Watched a UFC match for first time but...

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Ram_of_Old

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I saw Cain Velasquez defeat Big Foot Silva, from rep[lay of a May 2013 match. I just can't get into this type of fighting. I still appreciate the art of boxing and remember the Alli, Frazier, Formen battles. Sorry, so far it is just not my thing.
 

RamFan503

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I saw Cain Velasquez defeat Big Foot Silva, from rep[lay of a May 2013 match. I just can't get into this type of fighting. I still appreciate the art of boxing and remember the Alli, Frazier, Formen battles. Sorry, so far it is just not my thing.
I like watching both but boxing is miles ahead on my list for the most part. Doesn't hurt that I used to box but the full contact stuff seems just too primal.

Funny too. We were in a bar last night and some guys came in with badass written all over their attitudes. Then they started talking about how much they want a fight and that they were tired of their menial jobs. One of the guys was complaining about not being able to afford a blood test so he could get a fight - yet here he is drinking in a bar. Nothing says athletic training and saving up for something you really want like shots of 151 with a beer back. Pretty hard to take some of these characters serious.
 

Ram_of_Old

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I like watching both but boxing is miles ahead on my list for the most part. Doesn't hurt that I used to box but the full contact stuff seems just too primal.

Funny too. We were in a bar last night and some guys came in with badass written all over their attitudes. Then they started talking about how much they want a fight and that they were tired of their menial jobs. One of the guys was complaining about not being able to afford a blood test so he could get a fight - yet here he is drinking in a bar. Nothing says athletic training and saving up for something you really want like shots of 151 with a beer back. Pretty hard to take some of these characters serious.

They want the glory and money but they don't want to work for it. The classic fight for me was when Tyson bit Hollyfield's ear off. We were all huddled around the TV and when it happened the first time one of the guys says, "The SOB bit his ear!" We all laughed and dismissed it and then it happened again. And it was Tyson's best round! That was crazy! But funny....:fighting:
 

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That's one of those moments when you remember exactly where you were. I was at a landscape convention in Cincinatti and it was casino night. The place roared with WTF - then it happened again. I always loved Hollyfield the warrior so I was watching the fight intently. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with that first bite. Clearly Tyson couldn't take someone bullying HIM around the ring.
 

Ram_of_Old

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That's one of those moments when you remember exactly where you were. I was at a landscape convention in Cincinatti and it was casino night. The place roared with WTF - then it happened again. I always loved Hollyfield the warrior so I was watching the fight intently. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with that first bite. Clearly Tyson couldn't take someone bullying HIM around the ring.

Yup, Tyson could have had a long and very successful career if he hadn't surrounded himself by takers. He had an incredible punch.
 

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Yup, Tyson could have had a long and very successful career if he hadn't surrounded himself by takers. He had an incredible punch.
Man. Truer words my friend - truer words. If Cus hadn't died, Mike would have been on top for many, many years. That piece of shit with the electrocution hair destroyed him as well as most of the boxing world. Gotta really appreciate the Golden Boy for at least going up against that disgusting POS.
 

Ram_of_Old

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Man. Truer words my friend - truer words. If Cus hadn't died, Mike would have been on top for many, many years. That piece of crap with the electrocution hair destroyed him as well as most of the boxing world. Gotta really appreciate the Golden Boy for at least going up against that disgusting POS.

If only Gus had stayed alive, not only would Tyson had benefited, but the boxing world would have benefited. Boxing is now only a shadow of what once was. It was once a proud and classic sport. It is now so corrupt that non one except the religiously devoted, watch it. The UFC stuff is not a classic sport and will never approach the greatness that boxing once enjoyed. I remember Liston and Clay in elementary school. It was the beginning and the end of a great period in boxing.
 

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I grew up on boxing. The big fights were HUGE and were truly an event. UFC is just a animalistic ritual I watch on occasion. There is no way IMO to compare it to the history of boxing and those great matches. I was too young to remember the Liston/Clay fights but I was around for the Ali/Frazier/Forman. I remember the epic battle of Hollyfield vs Qawi that made me a Real Deal fan. The days of going down to the pizza place to watch Leonard vs Hearns and Leonard vs Hagler; going to the theater to watch Cooney vs Holmes (maybe the only time I saw Holmes in real good shape); "No mas - no mas"; Boom Boom Mancini........... Heck, I remember listening to the Ali/Spinks fight in the car on a road trip with my parents. No one expected that dufus Leon to beat Ali but we were stoked listening to it happen. As a former Navy man, my dad wasn't what you'd call a big Ali fan.

