1975BOXING/WRESTLING
TORONTO 1975 GEORGE FOREMAN VS CHARLEY POLITE, BOONE KIRKMAN, TERRY DANIELS, JERRY JUDGE & ALONZO JOHNSON
Foreman in ring, apparently being heckled by MUHAMMAD ALI in the audience, ends with Ali looking amused & Foreman looking sour Ali telling boxing anecdote, Don King gives him a hug. Emcee introduces Foreman & Alonzo Johnson... Foreman swipes at one of the contenders before the fight, what a bitch. CU Ali shaking his head, Ali seems to have a tic; Ali comments on the order of the fights & laying on ropes to tire opponent, fight begins, Foreman & Alonzo literally nose to nose Foreman is trying to stare Alonzo down, Alonzo looks like he's trying not to laugh...Alonzo's shorts have a very high waist ;Ali commenting in little window a couple times...Foreman pulls Alonzo away from the ropes, Foreman knocks Alonzo down Ali is standing and shouting, Foreman knocks Alonzo down again and again, Ali's facial tic has free rein MUHAMMAD ALI is putting on his own show. says the V/O...Second fight: Foreman vs Judge, split screen during "the stare"; Judge literally grabs Foreman...a good fight but Judge is a novice & gets knocked down...Judge springs back to life ; Foreman scowling at booing audience, Ali joins in! Foreman sort of knocks Judge down- at the same time Judge is ducking a punch ;Weird exchange-looks like Foreman's complimenting Judge, then says something that sets him off, Judge shoves him away-; So Foreman punches Judge- fighting outside the bell! people separate them, Foremen struts around, a resounding 'Boo!' from audience someone chucks a beer can into ring, Foreman chucks it at Ali, Ali leads audience in cheering 'A-li, A-li, A-li!' George Foreman climbs thru ropes to rebuke Ali, Foreman standing there like a mean sweaty bear ;Daniels waiting in ring, Daniels wants no part of the stare, fight begins, this would go better if Daniels had a better reach ;Foreman knocks Daniels down...after 'commercial break' fight becomes like a dance...despite many blows, Daniels doesn't fall George Can't-Do-Anything-Right-Today Foreman calls for time out, audience roars in displeasure, Daniels is disappointed ; Nice WS ring as contestants standoff, then resume fighting outside bell, ref looks like he wouldn't mind punching someone himself George Foreman swipes at Daniel's trainer (Ali:'Wait till I get in there, I'll straighten him out!') Foreman's trainer starts punching Daniels' trainer, chaos in ring! CU Ali watching quietly Foreman realizes he has to stop this by pulling his own trainer out of the fight- not too gently either Audience cheers Daniels as he leaves the ring...split screen with Polite & Foreman Polite has a sense of humor, makes kissy faces at Foreman who's trying to stare him down... Foreman has this great expression, Fight begins... Funny V/O on how Foreman is hopping when Polite grapples with him...'What is that?...what is this new BOUNCING technique?' One of those amusing bits where the boxers seem to be dancing...feinting & flinching...Funny Polite leans against ropes and Foreman gives Ali a look, then pulls Polite away from the ropes... Foreman slows down for a few seconds while Polite is blocking timidly...Foreman starting to tire Ali in window as a tired Foreman watches Polite lean against ropes, Polite springs to life & chases Foreman into corner Foreman is winding up like a pitcher before swinging at Polite, Polite stops blocking just to shake his head at Foreman Ali pantomiming tactics for Polite, Polite trips, Polite does a 'half Ali shuffle', Polite is having fun & enraging Foreman. Foreman socks Polite in the jaw as he leans on ropes...V/O 'There's simply no shutting MUHAMMAD ALI up at this point!' ; See, Ali has been shouting a refrain of 'Play the ropes!' for almost the entire fight...Foreman knocks Polite down & across ring Polite springs right back up, no big deal...round ends, Polite shakes his head, Foreman shaking his head slowly in disgust; Final fight...Foreman v/s Kirkman, nervous Foreman swats at trainer Split screen, the stare, Foreman leans over & says 'I'm tired, man!'Foreman knocks Kirkman down & across ring; Tired boxers...somehow Kirkman looks just as tired as Foreman...opponents hug each other when final round ends, good sports Howard Cosell interviews Foreman, Foreman goes off about laying on the ropes not being a proper fighting method, explains scuffle with Judge. Foreman on Ali: "That powder-puff, low-down, good-for-nothing, loudmouth, MUHAMMAD whatever-you-call-it...". Don King grinning.