To see an unconscious, limp body crash to the canvass is a disturbing sight. The action that causes it is a beautiful study in motion.
In delivering a blow, a boxer fighting in the orthodox stance, places the left foot firmly in front. The right foot is raised at the heel, placing pressure on the ball of the foot, the fighter pushes through the hips. As the muscles of the abdomen tense, the core swiftly twists the torso to launch an extending arm, on the end of which are clenched fingers forming a fist, much as the field athlete launches a javelin. Unlike the field athlete, whose target is a position farther down field that his opponent, the boxers target is his opponent’s head.
On the 25th of February, 1964 Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston to become the youngest boxer ever to take a title from a reigning heavyweight champion. In the rematch with Liston, which was held in May 1965 then Mohammad Ali, who had publicly converted to Islam, won by knockout in the first minute of the first round as a result of what came to be called the "phantom punch."
Ushuaia was Ali and I was Sonny Liston. Ushuaia delivered to me the “phantom punch.” 1000 km north of Ushuaia is the small city of El Calafate. A short distance from the city is the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Glacier and I have been in an entirely different contest.
On the 6th of February, 1967 Mohammad Ali was to defend his title against Ernie Terrell. In the pre match press conference Terrell refused to acknowledge Ali’s conversion to Islam and continued to call him Cassius Clay. Ali vowed to punish him.
And punish him he did.
Then a glimpse. No it couldn’t be. The punches start to rain down. Water is supposed to move. Is it a torrent frozen in time. If I blink will it return to a ragging torrent and wash me away. Whack. ‘What’s my name…’ I don’t know how much more I can stand of this. Whack. Ship sized chunks crash into the water below. A slow grinding creak. Something has got to give.
Faced with something of this magnitude the only response is to submit to what is greater. His name is Ali and this is Perito Moreno Glacier.
In delivering a blow, a boxer fighting in the orthodox stance, places the left foot firmly in front. The right foot is raised at the heel, placing pressure on the ball of the foot, the fighter pushes through the hips. As the muscles of the abdomen tense, the core swiftly twists the torso to launch an extending arm, on the end of which are clenched fingers forming a fist, much as the field athlete launches a javelin. Unlike the field athlete, whose target is a position farther down field that his opponent, the boxers target is his opponent’s head.
On the 25th of February, 1964 Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston to become the youngest boxer ever to take a title from a reigning heavyweight champion. In the rematch with Liston, which was held in May 1965 then Mohammad Ali, who had publicly converted to Islam, won by knockout in the first minute of the first round as a result of what came to be called the "phantom punch."
Ushuaia was Ali and I was Sonny Liston. Ushuaia delivered to me the “phantom punch.” 1000 km north of Ushuaia is the small city of El Calafate. A short distance from the city is the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Glacier and I have been in an entirely different contest.
On the 6th of February, 1967 Mohammad Ali was to defend his title against Ernie Terrell. In the pre match press conference Terrell refused to acknowledge Ali’s conversion to Islam and continued to call him Cassius Clay. Ali vowed to punish him.
And punish him he did.
“During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's my name?" Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 rounds on two judges' scorecards, but Ali did not knock him out. Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel's "Ali Rap" special, speculated that the fight continued only because Ali wanted to thoroughly punish and humiliate Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, "It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a barbarous display of cruelty." When asked about this during a replay of the fight on ABC's popular "Wide World of Sports" by host Howard Cosell, Ali said he was not unduly cruel to Terrell- that boxers are paid to punch all their opponents into submission or defeat. He pointed out that if he had not hit and hurt Terrell, Terrell would have hit and hurt him, which is standard practice.”The road from El Calafate stretches out on a wide treeless plain. On one side sits Lago Argentino, a tranquil body of water that was once the frozen Glacier that would shortly batter me senseless. On the other side of the plain, a high snow capped mountain range. The drive to Perito Moreno is just like Ali toying with Terrell. The lake calms you, the vastness of the mountain range draws away your focus. Two condors riding the currents, something is going to happen.
Then a glimpse. No it couldn’t be. The punches start to rain down. Water is supposed to move. Is it a torrent frozen in time. If I blink will it return to a ragging torrent and wash me away. Whack. ‘What’s my name…’ I don’t know how much more I can stand of this. Whack. Ship sized chunks crash into the water below. A slow grinding creak. Something has got to give.
Faced with something of this magnitude the only response is to submit to what is greater. His name is Ali and this is Perito Moreno Glacier.
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