You've certainly heard by now about Mr. Ali's death, so why don't we talk about TV coverage of his fights? Most of them of course were tape delayed for shows like "Wide World of Sports", but I have heard of some fights being aired on live TV. So what do you remember of Ali's fights on TV, especially the broadcasters and styles of coverage.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Muhammad Ali fights on TV
- Thread starter installLSC
- Start date
You've certainly heard by now about Mr. Ali's death, so why don't we talk about TV coverage of his fights? Most of them of course were tape delayed for shows like "Wide World of Sports", but I have heard of some fights being aired on live TV. So what do you remember of Ali's fights on TV, especially the broadcasters and styles of coverage.
I remember clearly two network TV fights of his in the '70s, a one-sided pasting of Jean Coopmans of Belgium and a fight that went the distance against slick Jimmy Young of Philadelphia. Coopmans was one of those phony-baloney "European champions" from the days when European heavyweights were a joke and had no business in the ring with Ali, but Young was a terrific defensive fighter and could slip just about anything Ali could throw at him. Unfortunately, he had no punching power at all and just slapped and pecked away at Ali after Ali would miss. I thought he did enough to win a decision, but the judges were never going to reward that sort of evasive performance and gave it to Ali. Can't say I remember much of anything about the announcing. I watched both in a college dorm lounge with a large group, and there was too much yelling and other conversations going on to make out much of the commentary.
Last edited:
I recall the first Norton fight was live on WWOS in March 1973 and was just supposed to be Ali beating up on another stiff.
Yesterday, they talked to Chuck Wepner about his 1975 fight against Ali. Wepner was bragging about knocking Ali down, but the truth is that when he hit Ali with the punch, he was also stepping on his one foot. For some godforsaken reason, that was a closed circuit fight, even though Wepner had no chance. It was then shown five days later on WWOS.
Yesterday, they talked to Chuck Wepner about his 1975 fight against Ali. Wepner was bragging about knocking Ali down, but the truth is that when he hit Ali with the punch, he was also stepping on his one foot. For some godforsaken reason, that was a closed circuit fight, even though Wepner had no chance. It was then shown five days later on WWOS.
For a time, championship fights could only be seen in theaters and later when cable came along on pay-per-view. They were kept off "free" (terrestrial) TV. This was good for the traditional radio networks. ABC Radio carried Ali's earlier championship bouts with - of course - Humble Howard going the blow by blow account for radio listeners.
Wow I though boxing on the radio went out with Joe Louis. When was the last boxing match broadcast on the radio.For a time, championship fights could only be seen in theaters and later when cable came along on pay-per-view. They were kept off "free" (terrestrial) TV. This was good for the traditional radio networks. ABC Radio carried Ali's earlier championship bouts with - of course - Humble Howard going the blow by blow account for radio listeners.
Ali was hilarious and cruel at the same time the day George Foreman -- trying to regain confidence after his loss in Zaire -- took on five fighters in one day in Toronto. Cosell was in top form, too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGukyccqoWk
And here, he shows up at a WWF wrestling taping, and is put in his place by Gorilla Monsoon. I believe this was the beginning of the run-up to the wrestler-vs-boxer fiasco of Ali vs. Antonio Inoki:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YalhAclq9y4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGukyccqoWk
And here, he shows up at a WWF wrestling taping, and is put in his place by Gorilla Monsoon. I believe this was the beginning of the run-up to the wrestler-vs-boxer fiasco of Ali vs. Antonio Inoki:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YalhAclq9y4
As I recall just about all of Ali's big fights were pay-per-view.
Many of them preceded widespread cable penetration, so you would have to travel to
a local theater or arena to view the closed-circuit broadcast.
Often they would be rebroadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports several weeks or months afterwards.
Many of them preceded widespread cable penetration, so you would have to travel to
a local theater or arena to view the closed-circuit broadcast.
Often they would be rebroadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports several weeks or months afterwards.
Oh, but enough about Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbik.
I don't think I ever heard a boxing match on the radio. That must have been a hoot, "Ooh, he took one! Ooh, he caught one!". On the radio you could visualize the whole match as it went down, I am sure.
I don't think I ever heard a boxing match on the radio. That must have been a hoot, "Ooh, he took one! Ooh, he caught one!". On the radio you could visualize the whole match as it went down, I am sure.
Wow I though boxing on the radio went out with Joe Louis. When was the last boxing match broadcast on the radio.
I remember my mom mentioning once that my grandpa used to listen to Joe Louis fights on the radio. As far as Cosell doing boxing on radio, there was an aircheck site (that sadly didn't last too long) called "It Was Classic" that specialized in a lot of unusual airchecks including some really rare stuff like a Boston area high school football game from the late 40s. They had the pre-fight show carried on WABC from (I think) a Floyd Patterson-Ingemar Johanssen title fight from the summer of 1960 at Yankee Stadium. A guy named Les Keiter was the PBP announcer, and Cosell did color commentary, including pointing out some of the celebrities in the crowd. Has to be one of the earliest recordings of Hawahd out there. Back to Ali, I do remember some of his 70's bouts being on closed-circuit TV at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. ABC showed at least one of his fights in the 70s in prime time a few weeks after the fact.
I remember my mom mentioning once that my grandpa used to listen to Joe Louis fights on the radio.
I assume you mean your maternal grandpop. In that case, Corky, welcome to the club. *My* mother from time to time spins yarns of how *her* dad (who, like her mom but unlike my paternal grandparents, died before I was born) loved to listen to the fights. She doesn't remember if he listened to Louis fight or not.
As far as Cosell doing boxing on radio, there was an aircheck site (that sadly didn't last too long) called "It Was Classic" that specialized in a lot of unusual airchecks including some really rare stuff like a Boston area high school football game from the late 40s. They had the pre-fight show carried on WABC from (I think) a Floyd Patterson-Ingemar Johanssen title fight from the summer of 1960 at Yankee Stadium. A guy named Les Keiter was the PBP announcer, and Cosell did color commentary, including pointing out some of the celebrities in the crowd. Has to be one of the earliest recordings of Hawahd out there. Back to Ali, I do remember some of his 70's bouts being on closed-circuit TV at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. ABC showed at least one of his fights in the 70s in prime time a few weeks after the fact.
*This* Les Keiter? I vaguely remember seeing his sports reports on then-WFIL-6.
http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/leskeiter.html
ixnay
Wow I though boxing on the radio went out with Joe Louis. When was the last boxing match broadcast on the radio.
IN the Mid 1990's Riddick Bowe had a title defense on radio. I think it was against Jesse Ferguson in his 1st defense after he beat Holyfield in November of 1992.
I think with the exception of the Thrilla in Manila and the third Norton fight (and the Wepner fight), all of Ali's title defenses after beating Foreman were on TV--primarily because most were against tomato cans.
I think with the exception of the Thrilla in Manila and the third Norton fight (and the Wepner fight), all of Ali's title defenses after beating Foreman were on TV--primarily because most were against tomato cans.
The only ones that weren't against tomato cans were the defense (which he lost)vs Leon Spinks anf the rematch where he regained the title.
The only ones that weren't against tomato cans were the defense (which he lost)vs Leon Spinks anf the rematch where he regained the title.
Going into the first fight, Ali was supposed to have no trouble handling Spinks. Hard to believe that Wednesday will mark 39 years since that took place.
Ali's fight against Earnie Shavers in September 1977 was on NBC, with Shavers giving him something of a battle.
- Status
- This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.