has any boxer like Ali ever talked about what it was like fighting as a dyslexic?

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Forever Changes

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I used to compete in karate as a kid and it wasn't an issue. In college I tried boxing but at that point it became apparent. Anyone who has it should no what I mean when I say its a strange feeling to do sports with this condition. It as if I see best when im not focusing on anything and I have to fight this unconcious physical urge to look away. ALmost like Roy jones Jr but not on purpose haha. Anyway is there any writing on how boxers who have suffered from it adapted?. Being conscious of the tendencies caused by my eyes has helped. It has not gotten me in big trouble or anything but I figure it is something I should address and understand.
 
Being dyslexic is just having trouble reading right? I doubt it would be a problem in boxing at all,if so why would it be a problem?
 
Well reading is the most common difficulty it causes but it is basically a vision problem. We can see things backwards, out of phase-imagine 3 people standing in front of you when there is only one, skewed sense of depth and perspective. Lots things and when you need to use your hand eye coordination in sports this can be a big deal. For example I know what I see with a particular eye just isn't accurate..imagine someone throws a ball at you and you put your hand up where you think it is only for your hand to be six inches in the wrong direction. I have had to train myself to compensate for this by judging the distance as to make an approximate estimation of where an object really is. In other words if an object appears is in one place i automatically measure where it actually is. So to me if I try to catch or parry a jab or cross it looks to me as im touching around the trajectory of the punch. It looks as if I am not blocking it in first person view but in actuality I am able accurately defend the punch.but this is hard and sometimes confusing because if you lose focus for a moment and forget the rules, you wont be reacting appropriately to the visual information you are seeing
 
Here's a quote from Ali on it:

"When I fight I'm not just fighting my opponent, I'm fighting my life crippling dyslexia. Because of it I actually see the mirror image of my opponent; so his left is actually his right and his right is his left. But it doesn't end there, he appears upside down as well. And that's not the worst part, I see 7 of them."
 
"Cuando yo lucha que estoy realmente luchando con mi dislexia. Dislexia golpea m
 
MC Paul Barman said:
Here's a quote from Ali on it:

"When I fight I'm not just fighting my opponent, I'm fighting my life crippling dyslexia. Because of it I actually see the mirror image of my opponent; so his left is actually his right and his right is his left. But it doesn't end there, he appears upside down as well. And that's not the worst part, I see 7 of them."
Click to expand...

Masterful. :icon_lol:
 
MC Paul Barman said:
Here's a quote from Ali on it:

"When I fight I'm not just fighting my opponent, I'm fighting my life crippling dyslexia. Because of it I actually see the mirror image of my opponent; so his left is actually his right and his right is his left. But it doesn't end there, he appears upside down as well. And that's not the worst part, I see 7 of them."
Click to expand...

Sounds like it was a quote from later in his career. Kind of reminds me of one where he said your mother should of spit you out when she had the chance. Thats a good one ;) anyway ic its still cool to make fun of people with disabilities in 2015. I guess I shouldn't have expected any more from a fan forum. I 'll probably a have better luck asking someone like sinister. Peace
 
Forever Changes said:
Well reading is the most common difficulty it causes but it is basically a vision problem. We can see things backwards, out of phase-imagine 3 people standing in front of you when there is only one, skewed sense of depth and perspective. Lots things and when you need to use your hand eye coordination in sports this can be a big deal. For example I know what I see with a particular eye just isn't accurate..imagine someone throws a ball at you and you put your hand up where you think it is only for your hand to be six inches in the wrong direction. I have had to train myself to compensate for this by judging the distance as to make an approximate estimation of where an object really is. In other words if an object appears is in one place i automatically measure where it actually is. So to me if I try to catch or parry a jab or cross it looks to me as im touching around the trajectory of the punch. It looks as if I am not blocking it in first person view but in actuality I am able accurately defend the punch.but this is hard and sometimes confusing because if you lose focus for a moment and forget the rules, you wont be reacting appropriately to the visual information you are seeing
Click to expand...

Interesting. That's something I've never taken into consideration before. I've always thought of dyslexia as only effecting one's ability to read. What's it like if you close one eye?
 
Forever Changes said:
Sounds like it was a quote from later in his career. Kind of reminds me of one where he said your mother should of spit you out when she had the chance. Thats a good one ;) anyway ic its still cool to make fun of people with disabilities in 2015. I guess I shouldn't have expected any more from a fan forum. I 'll probably a have better luck asking someone like sinister. Peace
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying...
have you considered wandering off into a forest and killing yourself?
 
Forever Changes said:
Well reading is the most common difficulty it causes but it is basically a vision problem. We can see things backwards, out of phase-imagine 3 people standing in front of you when there is only one, skewed sense of depth and perspective. Lots things and when you need to use your hand eye coordination in sports this can be a big deal. For example I know what I see with a particular eye just isn't accurate..imagine someone throws a ball at you and you put your hand up where you think it is only for your hand to be six inches in the wrong direction. I have had to train myself to compensate for this by judging the distance as to make an approximate estimation of where an object really is. In other words if an object appears is in one place i automatically measure where it actually is. So to me if I try to catch or parry a jab or cross it looks to me as im touching around the trajectory of the punch. It looks as if I am not blocking it in first person view but in actuality I am able accurately defend the punch.but this is hard and sometimes confusing because if you lose focus for a moment and forget the rules, you wont be reacting appropriately to the visual information you are seeing
Click to expand...

Trying to read this blather just gave me dyslexia.

But, by the sounds of it I gather you dabble in homosex.
 
Let me go on the record here and say I have had dyslexia all my life. It has never effected my boxing in any way what so ever. Train more and resist the urge to look down.
Also, I laughed at every funny comment in this thread, grow a thicker skin.
 
Thats why ALi didn't get that many KOs. He was going for the OK instead.
 
MC Paul Barman said:
Come man....
Making fun of people with disabilities??? IN 2015!!?!?
Click to expand...

He was making fun of someone's disabilities in the time period of the 1960s - 1980s. If Ali was fighting now he'd be more sensitive about it. Is OK. Or KO.
 
So a dyslexic vs a hypertensive diabetic with one eye was the greatest fight of the century?
 
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