POLITICAL ROPE-A-DOPE
“Honest people don’t hide their deeds.”― Wuthering Heights
“Nobody lives forever, nobody stays young long enough. My past seemed like so much excess baggage, my future a series of long goodbyes, my present an empty flask, the last good drink already bitter on my tongue.”
― The Last Good Kiss
― The Last Good Kiss
I grew up watching Muhamad Ali fight. These days boxing has surrendered its crown to MMA, but when I was a kid it was king, and nobody held court like Ali. He was brave, fast, strong, funny, and frightening. Easily the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. We all admired him and talks of his exploits dominated our playground conversations.
I was 9 years old in 1974 when Ali challenged then-champion George Foreman in the classic fight that became forever known as the “Rumble in the Jungle”. Younger folks, familiar with Foreman through his infomercials, might not realize that the man was a devastating puncher. Pre-fight, many experts gave Ali little chance at taking the belt. Ali wasn’t just a great athlete though, he was a great tactician.
In the weeks prior to the fight, he would go out of his way to needle Foreman and anger him. During training sessions, he toughened up his mid-section by repeatedly having sparring partners punch him in the stomach. The early rounds of the fight found Ali repeatedly laying on the ropes, looking helpless while Foreman pummeled him with blows. Looks can be deceiving though, as noted by author Norman Mailer, “”Standing on one’s feet it is painful to absorb a heavy body punch even when blocked with one’s arm. The torso, the legs, and the spine take the shock. Leaning on the ropes, however, Ali can pass it along; the rope will receive the strain.”
As the fight entered the eighth round, the toll of throwing so many punches was starting to show on Foreman, as he grew physically exhausted. This is what Ali had been waiting for. Foreman tried to CONTINUE READING: POLITICAL ROPE-A-DOPE – Dad Gone Wild