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Zora "Bell" Folley (May 27, 1931 – July 7, 1972) was an American heavyweight boxer who was a top 10 contender for eleven years in a row from 1956 to 1966 and a nine-time top 5 contender throughout his career, reaching a peak as number 1 contender in 1959.
A longtime top contender, Folley fought many of the best heavyweights of his era--including Sonny Liston, George Chuvalo, Bob Foster, Oscar Bonavena, Eddie Machen, Nino Valdes, Doug Jones, Pete Rademacher.
Folley, a 2-1 favourite going in, dropped Cooper for a seven-count in the 3rd round and had him bleeding badly in the last two rounds. Folley was knocked down for a nine count in the 7th. Birnbaum scored the bout 5-5 in rounds, but went to supplemental scoring.
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Aug 21, 2016 · Zora Folley was a long-time contender who challenged Muhammad Ali in 1967. He lost by knockout in the seventh round, but Ali praised his skills and called him a better fighter than his previous opponents.
Oct 1, 2023 · Muhammad Ali vs. Zora Folley was the first World Heavyweight Championship fight to be held at Madison Square Garden since Ezzard Charles vs. Lee Oma on January 12, 1951. Folley was The Ring magazine's No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender. Ali was a 7 to 1 betting favorite.
Everyone who knew professional boxer Zora Folley called him a gentleman. Even Muhammad Ali, who fought Folley in Madison Square Garden, withheld his usual pre-fight insults. This true-crime story cracks the cold case of Folley's untimely death in the swimming pool of a sketchy motel.
- Marshall Terrill
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Mar 22, 2024 · On March 22, 1967, Muhammad Ali defeated Zora Folley and retained his WBA, WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles. The fight was at Madison Square Garden in New York City and saw Ali move to 29-0 with a seventh-round KO victory against an in-form opponent.
