Boxing morphs into pro wrasslin'

[werewolf]

Boxing morphs into pro wrasslin'. All it needs now is folding chairs and masks and Vince McMahon.

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[h=1]Klitschko-Briggs a possibility[/h]Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko may face nemesis Shannon Briggs in his next fight. “I want what the fans want, also Briggs,â€￾ stated Klitschko. In a poll by German media giant BILD, 72% of respondents stated they want to see Klitschko face Briggs and Wlad’s manager Bernd Bönte told RTL that Klitschko-Briggs “isn’t entirely excluded.â€￾
The 42-year-old Briggs, who is currently rated WBA #7, has been stalking the Klitschko around the globe, twice confronting him in the gym, at press conferences, at a restaurant and even on the open sea, generating millions of views on YouTube in the process. Last week in Germany Briggs disrupted Wladimir’s press training, but was prevented by security from direct contact with the champ.

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[white is right]

Boxing morphs into pro wrasslin'. All it needs now is folding chairs and masks and Vince McMahon.

​

Klitschko-Briggs a possibility

Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko may face nemesis Shannon Briggs in his next fight. “I want what the fans want, also Briggs,” stated Klitschko. In a poll by German media giant BILD, 72% of respondents stated they want to see Klitschko face Briggs and Wlad’s manager Bernd Bönte told RTL that Klitschko-Briggs “isn’t entirely excluded.”
The 42-year-old Briggs, who is currently rated WBA #7, has been stalking the Klitschko around the globe, twice confronting him in the gym, at press conferences, at a restaurant and even on the open sea, generating millions of views on YouTube in the process. Last week in Germany Briggs disrupted Wladimir’s press training, but was prevented by security from direct contact with the champ.

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Boxing has always followed wrestling in terms of interviews since Cassius Clay met Gorgeous George. Ali noticed that George always got headlines when he hit a town for the week and the local press followed him around like was a pied piper. After that Ali became a total extrovert to the point of insanity less a few classic lines about Cosell needing Viagara and his hair piece falling off during a staged brawl with Frazier. Ali's stalking of Liston probably drove their initial fight off of network television to close circuit venues because of his antics. 50 years ago when they fought initially he was a 7 to 1 underdog. Here is a story about George https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-b58yx0Cu0.....

PS Does Let's go champ mean, Obama my daddy needs a raise in his section 8 housing allowance? The whole Briggs clan was in on this one...http://instagram.com/p/vg6GLpjFoA/?modal=true

 

[a5308860]

Boxing morphs into pro wrasslin'. All it needs now is folding chairs and masks and Vince McMahon.

​

Klitschko-Briggs a possibility

Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko may face nemesis Shannon Briggs in his next fight. “I want what the fans want, also Briggs,â€￾ stated Klitschko. In a poll by German media giant BILD, 72% of respondents stated they want to see Klitschko face Briggs and Wlad’s manager Bernd Bönte told RTL that Klitschko-Briggs “isn’t entirely excluded.â€￾
The 42-year-old Briggs, who is currently rated WBA #7, has been stalking the Klitschko around the globe, twice confronting him in the gym, at press conferences, at a restaurant and even on the open sea, generating millions of views on YouTube in the process. Last week in Germany Briggs disrupted Wladimir’s press training, but was prevented by security from direct contact with the champ.

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Really a shame if it happens. Who cares if Wlad knocks this loud mouth out? Briggs will still get paid and that's what he wants. I thought Haye getting a fight after doing absolutely nothing to earn a shot other than mouthing off was bad, this is much worse. Haye was still young and in his prime. If this fight happens, it gives Wlad's detractors more opportunity to complain about his quality of opponents.

 

[werewolf]

[/LEFT]
Really a shame if it happens. Who cares if Wlad knocks this loud mouth out? Briggs will still get paid and that's what he wants. I thought Haye getting a fight after doing absolutely nothing to earn a shot other than mouthing off was bad, this is much worse. Haye was still young and in his prime. If this fight happens, it gives Wlad's detractors more opportunity to complain about his quality of opponents.

Absolutely, and it will also give credence to the allegations that all those confrontations with the black nutbag were staged.

