Ron Lipton Discusses his Long-Time Friendship With the Late, Iconic Muhammad Ali

Jennifer Warren, a writer for the Hudson Valley Press, recently sat down with Ron Lipton to chat about his long-time friendship with the late, iconic Muhammad Ali. Poughkeepsie resident Lipton, a well-known and highly respected boxing historian, referee, and instructor, whose big name fights have been aired on such venues as HBO and PayPerView, was inducted on November 13, 2014 into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame as a former fighter, professional referee and boxing historian. His deep, special bond with Ali was forged through extensive time devoted to training, traveling and living together. In 1991, Lipton was the Senior Boxing Consultant for the documentary, “Muhammad Ali, the Whole Story” as well as award-winning boxing choreographer for “Ali” the play.

Q:  What is the background behind the origin of the relationship between you and Ali?
A: I met him in 1962 while attending his fight with Sonny Banks in M.S.G., I was a 16 year old teenager and Ali was 20 years old.  I had been training with Rubin Carter and I knew Angelo Dundee who would become Ali’s main trainer and corner man and we all stayed friends since then. Rubin fought several of Angelo’s fighters and after the fight the then Cassius Clay and I hit it off pretty good and stayed buddies.

Q:  What were the qualities about Ali- as both a boxer and a man- that most captivated you?
A:  As a boxer he had that Olympic gold medal at light heavy, great amateur background, hand and leg speed, good combination puncher and he was brimming with illuminating confidence.  His great reflexes and piston jab set it all up, he was not a body puncher but just rained head shots from the outside all night long. He found a way to beat you.  As a young man he was so likable and I had his number man, I could make him laugh fit to bust anytime I wanted to and he made me laugh so who could ask for anything more.

Q:  What will you most remember about your relationship with Ali; what was it that really stood out about it from your associations with other boxers? Along these lines, how did he affect you as a boxer, referee, historian, lover of the sport, etc.
A:  He was just fun to be around, I was very moody and a lot of the other fighters were too, Ali had a happy contagious aura that just lit you up and made everything fun.  He got a real kick out of me saying I had faster hands, and I believe I did too because he was a heavyweight and me so much lighter, so when we would compare combination punches just for a laugh, he would clap his hands applauding for me always telling me “I know the brothers had to have trained you to be that good, just had to.”  I have that on film.  You can see that on you tube by typing in Ron Lipton and Muhammad Ali, street talking Ron.

Q:  What was the most memorable fight you thought Ali was involved in; what exactly made it so special?
A:  When he beat Sonny Liston the first time, only the people who knew all about Sonny back then can appreciate that victory.  I met Liston through Rubin Carter who was tight with him.  They actually took me out together and he treated me well.  I liked Liston and saw him train in the gym and saw most all his fights. You cannot belief what a destroyer he was.  When Ali stood up to him it was beyond belief taking all he could dish out and just throwing blistering combinations on him all night until he quit.  His victories over Cleveland Williams, Floyd Patterson, Ernie Terrell, George Chuvalo, The Thrilla in Manila with Frazier, Ernie Shavers, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry and so many others all stand out.

Q:  Where would you place him on the list of all time greatest boxers and why? Do you think his three year hiatus from the sport has any impact on this rating?
A:   I put Ali up there as #1 or #2 greatest heavyweights of all time. Ali’s style of boxing in the Cassius Clay era with his one of a kind hand speed, reflexes and lateral movement would enable him to beat most any heavyweight that ever lived with that style at 6’3” 212 lbs or lighter.  In the Muhammad Ali era at 215 lbs plus we found out Ali had an iron jaw and an iron will to go along with his skills, style and resolve once that long ring layoff made him less mobile in the ring and get hit more. He had to fight and punch with a more flat footed style and he did well. He still handled them all.
Ali, who only really lost 2 fights in his prime against Frazier and Norton, avenged those losses.  Ali finished with a 56-5 record with 37 stoppages.  Ali’s losses to Spinks, Holmes and Trevor Berbick all happened when Ali was light years passed his prime and do not count to me in any way as a measure of Ali.
Joe Louis who many rate as the greatest was in a niche by himself at 68-3 with 54 KO’s against the best in the world.  Louis who many rate as #1 only lost to Max Schmeling in his prime because Joe was partying too much and out on the golf course when he should have been training. Louis avenged that loss by a one round KO in one of the greatest sporting events of all time.  Louis had a flat footed style and was a tremendous two handed rhythm puncher who had both hands and was a body puncher too.

Q:  Ali was known as a real jokester. Do you have a specific memory of a joke, prank, etc. that brings a smile and laugh to you like no others?
A: Elvis Presley came up to training camp to visit Ali.  Ali snuck him into the back of a local bar as a joke.  Everyone there knew of Ali so when he announced to the crowd that he had a buddy who was an Elvis impersonator and he was not that good, would the crowd please just give this newcomer a chance.  Elvis came out and started singing and the crowed was very quiet, really believing he was just some pal of Ali.  When one guy yelled out loud, “Hey man that really is Elvis Presley the crowd went berserk and Ali and Elvis were laughing hysterically.  Elvis treated everyone like the Southern gentleman he truly was.  Awesome sight to behold.

Q:  Ali was also known as a genuine humanitarian. Do you recall a specific gesture you witnessed from him that best defined this quality?
A: Besides saving my life in a front page personal appearance at a self defense trial where I prevailed I was the senior boxing consultant on a great project called “Muhammad Ali, The Whole Story,” a great documentary on Ali that is now on DVD.  I have that screen credit.  I lived and worked with Ali on this for a year and a half.  We traveled together to homeless shelters, children’s hospitals and attended an eloquent dinner in Philly celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first fight with Frazier in 1971.  Ali and I can be seen with some of this on You Tube just by typing in Ron Lipton and Muhammad Ali.  He got out of the car one afternoon in Philly and in about 3 minutes over 100 people plus gathered around him.  Ali’s small entourage were yelling at him to leave.  He ignored them all and stayed there signing autographs and taking pictures with anyone who asked him, hugging and kissing children, putting his arm around the men, and not refusing anyone.  It was pure magic.

Q:  When was the last time you saw Ali? What was that experience like?
A:  I saw him while I was waiting for a plane to travel to Europe to do a championship fight.
He was sitting all by himself in the airport and he was sleeping while I saw his wife Lonnie in a gift shop close by.  I very quietly went over to the seat next to him and pulled the same trick on him he always did to me when I was sleeping.  He would not quite snap his fingers but just rub them together very, very quietly right next to your ear and make it sound like an insect was near you.
I would freak out and slap at my ear which would send him howling with laughter.  So now I did it to him.  At first he did not move, I kept doing it and his wife came out and saw me.  She knew it was me and it was the same stuff Ali did to us all the time so she let it unfold.   Pretty soon he starts scratching at his ear, and I am biting a hole in my lip to keep from laughing.  Finally he opens his eyes and sees it is me and what I am doing.  His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and he started laughing and gave me a hug.   God I loved him, he was so much fun and a good sport.

Q:  As time moves on, what do you think Ali’s greatest legacy will be?
A: That 99.9% of the whole world got to know the real him and loved him for it.

Q: If Ali was alive today, what would you say to him?
A:  Nothing, just put my arms around him, hug him and not let go.  He did so much for me there are no words except I will always love you Champ.