Boxing Fans:Muhammad Ali's Rope-A-Dope Technique Far From Being An Impugned Tactic

THe Secret Funny Laughter ^ | DEcember 14, 2013 | Staff

[lbryce]

I had always maligned Muhammad Ali for having developed, implemented the Rope-A-Dope tacticthat despite being a very effective strategy, felt was a cheap, cowardly way in which to defeat his opponents.

But on closer inspection as offered by the enclosed gif, I came to see first hand that the Rope-A-Dope I thought he used was simply to have him standing in the cormner his head protected his opponent tiring himelf out in the process.

But as I now see it, Ali had developed a deeply analytical, highly effective, disciplined approach that was more proactive than reactive, for which he deserve credit for developing in helping him win. Watching him carefully as he floats away from incoming punches avoids getting hit in an almost ballet-like gracefulness,

[Yo-Yo]

Well, that wiggle at the end certainly was ballet-like.

[rktman]

That’s weird. I always maligned him for changing his name and religion. Maybe it’s just me. I even name a dog after him as a kid. Black poodle with a big mouth. Cassius. I sure miss that dog.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Irrespective of his choices in religion and politics, which I don’t agree with, as a pure athlete, he was incredible. Absolutely incredible. The reflexes he displayed were amazing. No credible boxing coach would teach their students to do what Ali did - hands low, pulling away from punches instead of ducking under them, but he got away with it because of those amazing reflexes. That the person with those reflexes went on to have Parkinson’s is a sad irony. But it’s also an incredible testimony to how fragile life is, and how what we have on Earth is fleeting.

[donmeaker]

Boxing:
A course in which the offensive and defensive skills of amateur boxing are taught. Course content includes stances, movement, basic punches (i.e. jab, cross, hook, and upper cut), defenses, strategies, and tactics. Instruction on refereeing, judging, and serving as a corner second are presented. Boxers are evaluated, assessed and provided feedback on their ability to box. The course exposes participants to the coping strategies necessary to deal with a physical threat.

[yarddog]

I remember he used to put both hands in front of his face sometimes and it seemed to work until, I think it was Spinks just punched right through it.

I have no idea why one could do that but others couldn’t.

[BBB333]

“When the bout is over,
and Frazier ain’t answerin the bell,
I’m gonna jump over the ring,
and take on Howard Cosell!”

-—Mohammed Ali

[yarddog]

I worked for a couple of months at a San Antonio discount store while awaiting a civil service job.

The one thing which I remember was we sold a huge number of boxing gloves to Hispanics. They must really like it.

[Hot Tabasco]

In my opinion, Ali was one of the greatest boxers of all time, if not the best. Like so many boxers of his era and now, they become the money making pawns of greedy and despicable agents who have no concern about their boxers, their health or their finances.

Ali was never a muslim, it was an excuse used by his handlers to keep him out of the military in order to make a political statement on their behalf.

With the right handling, Ali would have entered the military and likely served as an ambassador for the U.S. Army and never step foot in Vietnam....and discharged as a national hero like Elvis Presley was.

The bad advice and bad handling by those who made millions off him will forever tarnish his history.........so sad.

[TalBlack]

Ali wasn’t as smart as Foreman was stupid. Foreman has admitted as much.

[BenLurkin]

Were there any of Cassius Clay’s championship fights which were not fixed?

[Secret Agent Man]

for’him developing parkinsons, which can occur and accelerate from blows’to the head, one could argue’his reflexes were not THAT great...

my gramps had it, and it manifested after he had a nasty spill on some’ice where he passed out for a little while.

[octex]

He didn’t do that when an amateur and Olympic boxer. He was so fast and elusive that he just whupped his opponents back then.

He turned pro and learned his opponents could KO him with one punch. That’s when he began the rope-a-dope and because of his agility and skills he actually did cause them to become arm-weary, while he was still arm-strong.

I didn’t care for his bluster, which I realized was just to hype the fight. It chapped me when he changed to a muslim name. ....He was, however, one of the greatest heavies.

My top favorites were Rocky Marciano and Sugar Ray Robinson. I believe Marciano would have taken out Cassius. Sugar Ray had hand speed that was unmatched, but he faught in a different weight class.

[DWar]

Exactly. Had Foreman punched to the body in those exchanges or backed away instead of punching himself out the result would have been different. With his power and Ali just standing against the ropes He could have broken his ribs. I think Foreman won every round until the last one. Arrogant and foolish young man that day.

[DWar]

Well... I shoulda looked before I spouted off. Scorecards in rounds: Zach Clayton 4-2-1 Ali, Nourridine Adalla 3-0-4 Ali, and James Taylor 4-1-2 Ali. But I still think Foreman lost the fight more than Ali won it, by not punching to the body.

[pallmallman]

The rope-a-dope worked very well vs Foreman, who, I’m sure would have never made the same mistakes again...especially in his latter day incarnation.....but the rope-a-dope failed miserably vs Frazier and Norton.

[capt B]

before Ali and the anti war left took over tv, boxers would lose points for not fighting. In a “10 point must system” Ali would have lost every fight