Anyway - yeah - this is like a trip down memory lane. I may have to go rent some films on some of those great bouts or see if I can pull them up on the internet.
 

Ram_of_Old

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I recall dating the girl I would eventually marry and watching Leon Spinks in the 1972 Olympics. He had a huge right hand, but like you, I never imagined he would beat Ali. I was with some friends who were celebrating a birthday for someone in my office and walked past a table with a black man and woman, back in the '80's. I walked past the table and BLAM....it hit me. It was Ali and his wife. He had recently bought a farm in the area and was there having a meal. I was so shocked, I didn't even have the guts to go ask him for an autograph. But it is one of those moments that I will always remember. Just incredible!
 

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I recall dating the girl I would eventually marry and watching Leon Spinks in the 1972 Olympics. He had a huge right hand, but like you, I never imagined he would beat Ali. I was with some friends who were celebrating a birthday for someone in my office and walked past a table with a black man and woman, back in the '80's. I walked past the table and BLAM....it hit me. It was Ali and his wife. He had recently bought a farm in the area and was there having a meal. I was so shocked, I didn't even have the guts to go ask him for an autograph. But it is one of those moments that I will always remember. Just incredible!

Good enough of a memory anyway. I always am reluctant to bug people just because they're famous. He probably appreciated that and you still have the memory. Pretty cool.
 

Ram_of_Old

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I am also reluctant. There are several celebrities that live or have lived in my area. You see them at theaters and at yard sales, but I have never approached one for an autograph or to chit chat. I figure they deserve their privacy as well as I do. BUT AN ALI AUTOGRAPH WOULD HAVE BEEN COOL!

As I was leaving the restaurant, the owner who is a friend of mine, had Ali and his wife assembled for a photograph with the wait staff. It hung on his wall until the restaurant went out of business a couple years later.
 

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Funny. One of the only times I've ever asked for an autograph was when I was about 8 years old. I had just broke my ankle horse packing in the Sierras (whole other story) and my parents and I were waiting for a table at Love's BBQ Pit. My parents saw Claude Akins (I know - big whoop) sitting at the bar and told me to go ask if he'd sign my cast. I had no idea who he was at the time but thought - "what the heck". So I walked up to him all sheepishly and said, "Mr. Akins sir, could you please sign my cast?" He spun around in his barstool and said, "Only if you sign mine sonny." He had just broke his own ankle sliding into home plate playing Babe Ruth in a movie and had virtually the same cast as mine. So I signed Claude Akins cast and he signed mine.

I've met lots of celebrities living in LA and through my mom's art shows and acquaintances but I never really cared to get signatures and figured I wouldn't like to be bugged to sign something everywhere I went. I did get the better part of the 1968 LA Rams to sign a picture for me at an event at Cleveland High School tough. Sure wish I knew what happened to that pic.

But yeah. Passing up a chance to get Ali's sig would have been tough and sweet to have.
 

Ram_of_Old

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1968 Rams! Wow! I can't remember who was on the team, but I think that was at the end of the days of the Fearsome Foursome? Right?
 

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Some of them were there but I don't think they were still on the team. Roman Gabriel and Jack Snow were there. Merlin was there. And honestly, I don't remember all the others. I was 6.
 

Ram_of_Old

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Some of them were there but I don't think they were still on the team. Roman Gabriel and Jack Snow were there. Merlin was there. And honestly, I don't remember all the others. I was 6.

I think Deacon and maybe Coy Bacon.....if I remember correctly.
 

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I know Deacon wasn't there. I believe Irv Cross was also there. The ones I remember most were Gabriel and Olson. Nice guys and very kid friendly.
 

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Not sure if Coy was there. There were about 15 of them in all IIRC.
 

Ram_of_Old

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I remember the Chuck Knox days when we were predicted to be the Division winner before the season began. There was a reason they called him Ground Chuck. We have a running game that garnered some attention from the defense. Not sure the game is the same today.
 

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Man. Truer words my friend - truer words. If Cus hadn't died, Mike would have been on top for many, many years. That piece of crap with the electrocution hair destroyed him as well as most of the boxing world. Gotta really appreciate the Golden Boy for at least going up against that disgusting POS.
I think Tyson would have finished undefeated and widely considered the greatest heavy of all time.
When he lost that steady influence of Cus and eventually got taken in by King and let his friends act as trainers he was done. No one is so talented they don't have to work.
The first thing that went was his defense. He used to have great movement and be very hard to hit, using his lack of height as an advantage. When a great fighter loses his D it's a short trip to average.