Remembering Muhammad Ali, 1942-2016

[alicemacher]

Muhammad Ali, one of the world's best-known athletes, passed away yesterday at age 74.

In his memory, I offer an excerpt from the profile, "The Greatest," in The Big Book of the '70s. Script by Jonathan Vankin, art by Graham Manley. One page of three.






May he rest in peace.

Comments

[freezer]

Ali looks oddly like Fat Albert in that Roach Motel panel.

And since I don't have the Ali vs. Superman comic to contribue (though I'm sure someone will re-post that soon enough), I can only offer up my favorite episode of Epic Rap Battles of History.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_uOtAkEf6U

[cricharddavies]

The most significant scenes have already been posted at
https://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1217275.html

I particularly like Ali being portrayed as clever enough to figure out Superman's secret identity.

[cygnia]

Beautiful art from Adams there...

[philippos42]

I just saw solicited a new Neal Adams comic that references Ali vs. Superman. Some timing!

[cygnia]

I really wish one of these days DC would bring back the Big Books...

[starwolf_oakley]

The "Rope-A-Dope" is an odd fighting strategies. "I'll let him hit me repeatedly, thus he will tire himself out." Your opponent tiring himself out I get. I'm confused by the "let him hit me repeatedly" part.

Still, it worked. In Michael Mann's "Ali," WIll Smith as Ali shouts "You getting tired, Foreman? You getting tired?"

https://theundefeated.com/features/rumble-is-right-legs-all-wrong/

[alicemacher]

And in the realm of fiction, Rocky uses it successfully against Clubber Lang in Rocky III.

[an_idol_mind]

By leaning against the ropes, Ali used the elasticity to absorb most of the shock of the punches. Combine that with the fact that Ali talked constantly and got his opponents angry, and the punches started getting wilder and more ineffective.

On top of all that, Ali had one heck of a chin and could take punches remarkably well.

[jlbarnett]

plus, he was blocking wasn't he? He had Foreman landing shots to his arms, I thought

[an_idol_mind]

Yep - he blocked and dodged, so most of the shots that landed weren't serious.

[freezer]

Did someone say "dodge"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezXbEL4hB7A (No, it's not DBZ Abridged)

[joetuss]

Goku vs Nappa

[q99]

Ali really had *fantastic* defense.

[joetuss]

This man was a legend In and oustside the ring. I rarely cry when celebrities pass, but when I heard the news, it felt as If I had lost a beloved Uncle. He was such a inspiration, especially to young black men such as myself, thank you Mr Ali, and God bless.

[tonybennett3]

Ali represented the common human overcoming great odds to be the best.