The History of the Heavyweight Championship

Yahoo Sport UK

Join legendary boxing journalist Steve "Buncey" Bunce as he unpacks the History of the Heavyweight Championship – one decade at a time, one year per episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  1. Episode 1 - 1970

    EPISODE 1

    Episode 1 - 1970

    At the start of 1970 Muhammad Ali was still in boxing exile, Joe Frazier was heavyweight champion of the world and he shared that title with a nice guy named Jimmy Ellis. The Heavyweight Championship of the World was in turmoil: the King was gone, the two champions were getting mixed reviews, and both needed a big fight or two. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  2. Episode 2 - 1971

    EPISODE 2

    Episode 2 - 1971

    Joe Frazier was the unbeaten World Heavyweight Champion and Muhammad Ali was the unbeaten former World Heavyweight Champion. It was a unique fight, the world of sport demanded it – the boxing world needed it. The two boxers would make a guarantee of $2.5 million each. Never had a purse in the old game been anywhere near that excessive total. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  3. Episode 3 - 1972

    EPISODE 3

    Episode 3 - 1972

    Frazier had vanished. In 1971, he had beaten Muhammad Ali in the Fight of the Century: dropping the former champion in the 15th and final round to confirm the win. It was a truly great night, a magical fight in Madison Square Garden in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,000 and a watching world. But where was he now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  4. Episode 4 – 1973

    EPISODE 4

    Episode 4 – 1973

    It was called the Sunshine Showdown and it took place in January 1973 at the National Stadium in Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica. 36,000 people came out for the massacre – nobody in the fight game could believe what they saw in the ring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  5. Episode 5 - 1974

    EPISODE 5

    Episode 5 - 1974

    It was a year of quite ridiculous extremes in fights for the heavyweight championship of the world – there were exotic stops in Venezuela and Zaire – and the world watched a very special fight in late October, one that nobody will ever forget: the Rumble in the Jungle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  6. Episode 6 - 1975

    EPISODE 6

    Episode 6 - 1975

    What a year: Muhammad Ali was the world heavyweight champion and he made four defences. Every time he got in the ring there was a story: some mayhem, something funny, something absurd, something heartbreaking… always some drama. And there was a fight known then (and now) as The Thrilla in Manila. One that nobody will ever forget. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  7. Episode 7 – 1976

    EPISODE 7

    Episode 7 – 1976

    When 1976 started, there had been murmurs of discontent about Muhammad Ali. People were talking about him quitting, men and women in the Ali business and onlookers had the same opinion: the end was surely getting closer. Ali would have to soon leave the sport he owned. Or that was the thinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  8. Episode 8 - 1977

    EPISODE 8

    Episode 8 - 1977

    1977 was a year of more demons, epiphanies, more decay, more denial, so many crazy fights and nights. Muhammad Ali was still the champion, he made two defences but men in high boxing places were plotting his end: scheming to put in place a multi-title future that would forever dilute the heavyweight championship of the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  9. Episode 9 - 1978

    EPISODE 9

    Episode 9 - 1978

    In 1978 the heavyweight boxing landscape changed forever. The old, the young, the obscure, the fatal dreamers and the relentless schemers all came together to make it unforgettable. The rumours from 1977 were true: Muhammad Ali would defend his world heavyweight championship against Leon Spinks: a man who had won just six of his seven fights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  10. Episode 10 - 1979

    EPISODE 10

    Episode 10 - 1979

    It was the first year since 1959 that neither Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier or George Foreman had stepped into the professional boxing ring. Officially, Ali was still the WBA heavyweight champion in January of the year – he had won that piece of jewellery when he performed his last act of boxing magic to bamboozled Leon Spinks and get revenge the previous September. Ali had the belt, one of the two available, but nobody expected to see him back in a ring – any ring – anytime soon. His boxing life had drained him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
See All Season 2 (10)

4.9
out of 5
147 Ratings

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Join legendary boxing journalist Steve "Buncey" Bunce as he unpacks the History of the Heavyweight Championship – one decade at a time, one year per episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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