{"id":526,"date":"2022-09-30T22:20:42","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T22:20:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/?page_id=526"},"modified":"2022-09-30T22:20:45","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T22:20:45","slug":"muhammad-ali","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/?page_id=526","title":{"rendered":"MUHAMMAD ALI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”2_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Ali-tournament-poster.jpg” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”Ali tournament poster” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”3_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” background_color=”#000000″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

There is not a great deal to be said about Muhammad Ali that hasn’t already been said. However, outside of New Zealand, his 1979 trip to Aotearoa is not widely known.<\/span><\/p>\n

The visit was part of a reciprical arrangement between legendary Heretaunga boxing coach, Alan Scaife, and the Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Club. The Kiwi team opposed Ali’s amateurs in Reading, PA in 1978 – going down 6-2 to the Americans – Bill Byrne and Ronnie Jackson won for NZ, while George Stankovich lost a close bout (3-2) to US number 2, Tony Tubbs. The Kiwis performed well overall and a return event was organised for Lower Hutt, Wellington, for March the following year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ali, who had announced his retirement after winning the title back from Leon Spinks in September of ’78, accompanied the team of 11 amateurs and coaches, Jimmy Ellis and Chuck Bodak on the trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Kiwis (plus two guest Aussies) went down 10-1 to the visitors. Billy Byrne was the only winner; repeating his 3-2 win over Tom Georgieff.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later, Ali took part in a sparring exhibition at Silver Springs, Auckland and large crowds followed him whenever he went on walk-about.<\/span><\/p>\n

He told one group, “Half of America doesn’t know this place exists. But, like Columbus discovered America, I discovered you.”<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

Photos\/images: Top left, a poster advertising the NZ team vs Team Ali. Bottom left; Ali sparring at Silver Springs, Auckland. Bottom right; NZ Boxing historian, Dave Cameron with Ali at the Royal International Hotel, Auckland (all photos courtesy of Dave Cameron).<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_3″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Ail-in-NZ-1.jpg” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”Ail in NZ-1″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_3″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Ail-in-NZ-2.jpg” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”Ail in NZ-2″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_3″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” link_option_url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XXezU8o2RBY” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XXezU8o2RBY” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is not a great deal to be said about Muhammad Ali that hasn’t already been said. However, outside of New Zealand, his 1979 trip to Aotearoa is not widely known. The visit was part of a reciprical arrangement between legendary Heretaunga boxing coach, Alan Scaife, and the Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Club. The Kiwi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-526","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=526"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":538,"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/526\/revisions\/538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzbhof.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}