 

[werewolf]

Boxing has always followed wrestling in terms of interviews since Cassius Clay met Gorgeous George. Ali noticed that George always got headlines when he hit a town for the week and the local press followed him around like was a pied piper. After that Ali became a total extrovert to the point of insanity less a few classic lines about Cosell needing Viagara and his hair piece falling off during a staged brawl with Frazier. Ali's stalking of Liston probably drove their initial fight off of network television to close circuit venues because of his antics. 50 years ago when they fought initially he was a 7 to 1 underdog. Here is a story about George https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-b58yx0Cu0.....

PS Does Let's go champ mean, Obama my daddy needs a raise in his section 8 housing allowance? The whole Briggs clan was in on this one...http://instagram.com/p/vg6GLpjFoA/?modal=true

Did Clay actually meet the gorgeous one? I knew that he got his ideas about showboating from him. GG was one of the biggest things in the early days of television. His goofy homo act cracks me up.

 

[white is right]

Did Clay actually meet the gorgeous one? I knew that he got his ideas about showboating from him. GG was one of the biggest things in the early days of television. His goofy homo act cracks me up.

Yes supposedly George was up first and leaving the studio or vice versa and they had a conversation about getting the fans to hate you enough that they want to attend the match to see you get killed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdS4BiQ1yroIn more recent times Adrian Adonis did the Gorgeous George act and had a wrestling promo called the Flower Shop....

 

[BoxingSpecialist2]

I agree with were wolf's sentiments. No way has Briggs earned a title shot. I believe Briggs is currently on a comeback and has won a few fights in a row however (against absolute taxi drivers).

That being said, I still would kind of like to see the fight. Briggs does have very good power, but he's also very slow and inactive. Wlad would probably finish within the first 4 rounds.

Id kind of like to see the fight to be honest lol. I guess I just bought into the "pre fight hype" lol. Come on after their confrontations how could the fight not happen?

Ps) Doubt the fight happens.

Pps) Briggs is better than anyone Blackstar Deontaye Wilder has faced. In fact I think Briggs could give Blackstar some issues.

 

[werewolf]

Wladimir would just use Briggs as a heavy bag, and it would make a mockery of boxing and the guys who are legitimate contenders and waiting in line, like Tyson Fury, for instance, who fights in nine days.

Yeah, WIR, I remember seeing Adorable Adrian and his flower shop. What an embarrassment. It was Ricky Starr, tho, who picked up the next wrasslin' homo act after Gorgeous retired, back in the 50's. Ricky Starr was pretty interesting, a genuine skilled amateur wrestler, and a real ballet dancer too. I don't know if he was an actual homo. Gorgeous George wasn't. Starr just passed away at the age of 83 in England where he had been living for many years.

http://http://www.wrestlinginc.com/...557/wrestling-legend-ricki-starr-passes-away/

 

[whiteathlete33]

I will be upset with Wlad if he fights this fool. Why give in to this negro buffoonery? It's obvious Briggs is a bum and well past his prime. He just wants a nice payday and if Wlad gives in, then he is a fool. Vitali almost killed the moron, now he wants more?

Everytime one of these negroes makes a scene, they get a big fight. If the German fans really want to see this fight, then maybe they aren't very bright after all.

 

[BoxingSpecialist2]

I absolutely agree that Briggs has not earned a shot at the title.

That being said, boxing is structured in a way where a champion has to make mandatory defenses - which Wlad just fulfilled by KOing his mandatory Pulev - but he is also granted voluntary defenses against an opponent of his choosing (provided the opponent is OK'd by the sanctioning bodies, usually means he needs a decent ranking within said bodies). Typically, the "opponent of his choosing" will be the opponent who would command the most public interest, most money, or has some sort of grudge with the champion.

I think Klitschko-Briggs would make for an entertaining fight while it lasts. It would be fun to watch, just imagine the weighin lol. And after their confrontations, it might be a good for the casual boxing fans that this fight happens.

