Monday, March 08, 2010

Leroy Neiman the DEFINITIVE MUHAMMAD ALI ARTIST


Neiman's bold color style captured all the emotion, vitality, and excitement of boxing, and he was the only artist I felt whose style truly captured the essence of Ali. If I was a painter I'd want to paint like Neiman.

See more of Neimans work here
http://www.alicenter.org/visit/ExhibitsGalleries/Pages/LeRoyNeimanGallery.aspx

http://www.alicenter.org/visit/ExhibitsGalleries/Pages/LeRoyNeimanGallery.aspx


http://www.leroyneiman.com/merchant.ihtml?pid=143&lastcatid=14&step=4


Ali Vs Frazier MARCH 8th 1971... looking back






For those of us who lucky enough to be alive back then to see this we got an opportunity to see something you dont see too much of today.CHAMPIONS who fought with heart, who fought with dignity, and who inspired us to be better than we were. Joe handed Ali his first lost in this closely fought fight, hitting him with a crushing left hook in the 15th round, that Ali claims in his autobiography, "The Greatest" was "timed to perfection". That punch dropped Ali to the canvis and swelled his jaw/cheek area to the size of a grapefruit.

This fight was about styles, and on THIS night, Joes unrelentingly , aggressive forward pressure cooker style caught up with Ali in that historic 15th round.

I recall seeing a sports commentary show where the video editor cleverly synched Elton John's song, "DONT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME" with film footage of Ali being struck by Joes Left Hook. Whenever I hear that particular Elton John Song I always think of this fight.