Category: Boxing

Remembering Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was the most transcendent sports figure in American culture.

Obituary

'The Greatest'

Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight champion of hyperbole and showbiz as well as prizefighting, died at a hospital in the Phoenix area.

By John Jeansonne

Remembrance

A thousand words

Robert Cassidy remembers his family’s encounters with Muhammad Ali: 'Dear Robbie, Your Daddy is the Greatest - Muhammad Ali.'

By Robert Cassidy

How Ali inspired a movement

Nearly a half-century ago, Muhammad Ali was the object of vituperation and something close to hatred.

By Bob Keeler

The world's champion

Muhammad Ali fought anywhere and everywhere across the globe, only to travel the world over again as an ambassador of goodwill.

By Joe Gergen

A brutal trilogy

Ali vs. Frazier

With the possible exception of David vs. Goliath, the greatest rivalry in the history of individual human combat was the three-fight trilogy staged by Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier from 1971 to 1975.

By Greg Logan

Documentary

Fighter, activist, icon

Muhammad Ali may be the greatest boxer of all time, but that's just a small part of the impact he made on society as a whole. From his outspoken demeanor around boxing to his political views, from his converting to Islam to his refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, Muhammad Ali is a transcendent cultural figure.

He was and is the greatest

Ali always will be recalled as a proud black man who changed his religion and name, risked his career on a divisive political stand then became a global ambassador for goodwill.

By Neil Best

Clinton captures Ali's essence

Bill Clinton was given the honor of the last words at Muhammad Ali's funeral, and he got them precisely right as he summed up a weeklong, global remembrance of the icon.

By Neil Best

Rope-a-dope

An MSG photographer gave Muhammad Ali the idea for the rope-a-dope style he used to beat George Foreman in the 'Rumble in the Jungle.

By Neil Best

'People's champ'

Thousands mourned Muhammad Ali, a man who held Islam close to his heart, in a hometown service open to all faiths.

By Darran Simon

A golden age

Boxing has faded to the point that there is no modern context to what Muhammad Ali was and did.

By Neil Best

The Thrilla in Manila

After winning the final fight in his trilogy against Joe Frazier via TKO after the 14th round, Muhammad Ali said 'Closest thing to dying that I know of.'

Rumble in the Jungle

Muhammad Ali debuted his rope-a-dope technique to knock out George Foreman and win back his heavyweight title on Oct. 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire.

Fight of the Century

When Joe Frazier met Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, the storyline went much deeper than a title clash of two undefeated heavyweights.

Ali vs. Liston

Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, was a 7-1 underdog when he beat Sonny Liston in Miami Beach on Feb. 25, 1964. Liston gave up after six rounds.

Ali vs. Norton

In their third fight, Muhammad Ali retained the title by winning a unanimous decision against Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 28, 1976.

TIMELINE

The chronology of Ali's life

Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Muhammad Ali is many things to many people — social activist, cultural icon and the charismatic voice of the turbulent 1960s.

By Dave Whitehorn

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Muhammad Ali: A life in photos

Nicknamed 'The Greatest,' Muhammad Ali became a once-in-a-lifetime personality.

Media

The master

Muhammad Ali was not the first athlete to understand and exploit modern media hype, but he was the greatest at it.

By Neil Best

Impact

Ali's greatest victory

Muhammad Ali’s longest and most significant fight occurred outside the boxing ring.

By Steven Marcus

Opinion

Ali electrified the world

He was recognized in every country on every continent. And he electrified us all when he lit the torch at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

By Michael Dobie

Recap

Final fights

Muhammad Ali had the opportunity to go out on his own terms at boxing’s pinnacle when he retired with the heavyweight title in 1978, but he couldn’t make it stick.

By Greg Logan

Grieving a great

The world mourns Ali's passing

See reactions to Ali's death from across the globe.

Celebs remember

Ali's death marked on Twitter

Muhammad Ali's death drew responses from around the world of sports and beyond.

Down but not out

The bravado that traveled halfway around the world with Algieri was replaced by sobering reality against Manny Pacquiao, but Algieri could take heart from the fact that he went the distance with the champ.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

The boxer's mom

Dominick Algieri nodded toward his wife, Adriana, and said, 'She's already a nervous wreck.' This was Thursday night in their hotel suite at the Venetian Macao, three days before their son, Chris, was to fight Manny Pacquiao.

By Greg Logan

Trainers talking big

Tim Lane, trainer for Chris Algieri, predicted his fighter will retire Manny Pacquiao. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, disagreed. On Sunday afternoon here in Macau (Saturday night in New York), we'll find out.

Newsday/Mark La Monica, Jeffrey Basinger

'Goose bumps'

From the moment Bob Arum tapped him on the shoulder and offered the chance of a lifetime to fight for Manny Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title, Chris Algieri has lived the dream.

By Greg Logan

The Cutman

Jacob 'Stitch' Duran was brought in by Chris Algieri after the Ruslan Provodnikov fight to be his cutman for his shot at Manny Pacquiao. Newsday's Greg Logan tells the story of the switch.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

The big payday

The winner of Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri will see an even bigger payday for his next fight, assuming they can come to terms for a bout against the biggest pay-per-view draw there is: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

By Greg Logan

'The Chris Algieri Show'

Trainers Tim Lane and Keith Trimble spoke boldly about undefeated boxer Chris Algieri's chances against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao at the pre-fight news conference. Algieri was equally confident in his media roundtable just before the event.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Boxing and brains

At a community event at a local gym in Macau, Chris Algieri told young Chinese fighters that you can be a boxer and still get an education.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Goal is control

Chris Algieri said he wants to 'control everything' when he fights WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a few days.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

Champion lifestyle

Training life has changed since Chris Algieri beat Ruslan Provodnikov and booked the fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Fight week photos

Scenes from around the Venetian Macau as Chris Algieri and Manny Pacquiao promote their fight this Sunday afternoon.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

Hands of stone

Chris Algieri, the undefeated Long Island boxer, leaves his mark in Macau as fight week begins here at the Venetian Hotel.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

The matchmaker

Chris Algieri 'is the real Cinderella man' says Star Boxing matchmaker Ron Katz.

By Greg Logan

Verbal jabs

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has taken quite a few shots at Chris Algieri in the media. Algieri and his team take it all in stride.

By Mark La Monica

World stage

Chris Algieri has fought his way on to the world stage, just like he always said he would.

Getty Images

Taking it seriously

Manny Pacquiao is not looking past Chris Algieri at a possible and long-overdue showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Getty Images

New tools

Chris Algieri has been working on a few new tricks to bring into the ring when he fights Manny Pacquiao.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Freddie says

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said many of the sparring partners are better fighters than Chris Algieri.

Getty Images