Besides, it's not like Wladimir has many other options, consider the Top-10 at HW according to Boxrec;

2 - Povetkin (already beaten by Wlad)
3 - Pulev (already beaten by Wlad)
4 - Stiverne (unavailable till Summer 2015 or later)
5 - Glazkov
6 - Chisora (fight VS Fury very soon)
7 - Jennings
8 - Solis (recently lost to Tony Thompson, a Wlad KO victim, fight makes no sense)
9 - Wilder (unavailable till Summer 2015 or later)
10 - Hammer (is inexperienced and has little power, would be a huge mismatch VS Wlad, fight makes no sense)

Wlad's manager Bernd Boente has discussed Bryant Jennings, Shannon Briggs, and Fury-Chisora winner as possible next opponents. Honestly, Jennings would get destroyed and he doesnt bring anything to the table more than Briggs in fact Jennings brings less because atleast Briggs had a famous name at one point.

Tyson Fury is a credible title challenger at heavyweight, and I'm a huge fan of him, but quite frankly I'm not even sure that Fury wants the fight. He's called Wlad out in the past but when push comes to shove he doesnt seem to want the fight. He may instead wish to target Stiverne/Wilder winner. I dont know.

There's also been some talk of Bosniak Muamer Hukic (Marco Huck) coming up to heavyweight and fighting Wlad, but I think it's all talk at this point and Huck would be facing a huge size disadvantage. I have to admit it would be an interesting fight though...

As a final point, Briggs will not make that much for the fight. He'll get a generous 1Mill or so (typical of all Wlad opponents) while Wlad will do the lion's share 10Mill or so. The purse split would be 90-10, maybe even 95-5.

 

[white is right]

Wladimir would just use Briggs as a heavy bag, and it would make a mockery of boxing and the guys who are legitimate contenders and waiting in line, like Tyson Fury, for instance, who fights in nine days.

Yeah, WIR, I remember seeing Adorable Adrian and his flower shop. What an embarrassment. It was Ricky Starr, tho, who picked up the next wrasslin' homo act after Gorgeous retired, back in the 50's. Ricky Starr was pretty interesting, a genuine skilled amateur wrestler, and a real ballet dancer too. I don't know if he was an actual homo. Gorgeous George wasn't. Starr just passed away at the age of 83 in England where he had been living for many years.

http://http://www.wrestlinginc.com/...557/wrestling-legend-ricki-starr-passes-away/

Yes Ricky Starr did real pirouttes. Yes he was very fit and athletic. In another life he could have been skilled wide receiver. I recall a few football players doing ballet in the off season for body control. Of course with closeted football players that could have been just a ruse for a beard.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdpXCGC


Ps the Gorgeous one had James Brown copy his hairstyle and years later our favorite mob rat copied the dandy hairstyle. The world really follows in circles.....

 

[whiteathlete33]

I absolutely agree that Briggs has not earned a shot at the title.

That being said, boxing is structured in a way where a champion has to make mandatory defenses - which Wlad just fulfilled by KOing his mandatory Pulev - but he is also granted voluntary defenses against an opponent of his choosing (provided the opponent is OK'd by the sanctioning bodies, usually means he needs a decent ranking within said bodies). Typically, the "opponent of his choosing" will be the opponent who would command the most public interest, most money, or has some sort of grudge with the champion.

I think Klitschko-Briggs would make for an entertaining fight while it lasts. It would be fun to watch, just imagine the weighin lol. And after their confrontations, it might be a good for the casual boxing fans that this fight happens.

Besides, it's not like Wladimir has many other options, consider the Top-10 at HW according to Boxrec;

2 - Povetkin (already beaten by Wlad)
3 - Pulev (already beaten by Wlad)
4 - Stiverne (unavailable till Summer 2015 or later)
5 - Glazkov
6 - Chisora (fight VS Fury very soon)
7 - Jennings
8 - Solis (recently lost to Tony Thompson, a Wlad KO victim, fight makes no sense)
9 - Wilder (unavailable till Summer 2015 or later)
10 - Hammer (is inexperienced and has little power, would be a huge mismatch VS Wlad, fight makes no sense)

Wlad's manager Bernd Boente has discussed Bryant Jennings, Shannon Briggs, and Fury-Chisora winner as possible next opponents. Honestly, Jennings would get destroyed and he doesnt bring anything to the table more than Briggs in fact Jennings brings less because atleast Briggs had a famous name at one point.

