In his 1974 fight with George Foreman, Muhammed Ali confounded both his handlers and those at ringside with what came to be called ‘rope a dope.’ For the boxing illiterate among us I will explain at a later date. Think in terms of an overwhelming force opposing you (George Foreman), and allowing that force to attempt to extinguish you (get knocked out). But somehow you avoid this. Not without absorbing punishment to be sure. But there comes a point where the overwhelming force runs out of energy. It is at that point that you say what Ali said to Foreman. Ali was known for talking to his opponents during the fight, getting inside their head, helping him defeat them by what they themselves did. (Or did not do).

It is my contention that Ali is the reincarnation of the great samurai Musashi. For in addition to being pre-reminent warriors they both are great artists. Musashi wrote “Book of Five Rings.” Ali wrote poetry. Musashi painted works of art. Ali performed them in and out of the ring. So what was it he said to Foreman once Foreman had nearly punched himself out?

“My Turn.”

The late Norman Mailer in his essay “The Fight,” asks us to imagine what that must have felt like for Foreman. to have given everything you have to defeat an opponent only to have him say essentially, “okay, now I’m coming after you.”

There are many subtexts to his in political and philosophical genres. One thinks of the American experience in Vietnam, and lately, Afghanistan. For now I will close with;

Sometimes I look, sometimes I see; not difficult the great way,We’re here for the duration; oh the exultation!

What else can I say?