boxing sub cult

I was late for work this morning because I caught this documentary on HBO...

For the boxing unsubcultured, a few facts... this was one of the greatest prizefights ever, and it was held in Manila in the 70s. I was a kid at that time and all I knew was that Ali was such a popular guy, they even named a mall after him. Would have been stupid to call the Ali Mall the Frazier Mall anyway. 

Learned a few things too... 

• Ali had a big motormouth that just wouldn't stop. He used the "race" card to promote the fight and to paint a bad picture of Joe Frazier who he referred to as an ugly gorilla, dumb and an "Uncle Tom [a black man subservient to the white boys]"

• Joe resented this and used all his might to stand toe to toe with Ali in Manila. Frazier lost but he earned the respect of Ali who apologized afterwards for all the things he said to Joe.

• Ali, the overconfident, arrogant, popular & richer fighter who got better of the bloody rivalry gets Parkinson's Disease while Frazier, the loser, the man who always lived in the shadow of Ali, grows old with no debilitating disease.

I GUESS KARMA'S A BITCH.... THAT OR LIFE HAS THIS UNCANNY WAY OF EVEN-ING THINGS FOR ALL OF US.