Originally posted by Willow The Wisp
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You know the background.....
Between 03-23-67 and 10-26-70, "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali was forced to temporarily retire from boxing and stood on the shelf for 3 years, 7 months and 3 days, or 1,313 days.
When he left he was the undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world and undefeated in 29 professional fights.
Fast forward to modern times, and while the particulars change, we have something similar occur.
Between 11-29-15 and 06-09-18, The Gypsy King", Tyson Fury was forced to temporarily retire from boxing and stood on the shelf for 2 years, 6 months, 11 days, or 923 days.
When he left he was the universally recognized and linial Heavyweight champion of the world and undefeated in 25 professional fights.
When at long last Ali was allowed to again ply his chosen trade, he returned to action and took on two of the best top 10 ranked contenders in the world in Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. One sided wins over two of the best fighters he'd ever fought instantly re established Ali as the 1st or 2nd best heavyweight on the planet during a great period in heavyweight history; and he was prepared to face the new dominant force on the scene, Joe Frazier, 26-0-0.
Ali was 29 years of age.
After seeking medical help for several serious emotional health ailments and miraculously getting himself back in condition, at long last Fury was declaired fit to fight again, he returned to action and took on two mediocre talents good enough only to assist Fury regain his timing, if not his fighting prowess. One sided wins in those tune-ups was enough, however, to re establish Fury as the 1st or 2nd or 3rd best heavyweight on the planet during yet another great period in heavyweight history; and he somehow was left feeling prepared to face the new dominant force on the scene, Deontay Wilder, 40-0-0.
Fury was 30.
Now Wilder and Frazier both receive criticism here and so too, do Ali and Fury for that matter; but anyone who knows enough about the fight game to have earned a discussion on the subject will readily admit that fighters too much better than those four are found only in the comic books and in Hong Kong choreography.
Enough said that both Ali and Fury were really going for it. Strait to the title - Most dangerious opponents that the mother earth could provide to them.
If there was a difference between their respective challenges, it was surly that Ali took out two top guns for his preparation. Fury went in just about cold.
And yet........
Ali got Dumped and lost a classic.
Fury got dumped twice, but he salvaged a draw by winning more rounds in another classic.
Both, of course would go on to beat their dance partners twice apiece later on, but it would never be easy. Seldom is easy when greats go head to head.
Both Frazier and Wilder would prove still dominant among their peers for a while longer.
Both Ali and Fury would go on to dominance in their respective eras as champions, but for their BIG title reclamation comback nights, how was Fury able to do better than "The Greatest", if only slightly? And with so much less real good opponent/real fight preparation?
It's to ponder when determining what greatness is.
Between 03-23-67 and 10-26-70, "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali was forced to temporarily retire from boxing and stood on the shelf for 3 years, 7 months and 3 days, or 1,313 days.
When he left he was the undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world and undefeated in 29 professional fights.
Fast forward to modern times, and while the particulars change, we have something similar occur.
Between 11-29-15 and 06-09-18, The Gypsy King", Tyson Fury was forced to temporarily retire from boxing and stood on the shelf for 2 years, 6 months, 11 days, or 923 days.
When he left he was the universally recognized and linial Heavyweight champion of the world and undefeated in 25 professional fights.
When at long last Ali was allowed to again ply his chosen trade, he returned to action and took on two of the best top 10 ranked contenders in the world in Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. One sided wins over two of the best fighters he'd ever fought instantly re established Ali as the 1st or 2nd best heavyweight on the planet during a great period in heavyweight history; and he was prepared to face the new dominant force on the scene, Joe Frazier, 26-0-0.
Ali was 29 years of age.
After seeking medical help for several serious emotional health ailments and miraculously getting himself back in condition, at long last Fury was declaired fit to fight again, he returned to action and took on two mediocre talents good enough only to assist Fury regain his timing, if not his fighting prowess. One sided wins in those tune-ups was enough, however, to re establish Fury as the 1st or 2nd or 3rd best heavyweight on the planet during yet another great period in heavyweight history; and he somehow was left feeling prepared to face the new dominant force on the scene, Deontay Wilder, 40-0-0.
Fury was 30.
Now Wilder and Frazier both receive criticism here and so too, do Ali and Fury for that matter; but anyone who knows enough about the fight game to have earned a discussion on the subject will readily admit that fighters too much better than those four are found only in the comic books and in Hong Kong choreography.
Enough said that both Ali and Fury were really going for it. Strait to the title - Most dangerious opponents that the mother earth could provide to them.
If there was a difference between their respective challenges, it was surly that Ali took out two top guns for his preparation. Fury went in just about cold.
And yet........
Ali got Dumped and lost a classic.
Fury got dumped twice, but he salvaged a draw by winning more rounds in another classic.
Both, of course would go on to beat their dance partners twice apiece later on, but it would never be easy. Seldom is easy when greats go head to head.
Both Frazier and Wilder would prove still dominant among their peers for a while longer.
Both Ali and Fury would go on to dominance in their respective eras as champions, but for their BIG title reclamation comback nights, how was Fury able to do better than "The Greatest", if only slightly? And with so much less real good opponent/real fight preparation?
It's to ponder when determining what greatness is.
Fury had a long count and should have been stopped. Could even be argue that they should have stopped when his arm spread out,since that signals surrender.
Willow The Wisp
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