Muhammad Ali has died.

[Mick Mac]

Died Friday evening.

What a man and what a life.

[Salsaboy]

A real legend. RIP.

[Mick Mac]

I know a fair bit about him but not as much as others and am looking forward to learning more and enjoying the tributes.

Float like a butterfly.

[steveo]

Hung like a bee

[Elphinstone's Army]

Many years ago I had a 45 rpm of Cassius Clay, singing 'Stand by Me' which I really loved, b side was 'The legend of Cassius Clay', - "This is the legend of Cassius Clay, the most beautiful fighter in the world today"

Does anyone else remember it?

I also remember Ali on Parkinson, and his 'bluebirds fly with bluebirds' speech, and always the quick quip.

And with the torch at the Olympics.

Rest in Peace, Champ

[Elphinstone's Army]

steveo Wrote:

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> Hung like a bee

unnecessary, immature, disrespectful

[Jah Lush]

Mac, first of all you spell his name wrong and then you get his quote wrong. It's 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'

I loved Muhammad Ali. He transcended boxing. A truly great human being. RIP champ.

[steveo]

Mac meant to and lighten up Elephant, it wasn't your gran

[Jah Lush]

I wouldn't know. All my grandparents were dead before I was born.

[civilservant]

remains an ill-judged intervention, steveo

[Mick Mac]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Mac, first of all you spell his name wrong and

> then you get his quote wrong. It's 'float like a

> butterfly, sting like a bee.'

>

> I loved Muhammad Ali. He transcended boxing. A

> truly great human being. RIP champ.

It was 6 in the morning. Bit of a haze as had just woken up.

[Otta]

FFS, have a word. Ali was hardly respectful to everyone.

It was a silly little joke which the great man and those close to him will never know about. And if anyone here took personal offence from it, I pity you.

[malumbu]

Has he? Didn't notice.

Please be a little more imaginative with the title

eg - sad news

or celbrating the life of a great man

[Otta]

Elphinstone's Army Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Many years ago I had a 45 rpm of Cassius Clay,

> singing 'Stand by Me' which I really loved, b side

> was 'The legend of Cassius Clay', - "This is the

> legend of Cassius Clay, the most beautiful fighter

> in the world today"

>

> Does anyone else remember it?

>

> I also remember Ali on Parkinson, and his

> 'bluebirds fly with bluebirds' speech, and always

> the quick quip.

>

> And with the torch at the Olympics.

>

> Rest in Peace, Champ

 

[malumbu]

Sorry wasn't meaning to sound disrespectful. He shoujld be as much remembered for his equal rights campaigning as his sporting ability. Media coverage is already suggesting this, and hope that everyone under 30 will now understand the importance in this respect.

[Otta]

He should indeed be remembered for his equal rights campaigning.

Just a damned shame he did it at the cost of Joe Frazier (and his family). That's the one thing I find it really hard to overlook, especially when Frazier had spoken up for him.

Frazier died a poor and bitter man.

[Alan Medic]

That's an interesting story Otta. I had to look it up and read the wikipedia version of it.This is the link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Frazier

I don't know if all his troubles can be laid at Ali's door.He may have made some bad business decisions. No doubt though though that Ali was to say the least ungrateful for the support Frazier gave him.

It's funny I was thinking wasn't he the boxer who performed singing in my home town many years ago. It appears he was. He must have done a tour of Ireland.

You could not dislike Ali as an entertainer. But unless you knew him you don't really know the person. Just a vision.

[Otta]

Indeed.

And I'm certainly not laying all of Frazier's ills at Ali's feet by any stretch. But what Ali did to him runs way way way deeper than harmless pre match banter.

[KidKruger]

Yeah I always thought Frazier was due an acknowledgement from Ali that he'd gone too far and certain accusations / statements should be retracted.

Now it's part of Ali's legacy.

[LondonMix]

Ali publicly apologised to Frazier after he retired so I'm not sure what more you lot expect.

Also Stevo can say what he wants and equally we can say it was tacky and in poor taste, because it was.

[LondonMix]

I should add Frazier warmly accepted the apology publicly and all this was resolved between them more than 15 years ago...

[Otta]

I'd add that that's not really entirely true.

And an apology years later (which Frazier had to accept or get slagged off once again as the bitter man who just wouldn't let it go) doesn't really undo damage done at the time.

I loved Ali, but as KK says, this is now part of his legacy.

[steveo]

I'll publicly apologise if you'll warmly accept it

[LondonMix]

I don't get what you mean Otta. KK said Frasier was owed an acknowledgement from Ali that he'd gone to far and Ali needed to retract his statements. I pointed out that Ali did both of those things 15 years ago and Frasier accepted the apology.

My only point was that criticising Ali for not apologising to Fasier was rediculous because he had done so many years ago and the beef between the two men ended then.

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'd add that that's not really entirely true.

>

> And an apology years later (which Frazier had to

> accept or get slagged off once again as the bitter

> man who just wouldn't let it go) doesn't really

> undo damage done at the time.

>

> I loved Ali, but as KK says, this is now part of

> his legacy.

[KidKruger]

When I posted earlier I was unaware that Ali had apologised to Frazier. The reason I still believed otherwise (apart from being unaware of the apology, as mentioned) is that I'd seen a documentary / feature about Frazier, it focused on the abuse and portrayed it as being an open / unresolved aspect between the two of them.

However, thinking about the timing, the doco was obviously shot when Frazier was still alive but it was well after 15 years ago. So either the doco is fibbing, or Frazier and his family didn't believe resolution had occurred ?