The Greatest Boxer and Fighter of All Time!!

Top of the weekend my friends! Here’s a fact of life that’s often misunderstood, “It’s hard to see genius in someone”. “When you’ve been sitting next to them for a longtime”. Thus the natural misconception of this kid from Louisville ever becoming the greatest fighter of all time. Notice I said “fighter” not “boxer” because his fights were both in and out of the ring!

Beginning Sunday the Ken Burns documentary on Heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali will air on PBS. This 4 night interrogation of arguably the Greatest Boxer and Fighter of All Time has got to be the mother of translations!! The complexities of his legacy is an aspect of storytelling that will astonish us hopefully with perceptive observation and careful decision making. Remember the champ defied almost all the traditional norms to become the mother of amazement!

Personally, I first met the champ in the ring (see photo) with my Soul Socking 73 brother like no other Tom Joyner!?For those of you who didn’t know, in the early 70’s Tom and I, were the broadcast twins for KKDA 730 AM Radio. He did mornings and I handled the afternoon drive home. Ironically Twenty (20) years later in the 90’s, we would do the same thing nationally for ABC Radio Networks. ?

However back then we were “Dropping a dime on the man”! Inside joke for those of you who remember our history of broadcasting to the Great Southwest.

Anyway, Joyner and Muhammad Ali did a weekly feature on his KKDA morning show. During these broadcasts Joyner gave the champ a nickname “Mean”. Since he was “mean” in the ring!?When I finally met him (which was after the match), I continued the tradition. “Great to meet you Mean”! Obviously, I caught him a bit by surprise. As always his quick witted reply was, “Are you my Mean? I’m your Mean champ”!

Sorry I digress, and getting ahead of the story behind the photo. Okay, Tom came up with this promotion. He challenged the champ Muhammad Ali to a fight in the ring. After about a minute of enormous laugher Ali agrees and “It’s on”! ?

Here’s the caveat, Tom says you can’t hit me below the belt. (Notice where the belt is in the photo.)?

I was Tom’s cut man for this momentous bout. I got my inspiration from Angelo Dundee. I was Tom’s Angelo “Done that” Dancer in this photo.?Also fill in morning man, if Ali had a heavyweight bout flashback. The promotion took place at Market Hall in downtown Dallas. Everybody was there!?

During the bout you came away with a greater admiration of the man!?We know about his in the ring gifts. The real twist was outside it. His skillful egalitarian balancing act for those who came to watch this promotion. You got a snapshot of why he was the “People’s Champ”! The man said he didn’t need a body guard. Here’s why, “When you’re the baddest man on the planet who can protect you”.?

Not long after this display of boxing excellence, Tom cut that afro. Never to be seen in the ring again!?A good time was had by all.?

As a side note, I’ve crossed paths with the champ about a half dozen times after that bout. He would still called me “Mean”! Funny how some things stick. And I would respond “I’m your mean Champ”.?Great memory!

Before I close, a couple boxing facts you may not know: ?

1. Cassius Marcellus Clay really was really a save owners name! Muhammed Ali’s great-great grandfather was a slave owned by the early abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay, who was an Ambassador to Russia in the 1860’s. He also had a white Irishman great grandfather named Grady. (His ancestry moment)
2. I also wanted share a list of the First Black Boxing champs you probably do not know:?
3. George Dixon bantamweight beat Nine Wallace in June 27, 1890 (18 rounds),?
4. Jack Johnson heavyweight vs Tommy Burns December 26, 1908 (14 rounds) (Ali’s boxing style mirrored his technique)
5. Tiger Flowers middleweight vs Harry Grab February 26, 1926 (15 rounds)
6. Joe Walcott vs Rube Ferns December 18, 1901 (5 rounds)
7. Joe Gans lightweight vs Erne May 12, 1902 (1 round) ?

If you didn’t know, now you know! I close as I began, “It’s hard to see genius in someone”. “When you’ve been sitting next to them for a longtime”. However your value doesn’t decrease, just because some people don’t see your worth. Donut ever forget it!