Tyson Fury is a credible title challenger at heavyweight, and I'm a huge fan of him, but quite frankly I'm not even sure that Fury wants the fight. He's called Wlad out in the past but when push comes to shove he doesnt seem to want the fight. He may instead wish to target Stiverne/Wilder winner. I dont know.

There's also been some talk of Bosniak Muamer Hukic (Marco Huck) coming up to heavyweight and fighting Wlad, but I think it's all talk at this point and Huck would be facing a huge size disadvantage. I have to admit it would be an interesting fight though...

As a final point, Briggs will not make that much for the fight. He'll get a generous 1Mill or so (typical of all Wlad opponents) while Wlad will do the lion's share 10Mill or so. The purse split would be 90-10, maybe even 95-5.

Huck would certainly be at a disadvantage size wise, but he is one of the most technically and athletically gifted fighters out there.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

werewolf, if Vince McMahon were involved it would be called "sports entertainment" instead of "pro wrasslin'." He can't stand the term wrasslin' or wrestling. He even goes so far as to call his talent "sports entertainers" now. What a sad joke. At any rate, your point is well taken. Klitschko doesn't need to do this.

 

[werewolf]

werewolf, if Vince McMahon were involved it would be called "sports entertainment" instead of "pro wrasslin'." He can't stand the term wrasslin' or wrestling. He even goes so far as to call his talent "sports entertainers" now. What a sad joke. At any rate, your point is well taken. Klitschko doesn't need to do this.

Yeah, I know. I think there's legal reasons for that too, since it's scripted and not really a sport contest. A lot of boxing matches I've seen should be in that category too.

WIR - Yeah, Ricky was laying it on thick there. Interesting how wrestlers were pretty normal sized guys back then, and not soaked with steroids. They billed him as 190 lbs., and he may have actually been in the 180's. Gorgeous George was only 5'9".

 

[werewolf]

[h=1]Klitschko-Briggs next if Klitschko-Jennings don’t reach agreement[/h]
http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/klitschko-briggs-next-klitschko-jennings-dont-reach-agreement-271980

 

[white is right]

Klitschko-Briggs next if Klitschko-Jennings don’t reach agreement


http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/klitschko-briggs-next-klitschko-jennings-dont-reach-agreement-271980

It's totally alarming and now obvious that Wlad and his team aided Briggs to some point. Briggs has done nothing but steal from the Clay campaign to fight Liston and the Foreman campaign to fight Tyson/Holyfield. At least Foreman beat Cooney and a paper ranked contender in Mulatto Adilson Rodriguez. I think Briggs has a hidden manager named Tom Vhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnda41lj6gou...:frusty:

Ps I was trying to think of a White heavyweight campaigning for a title shot and I all I could come up with was George Chuvalo chasing down Ali/Clay. Chuvalo dressed up as a little red riding hood clone (a play on Clay calling him the washerwoman) and he put on female voice and asked the media if Cautious Clay would give him a title shot. I also recall his shot against Clay was a last second one when Terrell was injured and they quickly staged the fight in Maple Leaf Gardens. I guess this campaign by Briggs has more historical parallels than I thought....

 

[werewolf]

It's totally alarming and now obvious that Wlad and his team aided Briggs to some point. Briggs has done nothing but steal from the Clay campaign to fight Liston and the Foreman campaign to fight Tyson/Holyfield. At least Foreman beat Cooney and a paper ranked contender in Mulatto Adilson Rodriguez. I think Briggs has a hidden manager named Tom Vhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnda41lj6gou...:frusty:

Ps I was trying to think of a White heavyweight campaigning for a title shot and I all I could come up with was George Chuvalo chasing down Ali/Clay. Chuvalo dressed up as a little red riding hood clone (a play on Clay calling him the washerwoman) and he put on female voice and asked the media if Cautious Clay would give him a title shot. I also recall his shot against Clay was a last second one when Terrell was injured and they quickly staged the fight in Maple Leaf Gardens. I guess this campaign by Briggs has more historical parallels than I thought....

I didn't know that about Chuvalo, but I knew about his tragic life...

