48. MUHAMMAD ALI: A true champion
Muhammad Ali series: PART 1, PART 2
By 1974, Ali had been back boxing for 3 years and had become ‘the people’s champion’ as popular opinion had turned against the Vietnam War and Ali was seen as a hero for standing up for his beliefs against the government. Although he had returned to boxing, he wasn’t the same fighter as before. He had lost his biggest advantage, his speed. However, he had proved he could take a punch. In his loss against Joe Frazier in the ‘Fight of the Century’, Ali was knocked down by an epic left hook that would kill you or me, but he got back up before the ref could even start counting. Ali was now winning his fights through smarts, endurance and sheer determination.
In 1974, Ali signed to fight the then Heavyweight Champ, George Foreman, and just like 10 years earlier against Sonny Liston, no one gave Ali a chance. Foreman had just annihilated two fighters that had beaten Ali, (Frazier and Ken Norton) – and was younger, bigger, stronger and meaner than the 32-year-old Ali. The fight was held in Zaire, Africa, was billed as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ and is now one of sports most iconic events. Leading up to the fight, Ali had told everyone he was going to ‘dance’ around Foreman, but during the bout he used a plan that was either the bravest or stupidest strategy in boxing history. In what was later named the ‘rope-a-dope’, Ali leaned on the ropes and let Foreman use him as a human punching bag. I repeat: Ali let the world’s strongest and most fearsome puncher go to town on him for 8 rounds. Do you know how crazy/stupid/brave/dangerous that was?? By the eighth round, Foreman had tired himself out. Ali took advantage and delivered a combination of punches to produce the knockout victory. Ali had finally regained the title that had been taken away from him seven years earlier. The fight was broadcast around the world and by winning, Ali had become the most beloved and popular person on Earth.
In a perfect world, Ali would have retired after that fight, but instead kept on boxing for another seven years. During these later fights, Ali took many brutal beatings (including the Thrilla in Manilla in 1975, where Ali and Frazier pretty much killed each other in the ring), and thousands of punches to the head. He now suffers from Parkinsons Syndrome, but even though his motor skills have deteriorated, his mental state is unaffected. He remains deeply devoted to Islam (he converted to the more orthodox Sunni Islam in 1975), and lives a peaceful life with his fourth wife, Lonnie Ali.
- The story of ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ is told in the brilliant, Oscar-winning documentary When We Were Kings. I highly highly highly recommend it – it’s free on YouTube so go watch it right now. Seriously, even if you don’t like boxing, it’s just a brilliant film.
- Hunter S. Thompson was in Zaire to cover the fight for Rolling Stone. Instead of going to the stadium to see the bout, he stayed at his hotel and got drunk in the swimming pool. He didn’t file any story.
ABOUT THIS SITE:
MOST POPULAR COMICS
- 50. NEIL GAIMAN: Make good art
- 100. CARL SAGAN: Pale blue dot
- 98. ALAN WATTS: What if money was no object?
- 90: IRA GLASS: Advice for beginners
- 52. PHIL PLAIT: Welcome to science
- 104. MALALA YOUSAFZAI: I have the right
- 94. The Two Wolves
- 92. CHRIS GUILLEBEAU: 11 ways to be average
- 108. SOPHIE SCHOLL: The fire within
- 42. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON: The most astounding fact
- 60. ROBERT FROST: The road not taken
- 97. CHARLES BUKOWSKI: Air and light and time and space
- 17. FRANK HERBERT: Litany against fear
- 96. DR. SEUSS: Those who mind, don’t matter
- 89. STEPHEN FRY: Ultimate self-help book
Best of the rest
- 106. CHRIS HADFIELD: An astronaut's advice
- 12. CARL SAGAN: Make the most of this life
- 33. EDGAR MITCHELL: A global consciousness
- 36. BRUCE LEE: There are no limits
- 56. HENRY ROLLINS: Who's the crazier man?
- 65. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON: Our deepest fear
- 73. MARK TWAIN: An educational journey
- 8. THEODORE ROOSEVELT: The man in the arena
- 83. HOWARD THURMAN: Ask yourself
- 91. BILL HICKS: It's just a ride
HOSTED BY:
Love this one!
Good job
Beautiful!
Can we buy this one?
Print will be available soon Alex
Absolutely excellent I’ll be buying a copy once it’s available!
This is my favorite one so far, great job
This sent a shiver down my spine. Great job
this is amazing. i didnt know you could draw in a film noir-ish style, but that opens up a whole new world of quotes. i think that would be really cool.
Brilliant! Let me ask You something: Where Can I buy Your Posters in Poland (Europe) ?
I’m pretty sure Society6 (the company that makes my prints) ship to Poland – click on the BUY PRINTS link at the top of the site. Although this particular Ali comic is not available.
Shivering until now! Epic in the best mean of the word. My second favorite so far – but you keep topping yourself! 8)
Hey I wanted to say your drawings are amazing! I have enjoyed looking at every single one. I just stumbled on a page full of quotes that you might be interested in http://www.globalone.tv/group/gratitude/forum/topics/100-most-inspirational-quotes
I haven’t read them all yet, but so far my favorite is number 3 on the list.
The second to last panel is amazing, you deliver quite a punch with that perspective.
i love i love!
Hey Gav, I discovered zenpencils through twitter today.It grabbed my heart man.These sort of things that truly ‘push the human race forward’.Keep it coming.
lookin forward to this one being available for print
I know you probably don’t do requests, and who am I to dictate your genius!? However, a great quote I’ve always loved would look brilliant if drawn by you.. It’s the following..
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ”Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”” – Muhammad Ali
LOVE your work dude! Expect a few orders of prints from me real soon!
x
At the last scene I was literally hearing the song ”Tomorrow” by Salif Keita!
A Gold Medallist at the 1960 Olympics. And 52 years later, on 27 July 2012 Ali was a guest of honour and flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. He looked frail, but it was great to see him there.
Lovely visualisations, particularly the second last frame – you can feel Ali there.