Friday, January 9, 2009

after Muhammad Ali, it's Kimberly Rivera



Muhammad Ali is one and truly the greatest boxing champion and Icon in modern era.

He defeated almost every top heavyweight in his era (1960s to early 1980s), which has been called the golden age of heavyweight boxing.

Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter.

He is an inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame inductees of the same sport.

He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated.

Ali match record stood at 56 wins (37 by KOs) and 5 losses.



Fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee - the greatest of all time - Muhammad Ali....!!!
Pic - Ali KOs Sonny Liston - 25 May 1965



25 Feb 1964 - Ali bloodied Sonny Liston




28 Jan 1974 - Ali vs Joe Frazier - a prelude to Thrilla in Manila

Ali has fought many memorable matches - among the greatest was the Fight Trilogy with Joe Frazier, culminating in the "Thrilla in Manila", or Ali - Frazier III, in Manila, Phillipines on October 1975.

Regarding the Thrilla in Manila fight, Ali famously remarked, "It will be a killa... and a chilla... and a thrilla... when I get the gorilla in Manila."

  • That remark is way much better than the headlines
    "CHIMP CHOMP CHAMP" when Mike Tyson bite Evander Holyfield
    ear on 28 June 1997 ... in the Tyson-Holyfield II rematch dubbed The Sound
    and The Fury..

The Thrilla in Manila lasted 14 grueling rounds in temperatures soaring up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, giving free sauna to both boxers while brawling...!!!

Ali won many of the early rounds, but Frazier staged a comeback in the middle rounds.

By the late rounds, however, Ali had reasserted control and the fight was stopped when Frazier was unable to answer the bell for the 15th and final round.

his eyes were swollen shut - he was like a blind boxer - if he force himself into the ring - he will be knocked out in a matter of seconds...!!! because he can no longer see...

Ali won.

To Ali, the Thrilla in Manila was one of the toughest fights of his entire career, and he was quoted as saying, "It was the closest thing to death that I could feel."



Another famous Ali match - The Rumble in the Jungle (Foreman seen here getting a taste of Mamamia from Ali's elephant killing hard right..!!)

The Rumble in the jungle match - Ali vs George Foreman was held on 30 October 1974, in Kinshasha, Zaire...

At that time, Foreman was a fearsome figure with an awesome record of 40 wins with 37 knockouts and no losses...!!!!!!

However Ali won the 1st round, hitting Foreman 9 times with hard right hand punches.

In the 2nd. round, Ali used the ropes repeatedly and effectively - inviting Foreman to hit him, while leaning against the ropes, counterpunching and verbally taunting Foreman.

Ali's plan was to enrage Foreman and absorb his best blows to exhaust him mentally and physically.

While Foreman threw wide shots to Ali's body, Ali countered with stinging straight punches to Foreman's head.

The tactic worked perfectly...!!!

In the next 7 rounds, a visibly mad and enraged Foreman threw hundreds of punches, some wildly, but with decreasing technique and potency.

Ali's tactic of leaning on the ropes, covering up, and absorbing ineffective body shots was later termed "The Rope-A-Dope." (not Hulla Hop guys)

An exhausted Foreman was eventually knocked out by Ali in the 8th round of the Rumble in The Jungle..!!

Ali won...!!


Ali last fight - vs Trevor Berbick

Ali retired after his last fight - a unanimous decision points loss to Trevor Berbick on 11 December 1981 in Nassau, Bahamas.

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However..... Muhammad Ali is not only known for his exploits inside the rings... but also outside..

In 1966, he famously rejected a call for him to serve with The US Army to fight in Vietnam during the Vietnam war.

Ali famously said in that year : "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger."

Ali refused 3 times to step forward at the call of his name.An officer warned him he was committing a felony punishable by 5 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

As a result, on that same day, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. Other boxing commissions followed suit.

At the trial 2 months later, the jury, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, found Ali guilty.

After a court of appeals upheld the conviction, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

During this time, people turned against the war, and support for Ali grew.

Ali financially supported himself by visiting many college universities to give speeches across the country.

On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction for refusing induction by unanimous decision in Clay v. United States.

Ali won.

In 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again. With the help of a state senator,

And now, done with Ali, let's talk about Kimberly Rivera
Rivera with kids & hubby (he looks more like a hardcore street brawler than a heavyweight boxer...hehe)

In modern time Canada, the country has ordered the deportation of the first woman US soldier to have sought asylum in the country to avoid being deployed to Iraq (the same nature with Ali's refusal to be deployed in Vietnam).

Kimberly Rivera, a mother of 3, had requested permission to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds but her appeal was rejected.

She could face up to 5 years in prison when she returns to the US.

Some 200 deserters from the US military are believed to have fled to Canada, some living incognito.

Mrs Rivera served in Iraq in 2006 but deserted a year later after refusing to be redeployed.

Mrs Rivera and her family have been told they must leave Canada by the end of January unless the court order is reversed.

Last year, the Canadian parliament passed a non-binding motion granting asylum to deserters from the Iraq war.

But correspondents say the governing Conservatives opposed the motion, not willing to risk upsetting Washington over the issue.

So far Canada has deported only one US deserter, Robin Long. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison on his return.

Even tough Mrs Rivera (0 fight, 0 win and 0 ko) is not as famous as Ali, i think she deserves and has the right to do so.. to leave Iraq in peace!!!!

Maybe the great Muhammad Ali can help and do justice to Mrs Rivera this time again????

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