Ali bounced back up fast against Frazier and Cooper but he was badly hurt by both, especially Cooper ... Ali was so damn tough and had such great recooperative powers it is amazing ...
Yep. Ali even briefly got up in the interval, completely out of it, and his handlers had to sit him down again. That's no different than Tommy Morrison ducking imaginary punches on his stool after Mercer finished him off. Ali was out on his stool for a while, no question.
Yep, that was the exact incident that pre-empted Harry Carpenter's "he doesn't know where he is, Clay" comment.
Ali's chin was amazing. Certainly one of the greatest chins of a lineal champ. You don't meet so many bangers and survive with out a top level set of whiskers!
Hard to say definitively we ever saw him out on his feet. Maybe the 11th round against Frazier as many have said, but he played around on it so to say for sure? I don’t think we can.
Certainly round 11 in the FOTC and round 2 against Shavers are the ones most everyone cites when talking about Ali being close to hitting the deck for good. But as the above quote points out--in round 6 of the Thrilla Frazier lands two hooks that would have felled ANY other fighter like a falling tree! They were both BOMBS. (Man, Ali had a chin that was absolutely otherWORLDLY--which sadly led to his deterioration later in life that was heartbreaking to witness!!)
Look even round 11 vs Fraizer, Ali was not out on his feet, Shavers may hit hard, but even then, Ali was not out on his feet.
Seems paradoxical to say someone is literally out on their feet if their legs don’t literally buckle before recovering themselves. I would say it’s perhaps more accurate to say someone is as close to being “out” while still on their feet. One way you could be momentarily “out” on your feet would be if you’re supported by something like the ropes - which Ali often had his back to. This is round 10 in Manila. Imo, Ali might well have been very close to “out” but with the ropes in support. If you go to 34:35, you will see Frazier initially connect with a beautiful left hook - have a very close look, Ali’s body language says it all imo - he slumps. Ali’s guard is fixed, not moving or reactive, nor is Ali himself moving in any real way for a notable period, including not throwing any punches - not a controlled so called rope a dope - rather, Ali just hanging in there. Frazier tees off and lands several more power shots. I think perhaps, right there, Ali was induced into a “micro sleep” by Frazier. Just as interesting, the commentary doesn’t necessarily show alarm - rather, they predict Ali will soon come on and fight back as he has always proven himself to do. They were proven correct in so far as Ali eventually fighting back - but I think it was one of a number of instances that weren’t necessarily identified as Ali being “close” to out - because Ali often miraculously rode such moments out to fight back shortly thereafter. https://youtu.be/6pi-ax7e-6U?si=-50AGrw4M607l5Bq
Shavers big right hand on Ali round 2. Just imo, I think the claim that Shavers was duped by Ali and therefore conned out of an opportunity to immediately follow up and see Ali off is exaggerated. Similar to the Ali- Cooper myth re the torn glove and extra time gained between rounds - it has gained a bit of hyperbolic traction. The punch definitely short circuited Ali’s legs for a moment causing him to stumble back and grab on to the ropes - but I think Ali’s head was reasonably clear. Shavers is often maligned by some for his inability to efficiently follow up. I thought he did very well on that occasion, including being mindful of his stamina for the longer haul. Shortly after the shaker punch. Ali deliberately went to the ropes in an obvious, preemptive rope a dope move. Not playing the dope, Earnie picked his shots, hitting Ali in combination with a few powerful hooks and a particularly notable head ripping uppercut. Tbh, I’ve never seen Ali intentionally go to the ropes and then get off them so fast as he did against Earnie.
Due to not having full control of his legs in round 11, Ali’s skittering around the ring ironically made it that much more difficult for Frazier to nail him in follow up. Even toward the end of the round Ali deliberately feigns being more hurt than he is but as he does so, his legs still betrayed him, causing him to unintentionally skitter backward again.
I remember reading this in an Ali book way back when I was in high school, I think. I want to say he was talking about getting hurt badly in an amateur fight but it’s been a long time so I could be mistaken.
Conditioning, roadwork with the heavy boots, running backwards, the development of more diversity in the neurons that connect to and control leg stability and balance, the work in the pool conditioning to alternate perception of gravity And the elephant in the room of the early 60's, what are the chances the CIA clandestinely got some LSD into his system at some point
Definitely out on his feet vs Frazier in round 11 so much so I scored it a 10-8 round in favour of Frazier.
