Muhammad Ali Turns 74, A Heavyweight Poem and More
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
January 17 could have been mean, January 16 was somewhat obscene
Boxing can be exciting, other sports a bore
Muhammad Ali has turned 74.
Before the cameras Cassius Clay was a startin’
There was no IBF champion back then like Charles Martin
Watching his opponent knock himself out with an injured knee
To win a vacant part of the heavyweight title, unmarked, for free.
On Muhammad Ali’s career, the sports public is judge and jury
He did not have a mouth to compete with like Tyson Fury
Most Ali opponents were considerable milder
George Foreman still looked meaner than Deontay Wilder.
Muhammad Ali is a name which can stay
After three and a half years, back comes David Haye
The Hayemaker wanted to have some fun
A first round knockout of a 30-1, yes the bout turned out to be a joke, my son.
Muhammad Ali had a lot to say
Nowadays the chatter goes Deontay’s way
Ali’s health is a source of sadness
Wilder and Fury in the ring at Barclays Center
The boxing world has descended into madness.
Muhammad Ali’s mouth kept his opponents in check
He never fought a paper champ like Ruslan Chagaev the Uzbek
Muhammad Ali beat Ernie Terrell, Fury and Wilder could be a fight in hell
There’s still nobody at ringside like Howard Cosell.
With challengers named Povetkin, Browne and Chisora
None of the wannabes have Muhammad Ali’s aura
Wilder versus Fury might get violent
Iron Mike Tyson talks quiet, Ali is silent.
Erkan Tepper, Carlos Takam, Amir Mansour and Joseph Parker
Tony Thompson, Kubrat Pulev, Luis Ortiz and Antonio Tarver
From Anthony Joshua to Bermane Stiverne, and Dominic Breazeale
Muhammad Ali still has more appeal
Chris Arreola still has a hard head, Ali would have turned his face red
Ali still thinks he’s an underachiever, he wanted to fight Big John Tate and Mike Weaver
Andy Ruiz Jr. and Robert Helenius must wait, every dog has his day
Old men like Amir Mansour and Shannon Briggs still have much to say
Al Haymon has Eddie Chambers and Travis Kauffman, who want a shot
Steve Cunningham would agree to fight them both, and sign on the dot.
The heavyweight division merry-go-round goes round and round
Muhammad Ali, now the master of ring silence, makes not a sound
He floated like a butterfly, he stung like as bee, his soul and spirit are not yet free
He knows Smokin’ Joe is no longer there, to the point where no one cares
So he remembers the good times, when life was exciting
For inside his mind, The Greatest is still fighting.
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