Muhammad Ali vs. Buster Mathis

Muhammad Ali vs. Buster Mathis
Date	November 17, 1971
Venue	Astrodome, Houston, Texas
Title(s) on the line	NABF heavyweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer
Boxer	Muhammad Ali
Nickname	"The Greatest"
Hometown	Louisville, Kentucky
Purse	$300,000
Pre-fight record	32–1 (26 KO)
Age	29 years, 10 months
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	227 lb (103 kg)
Style	Orthodox
Recognition	NABF heavyweight champion; Former undisputed heavyweight champion
Result
	Ali won via 12th round UD

Muhammad Ali vs. Buster Mathis was a professional boxing match contested on November 17, 1971, for the NABF championship.

Background

Ali joked before the fight that "I'm going to do to Buster what the Indians did to Custer". One of the fight posters promoting the match said "Be there when the Mountain comes to Muhammad".^[1]^[2]

The fight

Ali dominated the fight throughout and won easily on points. Ali knocked Mathis down twice in the eleventh round and twice again in the final round but refused to move in for a knockout out of compassion for Mathis. ^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:^[7]

Broadcasting

Country	Broadcaster
Philippines	ABS-CBN
United Kingdom	ITV
United States	ABC

References

^ Thomas Hauser (1991). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Simon & Schuster. pp. 241–2. ISBN 9780671688929.
^ "ALI BIG FAVORITE TO DEFEAT MATHIS". The New York Times. 17 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
^ Felix Dennis; Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. p. 192.
^ "GOT TO LOOK GOOD TO ALLAH". Sports Illustrated. 29 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
^ "Mathis Was Hit by a Buss and Then by Ali". The New York Times. 18 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
^ "Winner Didn't 'Have Heart to Hurt Him'". The New York Times. 18 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
^ "BoxRec - event".

Preceded by vs. Jimmy Ellis	Muhammad Ali's bouts 17 November 1971	Succeeded by vs. Jürgen Blin
Preceded by vs. Jerry Quarry	Buster Mathis's bouts 17 November 1971	Succeeded by vs. Humphrey McBride

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[Hauser_240-1-1] Thomas Hauser (1991). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Simon & Schuster. pp. 241–2. ISBN 9780671688929.

[NYT-2] "ALI BIG FAVORITE TO DEFEAT MATHIS". The New York Times. 17 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.

[Glory_Years-3] Felix Dennis; Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. p. 192.

[SI_fight-4] "GOT TO LOOK GOOD TO ALLAH". Sports Illustrated. 29 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.

[NYT_2-5] "Mathis Was Hit by a Buss and Then by Ali". The New York Times. 18 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.

[NYT_3-6] "Winner Didn't 'Have Heart to Hurt Him'". The New York Times. 18 November 1971. Retrieved 6 October 2016.

[7] "BoxRec - event".

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