"The biggest fight of George Chuvalo's life

George Chuvalo is the greatest Canadian Heavyweight champion of all-time. Noted for his toughness, he fought all the greats and nobody – not Joe Frazier, George Foreman or even Muhammad Ali – ever knocked him out. Outside the ring, however, life dealt Chuvalo several crushing body blows: he lost three sons to drug addiction and his wife to suicide. Yet, just like in the ring, Chuvalo has refused to go down by using his story of personal pain to help others fight drug addiction. Remarkably George Chuvalo, the People's Champion, is still standing."



http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categori...he-biggest-fight-of-george-chuvalos-life.html


My note: Not only never knocked out, but in 93 pro fights he was never even knocked down.

 

[white is right]

I didn't know that about Chuvalo, but I knew about his tragic life...

"The biggest fight of George Chuvalo's life

George Chuvalo is the greatest Canadian Heavyweight champion of all-time. Noted for his toughness, he fought all the greats and nobody – not Joe Frazier, George Foreman or even Muhammad Ali – ever knocked him out. Outside the ring, however, life dealt Chuvalo several crushing body blows: he lost three sons to drug addiction and his wife to suicide. Yet, just like in the ring, Chuvalo has refused to go down by using his story of personal pain to help others fight drug addiction. Remarkably George Chuvalo, the People's Champion, is still standing."



http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categori...he-biggest-fight-of-george-chuvalos-life.html


My note: Not only never knocked out, but in 93 pro fights he was never even knocked down.

Here's a doc on the making of Ali vs Chuvalo I. At about the 26 minute mark the movie discusses the press conference ambush by Chuvalo. They also have part of it on film. Chuvalo also mentions that the ambush seemed to be the new way of doing publicity work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O_9ANas7NQ

 

[werewolf]

Here's a doc on the making of Ali vs Chuvalo I. At about the 26 minute mark the movie discusses the press conference ambush by Chuvalo. They also have part of it on film. Chuvalo also mentions that the ambush seemed to be the new way of doing publicity work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O_9ANas7NQ

Interesting film, WIR. Thanks for posting it. I'm watching it now. Chuvalo's little "washer woman" skit wasn't really like Briggs' mean spirited attempts - scripted though they are - to get a totally unearned fight. He was trying to make Clay fulfill his agreement to fight him.

Did you see the way the referee lifted up DeJohn after Chuvalo knocked him down? It was more like a 3 Stooges gag than a real boxing match!

 

[werewolf]

I watched the whole movie, WIR. Too much about hype job Clay in it, though. Chuvalo was really slamming into his body when they fought the first time, the fight they showed. Amazing that Clay stood up to it. Aside from Clay's very many fake wins he took a lot of punishment, this alleged "greatest", as they bill him now, and it came back to haunt him. By contrast the real greatest heavyweights, the Klitschkos, rarely even get their hair mussed. It also shows how hated Clay was back then, 50 years ago, but the USA was still a white mans country back back then. Chuvalo's comments on the fixed Liston fights were on target too.

Interesting how Marciano stiffed him. His check bounced. Well, Marciano was mixed up with the mob all along.

Chuvalo was blatantly robbed of a belt when he clearly beat Terrell and they gave Terrell the decision. He related how the referee (who voted like a judge back then) later told him that he was threatened with death if he didn't give the decision and work in favor of Terrell, who was in the mob's stable. Boxing has always been crooked.

 

[white is right]

I watched the whole movie, WIR. Too much about hype job Clay in it, though. Chuvalo was really slamming into his body when they fought the first time, the fight they showed. Amazing that Clay stood up to it. Aside from Clay's very many fake wins he took a lot of punishment, this alleged "greatest", as they bill him now, and it came back to haunt him. By contrast the real greatest heavyweights, the Klitschkos, rarely even get their hair mussed. It also shows how hated Clay was back then, 50 years ago, but the USA was still a white mans country back back then. Chuvalo's comments on the fixed Liston fights were on target too.

Interesting how Marciano stiffed him. His check bounced. Well, Marciano was mixed up with the mob all along.

Chuvalo was blatantly robbed of a belt when he clearly beat Terrell and they gave Terrell the decision. He related how the referee (who voted like a judge back then) later told him that he was threatened with death if he didn't give the decision and work in favor of Terrell, who was in the mob's stable. Boxing has always been crooked.

Yes aside from a few quick knockouts, Clay/Ali struggled much more than Wlad has done on this championship fight streak. Also Ali would be David Haye with better boxing ability but less power if he fought this version of Wlad.

