New Movie / FACING ALI

CobraEd · #1 (**permalink**) 02-21-2010, 07:37 PM

Guys, If you are a baby boomer and always loved the glory days of heavyweight boxing like I do, you have got to see this movie "Facing Ali".

Watch the little video:
http://www.facingalimovie.com/

I have watched this movie 4 times in three days. Absolutely incredible. I am told you can get it on Netflix to rent and see too. I just ordered it from Amazon to have. It is more of a documentary than a movie with a plot.

Terriffic inside interviews with George Foreman, Earnie Shavers, Larry Holms, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton Joe Frazier, George Chuvalo, Leon Spinks and others. It was as much about all of these guys as it was about Ali.

This movie is the best I have ever seen on boxing period!!!

It was very moving to hear comments from the guys at the end. Even though these guys were the baddest MFs on the planet, they are regular guys, . . . good guys. It moved me to hear Earnie Shavers say "Even though Ali doesnt feel bad about what happened to him, we do because we are the guys who fought him". Larry Holms talked about in his championship fight with Ali, how he was reluctant to hit Ali in the body because years earlier when he was Ali's sparing partner, he would see Ali in the mens room urinating blood as a result of kidney damage. Holmes said "I didn't want to do that to him"! Smokin Joe Fraziers eyes welled up when he spoke of Ali and he had to wipe tears away to continue, he spoke of how you have to walk "straight" in life. Ron Lyle, a guy who was in prison for murder when he was a kid spoke about the love Ali had for everyone. We think of these guys as the baddest dudes on the planet and on top of the world, but when you see them here, now, you realize they are just regular guys like us, . . . . good guys.

Great fight footage, incredible interviews and interesting inside information that you would never know.

If you liked heavyweight boxing during the glory years of the sport, this is the one to see!!! **FACING ALI**

.

twobjshelbys · #2 (**permalink**) 02-21-2010, 09:22 PM

Ali *is* the greatest. I've seen some of the reruns of his fights on the sports channels "in the background". I got smacked once because I was watching Ali and not the people I was with.

Ron61 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-22-2010, 05:39 AM

He is a great favorite of mine and I will try to get the movie. Thanks for the information.

Ron

Dan40 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-22-2010, 09:57 AM

It was on TV and I TIVO'd it.
Many years ago, a bunch of us were in a bar, over imbibing, and talking fights. WE talked about the punishment George Chuvalo took. Someone asked if he had ever been knocked out. We didn't know. The booze soaked idea was to call him and ask him! We did! Got him on the phone. [Operators were fabulous back in the day] Asked had he ever been knocked out and by whom. "Never been knocked DOWN!' was his answer.

CobraEd · #5 (**permalink**) 02-22-2010, 10:04 AM

Chuvalo has had a really sad life after boxing. He hangs in there though. Think you got it tough, . . . . read this.

From Wikipidia:

"Personal life
Chuvalo lost three sons, Jesse Chuvalo in 1985 to suicide, Georgie Lee Chuvalo in 1993 to a drug overdose and Steven Louis Chuvalo in 1994 to drug overdose. He lost his wife to suicide after the second son died. His remaining son, Mitch, became a teacher at University of Toronto Schools and married a woman, Ivania from El Salvador with whom he is raising 2 boys, Aaron and Elijah. His daughter Vanessa has two girls, Adelayde and Michaella.

.

twobjshelbys · #6 (**permalink**) 02-22-2010, 10:38 AM

I listen to 70's oldies (The original KOOL from Phoenix is on now) and this song just came on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIZSxU3BPp0

The sound is right and there are some good photos.

twobjshelbys · #7 (**permalink**) 02-22-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

I listen to 70's oldies (The original KOOL from Phoenix is on now) and this song just came on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIZSxU3BPp0

The sound is right and there are some good photos.

Remember Ali lighting the torch at the Atlanta Olympics? There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

CobraEd · #8 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 12:35 PM

Good article on the movie:

http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxin...they-see-love/

.

Sharroll Celby · #9 (**permalink**) 03-03-2010, 02:08 PM

Truly a great fighter. BUT, his antics after he knocked out that fighter in the early 60's where he stood over his fallen opponent instead of going to a neutral corner, pretty much started all this "showboating" by athletes since that time.