2006-09-08 21:49:33 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Boxing
How can you ask "what's the point"? The point is to use your imagination combined with what we know of the era. Ofcourse there is no "right answer". Just imaginative theorys. I hope that answers things for you.
2006-09-08 22:03:24 · update #1
I think so. I don't think the purses for professional prize fights would be as rich as they are. He had a definite influence on that. The first Frazier fight wouldn't have had the historical and financial impact it had on the sport. There may not have been the fervent support there is for Ali now because of his political and social impact. He wouldn't have had to stand up to the government the way he did. I think he may have possibly retired from the sport earlier.
Ali may have broke Marciano's record. The years has was exiled would have definitely been his prime years. I think he would have cleaned out the division, Frazier wouldn't have beaten him if he was able to move for 15 rounds and I think it would have been the same way with Foreman. Ali was able to neutralize power with the rope a dope. Just think if he was able to stay in fighting trim. He would have been able to use his legs to stay away from the punches, which is way more effective than laying on the ropes. I think he would have been known as purely a great fighter he wouldn't have had the social impact he had.
2006-09-09 05:29:48 · answer #1 · answered by Brent 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ali's "exile" from boxing began in the 1960s, when he was stripped of his title and not allowed to fight professionally for more than three years. His offense? He refused to be inducted into the army when drafted because of his opposition to US involvement in the conflict in Vietnam. He said about it:
"I Ain't Got No Quarrel With The VietCong... No VietCong Ever Called Me N!gger" — Muhammad Ali, 1966
"No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end."
—Muhammad Ali
If you think about it, there's a possibility he may have sustained a life-threatening or career-ending injury had he been in the ring those three years. Ali has now been diagnosed with Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome, meaning that the degeneration of his nervous system was probably caused by boxing.
That three-year exile may have delayed the onset of his symptoms. Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome generally shows up about 15 years after a boxer begins his career. Cassius Clay began training at the age of 12 and competed in the 1960 Olympics, was exiled beinning in 1967 (he had changed his name to Muhammad Ali by then). He fought throughout the 70s and didn't begin to show symptoms of what was then diagnosed as Parkinson's disease until the early 80s.
And if he hadn't refused the draft, he would have interrupted his career for military service anyway. He might very well have died in Southeast Asia, from combat, from friendly fire, from accident, or from disease.
2006-09-09 05:18:13 · answer #2 · answered by Beckee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To Sha Sho Shi - This is what I mean when I talk about wrong opinions or wrong facts. Ali was exiled from 1967 until 1970.
To my main man Brent F - As Sean Connery would say, "You are the man now, dog.
2006-09-10 16:11:48 · answer #3 · answered by smitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He would never had fought in 1975 against Foreman as he would have quit earlier as he would have been undefeated for ten years and that would have been enough. Foreman would have not retired and fought against Holmes(because he would not have sparred with Ali) and beat him. There would be still an era with Tyson and Lewis but heavyweight boxing would still have been in a bad way and boxing would be lower in profile as it is now.
2006-09-09 04:58:38 · answer #4 · answered by brogdenuk 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Brent F. answered this question about as good as it can be answered. Ali probably would have never even fought long enough to fight Foreman in 75 like he did and it is posssible he would have retired undefeated with Joe Frazier being the most serious threat to his title.
2006-09-10 02:00:05 · answer #5 · answered by toughguy2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he was exiled at the end of his career, he did the best he could change and left the rest to the others.
2006-09-09 04:53:12 · answer #6 · answered by ShaShoShi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With Foreman still around... "Battle of Grandpa" would be a thrilla!
2006-09-09 04:59:41 · answer #7 · answered by Daniel Ira L. Cuevas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cant answer that........... whats ifs are far to variable.... if he wouldnt have gone out, maybe others would not have came in....
I hate questions like these bc no answer is wrong... so whats the point.
2006-09-09 04:53:50 · answer #8 · answered by LadyDAnCali 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