Simply known as “The Greatest,” Ali’s commitment to craft and his desire to surround himself with brilliant minds are often overlooked pieces to his puzzle.
He was born Cassius Clay, later became known to the world as Muhammad Ali and represents yet another great fighter from the 1970s about whom much has been said and written.Few people discuss where Ali acquired his fighting acumen. It is fairly well-known that while Angelo Dundee was one of the game’s greatest cornermen, he was an average technical trainer. As such, one would be hard-pressed to find a fighter Dundee built from the ground up.
In reviewing some of Ali’s amateur bouts, it connected a few dots about his fighting style that I had once questioned. He was known for evasive footwork but had a distinct ability to stand his ground and throw sharp straight punches. That was primarily how he fought as an amateur, and it seems Stone and Bodak focused on increasing his toughness and getting him comfortable enough to trade with opponents when necessary. Finesse was refined later, specifically at Dundee’s gym.
Ali was surrounded by other high-level fighters at Dundee’s gym. He did not care for Cuban fighters like Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles and Luis Angel “El Feo” Rodriguez, as they had a style, flare and smoothness to what they did. However, by being around them, Ali met Luis Sarria, a man who has since fallen through the cracks of boxing history. Sarria, who had defected to Miami from Cuba, had trained Napoles and Rodriguez since they were amateurs.
Another influence on Ali was Harry Wiley, one of Robinson’s trainers. Jack Blackburn is often credited -- and inaccurately so -- as Robinson’s trainer. Blackburn, who trained the legendary Joe Louis, taught Wiley to train others. Wiley’s growth led to his becoming the first black trainer for the United States Olympic program in 1932; five of the eight boxers on his team brought back medals, two of them gold. Wiley shared many of the racial perspectives for which Ali became known.
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