Everyone knows Frazier put Ali on his back in the 15th round. It was also my understanding that Ali went down in the 11th. I reviewed the footage, and to be sure, he left his feet.
Not sure whether or not this was registered as an “official” knockdown. I’m not any kind of boxing expert. Never fought myself, and only tune in to see the really big matches. Obviously, if a fighter slips or is tripped up, it shouldn’t count. After scanning the internet, I see the 11th round incident is usually referred to as a “slip” or a “stagger”.
Again, I don’t mean to beat up on Ali (Frazier did plenty enough of that for both of us). All I’m saying is when you look at the fights that made him a legend, he comes off as all too human. The Liston fight was one of the most bizzare sports events of the century, the Foreman fight was less brilliant strategy than shrewd trick and lucky timing, and Frazier lost by the thinnest of possible margins in Manilla.
I just viewed the 11th round again and from the footage I watched I did not see Ali leave his feet at any point or way. he did get staggered but nothing severe enough that meets any of the 4 criteria of what is required for the in ring ref to rule a knockdown as it happens (or the 2 ringside judges to add a knockdown determination to the official fight statistics after reviewing the fight later like they have been known to do, rare but it has happened)in a heavyweight professional title fight. Clay/Ali goes into the final books being officially being knocked down once in Ali/Frazier 1 and 3 other times in his pro career. Ali/Frazier 1, ‘the fight of the century’ lived up to the hype and things damn near stopped the evening of the fight. no TV, no radio (other than a ‘round summary’ following each round, how I got it) or by a theater, closed circuit transmission. long time ago huh? good to talk boxing with someone again, I have followed it extremely close since I was kid but I haven’t found very many boxing fans left lately, the younger ones seem to have gone for the mixed martial arts styles and I guess there are not enough older ones left period!