The late great Muhammad Ali should be sympathized with across the globe, according to UFC color-caller, Joe Rogan — after missing out on his prime years for a host of reasons.
Ali, one of the most decorated combat sports stars of all time, is revered as likely the greatest heavyweight boxer to ever lace up a pair of gloves.
Winning the undisputed crown in 1974, Ali would hold the crown for a staggering four whole years — and has gone down as one of the most recognizable icons in the history of mankind. Last competing back in 1981, the great one would retire boasting a 56-6 professional boxing record, before his sad passing back in 2016.
However, known for lending his voice to social causes, the heavyweight boxer, at the peak of his powers, refused to serve for the United States in the war with Vietnam. As a result, his boxing licence was revoked and Ali had to miss three years of his career between 1967 to 1970. And according to Rogan, it was this 3-year expulsion that shortened his career as well.
“The really terrible thing is Muhammad Ali’s best years were taken from him,” Rogan said on his podcast this week.
“Because if you go to 1967, I’ve talked about this numerous times on the podcast when he fought Cleveland ‘Big Cat’ Williams. Yeah. That fight was one of the most extraordinary performances of any heavyweight ever,” the UFC commentator recalled.
“…The Ali of three years later was a completely different fighter,” Rogan added, noting that “Unfortunately, physically he didn’t look the same ’cause he didn’t train for three years. He didn’t do anything. And he lost everything.”
According to the JRE podcast host, despite all these obstacles, he was still one of the best and was able to beat fighters like Joe Lewis and the legendary George Foreman. However, the three-year absence, Rogan believes, took away from his natural abilities.
“He didn’t move the same way. He didn’t have the same physical build. He didn’t look as good. He lost three solid years in his prime of training,” he noted.
A massive fan of Ali, Rogan detailed recently, too, how the late pugilist fought like no other fighter in his prime. And even in today’s era.
Tyson was better, boldly claims Rogan
A massive fan of professional boxing — notably of the careers of both Roberto Duran and Pernell Whitaker, Rogan recently gushed over the performative career of the Louisville puncher.
“He (Ali) was a heavyweight that moved around like a middleweight and on top of that, he could fight his f**king a** off,” noted Rogan, speaking over a clip of Ali in action.
“Every now and then as a fight fan I like to cue up his 1966 KO victory over Cleveland ‘Big Cat’ Williams and become reminded of how special he truly was,” said Rogan in the social media post.
Controversially, however, Rogan believes that had Mike Tyson and Ali fought in the same era, ‘Iron Mike’ could have gotten the best of the ‘People’s Champion’.
“When I look at fighters, I try to look at them like when they were white hot, just burning hot at the highest level that they could achieve. I feel that, as great as Muhammad Ali was, I don’t see him surviving against Tyson at his best,” Rogan claimed.
