressive 16-1-1 record. Standing at around 6′ 6″ and weighing in the vicinity of 240lbs., Jack struck fear into opponents by his mere bulk. In 1969 he upgraded his opposition with mixed results. He dropped decisions to Joe “King” Roman, Joe Bugner and Tony Doyle. On August 19th he was halted by rugged “Florida” Al Jones. In turn he outscored Carl Gizzi and stopped Mexican contender Manuel Ramos in seven rounds.

On January 26th, 1970 in New York Jack was kayoed by George Foreman in five rounds. On April 9th he was destroyed in one round by Mac Foster. Jack lost a rematch with Roman but he did manage to outpoint Britisher Danny McAliden. 1971 was a dismal year for Jack as he lost to Jack Bodell, John Griffin, Ron Stander and Ron Lyle. Jack did decision Cleveland Williams and he kayoed Terry Daniels.
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40th Anniversary – FIGHT OF THE CENTURY

Ali, David Martinez, Heavyweights, History, , ,

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

As we approach this week in boxing, something that will forever live in the sport happened forty years ago: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier – the FIGHT OF THE CENTURY. On March 8, 1971, the boxing world saw the most eagerly anticipated championship fight that I have ever been involved with in my fifty years in boxing.The fight itself exceeded even its own promotional hype between two fighters unbeaten and having contrasting styles. They both had legitimate claims to the heavyweight title, Ali as lineal champion (31-0 / 25 by KO) and Frazier as the undisputed heavyweight champion (26-0 / 23 by KO). The guaranteed purses were 2.5 million dollars to each, then a record for a single prize fight.

I will always remember where I was on that Monday night, watching on closed circuit, at the historic Granada Theater, Santa Barbara, California.

The fight took place at Madison Square Garden, New York City, with a star studded audience. The ringside commentators were Don Dunphy and Archie Moore, and my late friend Arthur Mercante served as the referee.

Continue reading 40th Anniversary – FIGHT OF THE CENTURY →

RING TRIVIA Answers for January 2011

Ali, Trivia, ,

1) Muhammad Ali “aka” Cassius Clay suffered his first knock down as a professional, in 1962, to what boxer ?
ANSWER – Sonny Banks

2) The late boxing trainer Howie Steindler trained many professional fighters in his career, who was his first ?
ANSWER – Eddie Shapiro

3) Mexican great Salvador Sanchez once fought the father of what former champion ?
ANSWER – Felix Trinidad

Three new RING TRIVIA questions are posted every month from David Martinez Boxing for your enjoyment … with answers available for viewing about three weeks later

World Cup and Boxing Cross Paths 

Ali, Bob Quackenbush, , ,


By Bob Quackenbush / for dmboxing.com

Friday, June 11, 2010 marks the beginning of a month-long sporting event that is viewed by more people around the globe than any other, including the Olympic Games.  What is this event?  The World Cup soccer tournament.  Held every four years, this spectacle captivates audiences from Asia and Africa, to North and South America, and, of course, Europe.  People from all walks of life will be watching on everything from fuzzy-imaged old TV’s to the fanciest LCD/HD big screens, as well as in person at stadiums throughout the host nation which is South Africa.

Why would an article about soccer (or “football” as it is known in most of the world) show up on a boxing website?  The reason is that the two sports crossed paths over thirty-two years ago in a special way.  On October 1, 1977, the great Pele, generally acknowledged as the most outstanding soccer player of all time, was wrapping up his career at Giants Stadium playing his final game with the New York Cosmos of the old North American Soccer League.  A true ambassador of the sport, Pele, who had played his entire career for Santos F.C. of Brazil, and for the Brazilian National Team, came to the United States in 1975 to play for the Cosmos and to give the sport a “shot in the arm” in the USA. This match was his testimonial game, as the Cosmos faced his former club, Santos, with Pele playing one half for each team.
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