Boxing Heavyweight Division Fell Into Pitiless ConditionsThe years between 1920 and 1927 were what was known as the Golden Age of Boxing. Jack Dempsey was the man who in real life personified the sport of boxing Jack was the American world heavyweight champion whose fights with the frenchman Carpentier, and the "Wild Bull Of Pampas" Luis Angel Firpo of the Argentines, along with his epic fights fellow American Gene Tunney all ended up as front page news in all the tabloids that covered those fights. But then all the magic went out of the boxing arena in 1927 after Jack Dempsey’s second loss to Tunney. The boxing heavyweight division fell into pitiless conditions. Subsequent champions such as Max Baer lacked intensity, while Primo Carnera of Italy, James Braddock, and Jack Sharkey lacked polished boxing skills. Max Schmeling of Germany, was perhaps the best of those fighter during that period, ended up winning the title from Sharkey on a foul even though Jack Sharkey won the return match. The noble art of boxing needed an uplift of a great heavyweight champion. Larry Holmes Came Pretty Close to Joe Louis' RecordIt was not until ten years after that a great champion was found on the 22nd of June 1937, when Joe Louis “The Brown Bomber” took the world heavyweight crown from James J. Braddock, which marked the beginning of a long and triumphant reign as world heavyweight champion. “The Brown Bomber” champion’s non-threatening persona was specifically crafted out by his managers in response to the legacy that was left by Jack Johnson. Many people felt that Louis’s model deportment both inside and outside the ring helped reduce racism in the United States. Joe Louis the Brown Bomber defended his world boxing title a record 25 times and retired as champion in 1949 a record that is still intact although in recent times Larry Holmes came pretty close to Joe Louis' record with 24 title defense. In his renowned 1938 championship title bout with Germany's Max Schmeling that was being herald as the big showdown between American democracy and German fascism as the world was descended into World War II. The Black American Joe Louis world champion boxer produced a most devastating punch in the first round to knockout the German whom Hitler had wanted to win for Germany's superior race. Welterweight And Middleweight Champion Sugar Ray RobinsonIn that era a host of very good heavyweights followed Joe Louis: Boxers such as Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott, and the Brockton Rock: Rocky Marciano. But in the lower lighterweights divisions of the boxing arena came the very best fighters at the mid century of which were welterweight and middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson and light heavyweight champion Archie Moore. Rocky Marciano retired in 1956 who incidentally is still the only heavyweight champion to retire unbeaten and who was smart enough never to return to the boxing ring had been previously challenged by the light heavyweight champion Archie Moore. Archie Moore tried once more to move up a weight to capture the vacant world heavyweight crown but lost to Floyd Patterson by a knockout in round 5. Floyd Patterson himself lost the title in 1959 to the Swedish heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson, then a year later Patterson became the first heavyweight to regain the world heavyweight title before losing it for good to the colossal sized King Charles “Sonny” Liston in 1962. The Brash Young Challenger; "Cassius Clay"Sonny Liston as world champion was quite a daunting fearsome formula figure of a man to look at. Liston as a fighter whose criminal record and gangland kith and kin made him appeared even more fearsome. Most of boxing moguls and observers did not really give the brash young challenger Cassius Clay a chance in his 1964 title bout challenge against Sonny Liston, but to everyone's surprise Cassius Clay won on a technical knockout, inaugurating the reign of one of the century’s most celebrated and colourful sports figures ever seen. Soon after winning the crown, Cassius Clay, became a member of the Black Muslims and then changed his name to Muhammad Ali. When Muhammad Ali was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967. He refused induction on the grounds of religion, as a result, the boxing authorities stripped him of his title and took away his license to box. Ali effectively challenged his criminal charges and won hands down. Three and half years after the powers that be re-instated Muhammad Ali with a licence to return to boxing ring in 1970. |
Muhammad Ali's Rope-a-Dope StanceA year later, Muhammad Ali met up with the reigning champion Joe Frazier in one of the most anticipated fights in boxing history. In a battle that lived up to the hype, Joe Frazier won a tough decision over Muhammad Ali. Less than two years later, Joe Frazier was defeated by George Foreman. Muhammad Ali then 32 years of age regained his World heavyweight Crown in 1974, defeating Foreman in the African country of Zaire. Using a style Ali dubbed as the Rope-a-Dope. Muhammad Ali slumped against the ropes of the ring and let George Foreman delivering punches to Ali's rib cage with very little counter attack coming from Ali in return. | |
