Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
An abstract portrait of legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali by Scoop Malinowski, uniquely composed of memories, anecdotes, interviews, personal encounters, insider stories, artwork, photos, sketches, etc. 220 pages.
BOOK EXCERPTS
Bob Foster (Ali opponent and former Light Heavyweight champion): “I was on the same card at Caesars with Muhammad Ali. He fought Jerry Quarry and I was fighting his brother Mike Quarry (billed as “The Quarry Brothers vs. The Soul Brothers”). Before the fights that night, Ali bet me $1,000 that he could stop Jerry Quarry before I could stop Mike. I said, ‘I’ll take that bet. ‘ Because I knew Ali couldn’t punch that hard. And Jerry was tough. I ended up winning the bet. I knocked Mike Quarry out with one shot. And Ali paid me too. ‘Cause he knew if he didn’t, I’d have kicked his ass, right there in Caesars Palace!”
Riddick Bowe (Former World Heavyweight champion): “Muhammad Ali is what enticed me to get into boxing. I liked his spirit and I liked his style. And I liked the way he spoke. See, what happened was, I was in junior high school – I was in eighth grade, I was 13 years old – and the reading teacher brought in a tape of Ali. And I just fell in love with Ali from that point on. I said, ‘I wanna be heavyweight champion of the world. ‘ And about ten years later it took place and it happened. My teacher, she called around a couple of gyms so I could start boxing. So we finally decided to go to Bed-Stuy Boxing Association Club. And I walked into the gym, fought in the Kid Gloves, the Golden Gloves, the Junior Olympics, and I realized in that time I could be champ. Because I did feel a certain ease, you know? A lot of guys had a lot more experience than I had but I was beatin’ up all them guys like I was there the whole time they were. “
Bernard Hopkins (Former Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion): “I met Muhammad Ali a few times. He came to Ecuador for my first title fight against Segundo Mercado. Don King brought him. He still had his sense of humor. I had goosebumps. When I started my career I never thought I’d be next to guys like that. Me and his birthdays are a few days apart, we’re both Capricorns… “
Mrs. Deanna Dempsey (Wife of former Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey): “We met Muhammad Ali in San Juan, Puerto Rico after he beat Jean-Pierre Coopman in 1976. He was young and handsome and vital and so full of life. After the fight, as he was coming down the steps from the ring, Ali spotted Jack and he said, ‘Mr. Dempsey, can I call you Jack?’ Jack said, ‘Everybody calls me Jack. ‘ Then Muhammad said, Oh Jack, you were the greatest!’ And Jack said, ‘But Muhammad, I thought you always said YOU were the greatest?’ Ali said, ‘Jack. When I say I’m the greatest, it’s all bullshit!'”
Ali Cosell painting by Scoop Malinowski
Bob Di Forio (Literary agent): I saw Muhammad Ali was in a hotel lobby in New York City in the 80s and I saw a guy run over to Ali and tell him, “My son loves you. I have him on the pay phone over there, could you please talk to him for just a little bit?” Ali went over and talked with him on the phone for ten minutes.
Butch Zurbriggen (Boxing historian/collector): Back in the 90s we went to a paid dinner/meet & greet with Muhammad Ali and Joe Namath. My 12 year old son gave Muhammad a picture of some Ali memorabilia that we wanted to donate to the Ali Center. This was actually when the Ali Center was in the planning stages. Anyway the picture of the things we wanted to donate had our phone number (land line) in case they wanted the items for the enter. The next day I get a phone call. It was Muhammad, himself. Probably the most excited I’ve ever been. He called to thank us for being a fan. We talked for about ten minutes. Said he was in his hotel room in Chicago. He asked about each of my children, like their names and ages. When we hung up there was so many things I thought of that I wanted to ask him that I didn’t think of while taking to him. But it’s a memory I remember like it was yesterday. I feel fortunate to have lived in his lifetime. I mean how many people can say that the greatest and most recognized man on the planet called my house to say hi. He loved people.”
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