Angelo Dundee dead at 90

AP via The Sacremento Bee ^ | February 1, 2012 | Tim Dahlberg

[EveningStar]

Angelo Dundee, the brilliant motivator who worked the corner for Muhammad Ali in his greatest fights and willed Sugar Ray Leonard to victory in his biggest bout, died Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. He was 90.

[EveningStar]

Wikipedia

[chopperman]

Those were the days. He was there in the middle of it. Working with two of the greatest fighters of all time. RIP

[CommerceComet]

Angelo Dundee probably saved Ali from defeat in three different fights.

After the young Cassius Clay had been floored by a Henry Cooper left hook and seriously hurt, Dundee tore open an already torn glove which forced a delay to replace it. Clay had a chance to recover and stayed clear of Cooper's left the rest of the night before stopping Cooper on cuts.

In the first Liston fight when the then-Cassius Clay got something in his eyes, couldn't see and wanted to quit, Dundee pushed his out into the ring to start the round. He recovered and went on to victory.

Not letting Ali quit after the 14th round in the Thrilla in Manila allowed time for Eddie Futch to decide that Joe Frazier had had enough and throw in the towel. If Ali had gotten his way, Joe Frazier would have won the fight by TKO instead of being the TKO loser.

RIP, Angelo. You were one of the best and will be missed.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“Not letting Ali quit after the 14th round in the Thrilla in Manila allowed time for Eddie Futch to decide that Joe Frazier had had enough and throw in the towel. If Ali had gotten his way, Joe Frazier would have won the fight by TKO instead of being the TKO loser.”

I've never heard that before. Was that from Dundee? Ali was pummeling Frazier late in that fight, and Frazier's eyes were nearly shut from the swelling.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[fortheDeclaration]

Don’t forget his work with George Foremen.

[johngrace]

My Brother Got tickets for the 1996 olympic boxing events in Altanta. While we were walking with a big crowd we bumped into Angelo at the traffic light. My brother noticed him. He was a perfect gentlemen. He talked a little about scouting for talent too. I was very impressed. No airs.

Rest In Peace.

[CommerceComet]

Was that from Dundee?

No. Ferdie Pacheo is the source of that story. Pacheo stated that Ali was totally spent, utterly exhausted. He punched himself out in the 14th going for a knockout which didn't come. If you remember when the Ali corner realized that Frazier wasn't going to answer the bell, Ali stood up and raised his arm in victory and immediately plopped back down on his stool, too tired to even celebrate.

Ali took a ferocious beating in the middle rounds of that fight. Pacheco said that Ali was never the same physically after that fight. Pacheo stated that he wanted Ali to go to the hospital due to extreme dehydration but Ali refused, so Pacheo spent the night in Ali's hotel room hooking up IVs to try to get Ali's body systems back to normal. Rumor has it that Joe Frazier took a nap and then went partying.