Yes Terrell was based out of Chicago where Jim Norris was based out of. Norris ran the IBC which ran boxing with mob partners. Any Chicago based Black fighter that was going anywhere had a mob front man as a manager. Back in those days many Black fighters got decisions over White fighters because they were mob backed.

Ps Luftsrping was a former Canadian boxing champion who was former world contender but he never won the welterweight boxing title. Also I didn't know Terrell balked at the Ali fight because his expense cheque bounced. You would think if he was mob backed the promoters would have paid him in cash so that they wouldn't get visited by a character that looked like Lurch....:icon_mrgreen:

 

[werewolf]

Yes aside from a few quick knockouts, Clay/Ali struggled much more than Wlad has done on this championship fight streak. Also Ali would be David Haye with better boxing ability but less power if he fought this version of Wlad.

Agree. And Haye too has had fake wins - Valuev, Harrison, lots of dirty tricks in the Barrett fight too, but nothing compared to Clay's large number of obviously phony wins - Norton, Young, the two with Liston, Johnson, Foreman, Inoki, Cooper, Jones...who am I leaving off? I don't even know about his alleged wins against Chuvalo, because I just saw the highlights in that movie, and what I saw was Chuvalo blasting away at his body.

Yes Terrell was based out of Chicago where Jim Norris was based out of. Norris ran the IBC which ran boxing with mob partners. Any Chicago based Black fighter that was going anywhere had a mob front man as a manager. Back in those days many Black fighters got decisions over White fighters because they were mob backed.

So nothing's changed.

Ps Luftsrping was a former Canadian boxing champion who was former world contender but he never won the welterweight boxing title. Also I didn't know Terrell balked at the Ali fight because his expense cheque bounced. You would think if he was mob backed the promoters would have paid him in cash so that they wouldn't get visited by a character that looked like Lurch....:icon_mrgreen:

They probably got together and said f the stupid schwartze - yeah f the moolinyon!

 

[white is right]

Agree. And Haye too has had fake wins - Valuev, Harrison, lots of dirty tricks in the Barrett fight too, but nothing compared to Clay's large number of obviously phony wins - Norton, Young, the two with Liston, Johnson, Foreman, Inoki, Cooper, Jones...who am I leaving off? I don't even know about his alleged wins against Chuvalo, because I just saw the highlights in that movie, and what I saw was Chuvalo blasting away at his body.

So nothing's changed.

They probably got together and said f the stupid schwartze - yeah f the moolinyon!

The other day Antonio the Magic Man Tarver won a comeback fight off of Johnathan Banks ie Mini Me for Wlad (or his trainer). Tarver while looking like he trained on beer and chicken wings called out Klitschko. Could we just sanction an official retirement match between Roider Briggs and Tarver. Loser hits the bar stool for life.

By the way I too put hot sauce on my chips....:tape2:http://instagram.com/p/wZs6BiDFkt/?modal=true

 

[white is right]

The other day Antonio the Magic Man Tarver won a comeback fight off of Johnathan Banks ie Mini Me for Wlad (or his trainer). Tarver while looking like he trained on beer and chicken wings called out Klitschko. Could we just sanction an official retirement match between Roider Briggs and Tarver. Loser hits the bar stool for life.

By the way I too put hot sauce on my chips....:tape2:http://instagram.com/p/wZs6BiDFkt/?modal=true

Speak of the Devil. A week after we had this conversation about Ali vs Chuvalo I, one of the main background characters dies. Terrell didn't end up penniless like most Black fighters that had mob stooge managers. He was able to avoid the fate of Beau Jack and others, he actually was a local promoter in the Chicago area for years and was involved in other business ventures. It still amazes me that Chuvalo who on the surface took worse beatings than contemporaries like Terrell, Frazier, Ellis and Ali has avoided relatively young death and infirmities like Ali. Anyway RIP and here's a story about his boxing career.......http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/...t-titleholder-ernie-terrell-passes-away-at-75

 

[werewolf]

The Chuvalo movie I just watched was made almost twenty years ago. In it was a film clip of Terrell getting interviewed. He appeared to be in good shape then, perfectly articulate. Well, time passes. Big George is still going strong, though, as far as I know.