<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> It almost happened 35 years ago. During a meeting in Houston in the early spring of 1971, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, basketball standout Wilt Chamberlain and promoter Bob Arum were completing details for a proposed 15-round bout between Ali and Chamberlain that was to occur July 26, 1971, in the Astrodome. As boxing novelty acts go, this would have been a lollapalooza: Ali against the 7-1 Chamberlain, whose NBA single-game records of 100 points and 55 rebounds likely will stand forever. Ali was not averse to trying something new for a payday -- witness his "draw" with Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki on June 25, 1976, in Tokyo. Chamberlain, then 34, thought beating Ali would establish that he was the world's greatest athlete. Although he never had boxed, he was convinced his remarkable athleticism would enable him to hold his own against Ali. Cus D'Amato, who guided Floyd Patterson to the heavyweight championship, thought so, too, and he agreed to train Wilt. The dream matchup more or less evaporated on March 8, 1971, when Ali was knocked down in the 15th round of his historic first bout with reigning heavyweight champ Joe Frazier, en route to losing a unanimous decision. With Ali's loss, Chamberlain could not have fought for the title, which would have significantly reduced his purse, so he opted to extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. </div> link: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/15150849.htm
Thats interesting. I've never heard of that before. Probably could've gone done as one of the greatest fights ever. I'd put my money on Ali though, he had MUCH more experience fighting.
Never heard that before.. Yeah, I think everybody would pick Ali, becuase he had a lot more experience boxing and you can't expect someone that isn't a boxer to beat the g.o.a.t.
That's crazy, I would love to see that. Then again, I don't see it going very long... I don't care how athletic Wilt was, I would see Ali win in a landslide.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheBlackMamba:</div><div class="quote_post">That's a joke article, right? Ali would box CIRCLES around Wilt.</div> It actually isn't a joke. From what I have read, it almost went down. Here's some more info: http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=7095&more=1
Wilt had like a 10 foot reach advantage! Look at that photo. Ali couldnt even get his fist close to Wilts face!
Ali is no ordinary boxer, he uses his head as much as he uses his fist. Wilt maybe 7 feet, but Ali would have cut him down.
boxers have trained all their lives to be boxers basketball players have trained all their lives to be basketball players to think either can train hard for a few months and suddenly be elite at the other sport is ignorant and arrogant. there may be a few transcendent athletes who can play functional professionally in multiple sports, but none who can be truly one of the best ever. ali = arguably greatest of all time for boxing, wilt is up there for basketball. i say wilt would've gotten knocked out in the first round. ali would've gotten inside with his superior quickness/footspeed, and with wilt's long arms, he wouldn't be able to match ali blow for blow from close range.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise4Ever:</div><div class="quote_post">I would like to see it.....I wouldn't count Wilt out as easily as you guys are saying though.</div> Agree, I think Ali would probably win but he'd have a tough time. I've never heard of anyone remotely close to being as freakishly athletic as Wilt. He was running marathons in his 50s IIRC, he used to dunk from the free throw line instead of shooting the FTs, and he played pro volleyball after his basketball career, and he averaged over 48 minutes per game one season because he played every minute of every game and all of the overtimes as well. Ali obviously has the advantage in terms of technique, experience, etc. but it'd still be a hell of a battle trying to beat someone as athletically gifted as Wilt.
I read about it wilt was going to fight him but his father said to work on his free throws instead. Also someone said that was close to wilt muhammad ali would kill him even though wilt was the strongest man in the world. So wilt kinda backed off from the fight.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting babybulls:</div><div class="quote_post">^^shaq is a buff dude, think he'd stand a shot vs lennox lewis?</div> Shaq is more bulk than buff, wilt was buff the guy ran track and was even offered an NFL contract he wanted to play WR at 7 feet! I doubt he'd have the pure skill though.
I know Ali would most likely woulda won, but you guys are def. underestimating Wilt (for the reasons stated above).
