Thrilla Or Rumble

[czars_salad]

last night our local channel RPN 9 featured a 2 hour special on Muhammad Ali from childhood to what he is at present. it was a great presentation...

after watching the show my friends and I debated as to what is Ali's greatest fight, thrilla in manila or rumble in the jungle

i argued that Thrilla in Manila is probably the best of the best. It was probably one of the most devastating ali fight, both ali and fraziers faces ballooned due to devastating blows and both stayed in the hospital for days after the fight. Plus they were fighting in a very harsh (since they are not used to it) environmental condition -- very high humidity and I read something like, there were mosquitos biting frazier in his corner . given these details, i'd say Thrilla is the best.

However one of my friend say that Rumble in the Jungle is the best since it featured the best of Ali, defense and instant offense. The rope-a-dope trick was a marvel! Foreman threw his devastating punches and were wild, it only took Ali 4 combo to knock out Foreman...

How about you?

[Kid Achilles]

In my eyes his first fight with Frazier will always stand out as the best.

[scottie]

The rope a dope trick. What he did was like taming a wild beast. Its a defining moment for Ali. Even now, that trick is used not only in boxing.

[wmute]

thrilla in manila

[czars_salad]

The rope a dope trick. What he did was like taming a wild beast. Its a defining moment for Ali. Even now, that trick is used not only in boxing.

where?

[JOM'S]

Thrilla in Manila, for Ali-Fraizer 1 could not count as Ali's greatest fight cuz he lost that one ...

Ali has a lot of great fights and I am sure his greatest fight was not a loossing fight ...

[Kid Achilles]

Whether he lost it or not, it was his most exciting fight. Great heart and a fierce desire to win from both fighters. Ali also proved the toughness that would characterize him for the rest of his career for the first time, getting up off the deck from a monster hook by an all time great puncher. In hindsight we knew Ali had a great chin but back then many believed he couldn't take a punch.

[JOM'S]

Whether he lost it or not, it was his most exciting fight. Great heart and a fierce desire to win from both fighters. Ali also proved the toughness that would characterize him for the rest of his career for the first time, getting up off the deck from a monster hook by an all time great puncher. In hindsight we knew Ali had a great chin but back then many believed he couldn't take a punch.

you got that buddy, most exciting is much better to describe that fight ...

[Kid Achilles]

In terms of the absolute crowning achievement, then I would have to say that beating Foreman was his greatest moment. Nearly all the boxing writers and insiders who had seen both men train thought Ali's time had passed and that Foreman was the future of the division. They were keeping their fingers crossed that Foreman would only knock him out and not kill him. What Ali pulled on that night is nothing short of magic and one of the great moments not only in boxing but sports history as a whole.

I think the Thrilla was exciting but Frazier by that time had less in him than Ali did. He took so much punishment against Foreman and all the other wars he had been in since the first fight against Ali that it is hard to compare him to the guy who beat Muhammad in their first fight. True, Ali had slowed down as well, but he hadn't taken nearly as many punches as Joe had in his career. The only thing that kept Frazier in that fight was his heart and conditioning, and the fact that Ali was never a big puncher.

[marvdave]

Clay beating Liston and Ali beating Foreman were by far his greatest accomplishments. Nobody thought he would win either fight. He was looking pretty worn coming into the Foreman fight and dominated the invincable Foreman. He came into the Liston fight as an annoying young guy who nobody took serious and again dominated the "unbeatable" champ.