British Boxer Brian London talks about fighting Muhammad Ali & other fights with Henry Cooper & Billy Walker. Questions asked by Mark Peters. Footage supplied by Liam Galvin & Yvette Rowland
Muhammad ali vs brian london...such an amazing fight...that night Ali won, and he gave his best combo probably ever...it was so fast that london was in a daze....mad respect for brian london going up against a giant like ali.
Best combo ever? Please! Look at London's post fight "confession". He went there strictly for a pay check and as soon as he got hit he laid down and stayed down. London said it was the only time he "took a dive". It wasn't a dive in the true sense .No one paid him off. There was no motive for that. London didn't belong in the same ring as Ali. But in the sense that he didn't even try. London is quoted that "he knew Ali was stronger and faster and he couldn't beat him so he decided he wasn't going to try. He was going to make sure he didn't get hurt" You can find that on you tube. London now regrets it and says "I was wrong" Ali's greatest combo was in his greatest fight: Foreman.
What a fantastic spirit this guy is. Great, great humility. Reality is, yeah, he might not have been in the top tier of heavyweights but he was a major contender in the late 50s and early 60s. No slouch by any means.
The guy is amazing! The reason I looked him up today is because with the death of Ernie Terrell, there are so few fighters left on this plane of existence that the Great One fought in his first career. London is honest about his boxing abilities and very funny. Apparently, he is still doing well and is a fitness fanatic to this day. God Bless Him!
This is British working class humour at it's best..humility, irony, pure respect, total honesty. No back-biting, no rancour. How can we go through life retaining such nobility and decency in such a world as today's? It truly elevates Ali to have overcome such adversaries in the manner he did. Londo, like Henry Cooper was a determined opponent, giving no quarter. Pride was the thing. Brian lost none fighting Ali. That's the mark of the man!
Hopefully Mr. London's health is still good. He appears to be still strong and lucid here. So many of Ali's old opponents were in awe of his speed and skills and still spoke of his fighting abilities years later. So many of the fighters of that generation are gone. Wishing Mr. London, continued good health
When I was a kid Brian London was to me a famous boxer. I watched him fight ali and was cheering him on to win.I was gutted when he lost. But anyway he's a nice guy with a good sense of humour.
When I was a kid in Blackpool Brian London was working with road gangs to keep in shape. Other kids would rush round to say he was digging the road in the street next door.
My Mum and Dad bought the house that he lived in when he fought Ali, there's a small Gym at the back with a few hooks hanging on the ceiling, a large shower area and outside toilet and an outside toilet. They've turned it into a Laundry Room can you believe, I've asked Brian what he thinks, no comment comes the answer, but he's an absolute gentleman, besides, he know my Mum and her twin from being kids.
He loved a fight Brian, he owned a nightclub in Blackpool 007 and did have doorman but most of the time when it went off, he dealt with them and it wasn't pretty.
what a gentleman. He fought some great fighters . gave it his all .He was unlucky to fight Ali when Ali was unbeatable. Ali wasnt the same boxer second time around , but london may have landed a few more punches and lasted a few more rounds against the comeback version .
Not mentioned here . His greatest fight was a loss. He knocked out Ingemar Johansson in the tenth round but Ingo was saved by the bell.Ingo got the decision and wisely retired rather than fight Liston.
London didn't knock out Johansson. He knocked down ingo with a few seconds left in the twelth round.Ingo rose at the count of four then the bell rang. Johansson piled up points with a long left jab. The UPI scorecard had him winning the fight eleven rounds to one.
Brian was a rough, tough fighter that had a very successful career. He was Britain's Heavyweight Champ for a while, and he fought just about every big name in boxing in his career years. His last fight against Joe Bugner, who was the Heavyweight Champ of England and Europe in his career. Brian was way past his prime and some 10+years older than Bugner when this 1970 fight tok place. Brian went the distance and gave a good account of himself in this last fight of his long career. Brian went out in style and was never bitter or kept hard feelings after his career was over. Brian lost it in the Dick Richardson fight., but with much good reason. Richardson was a notorious "head-butt artist" that should have been disqualified in his fight with London and others that he did this to. I wish he had met George Chuvalo in those years. Head-butting George would not have been the dirty thing to do against this rock-of-a-man!
@@stevemoorman9481 Many thanks you are right about the last fight of Brian London. He was stopped in his last fight with Bugner. I am an old time fan of Brit Heavyweight Champs of the past and my memory was faulty. Thanks again sir!
