Could Ali handle the size of a Lewis?

[hernanday]

What do all Large guys with jabs like Lewis and Klitschko have as vulnerabilities.
1. Klitschko reach is also 80, so there goes his jab. Him and ali have equal reaches meaning the guy with the faster fist and feet win. And I don't even have to explain that one further.
2. Lewis arms are longer, he hits harder, but again the downside of being tall is when you throw your jab you are vulnerable to counters by a fast footed or a fast handed opponent, and no one has faster feet nor hands in the heavyweight division save for possibly tyson or patterson in their primes.

ali is not sitting around, he is sticking and moving, he is going to make these big guys move, they are going to get tired and neither has good endurance. Klitschko got rope a doped by ross purrity, who do you think rope a dopes better ross puritty or muhammad ali. Lennox only lost by being koed 2 times under 6 rounds with surprise shots. I have Ali winning both handedly by knockouts.

[young griffo]

Ray Mercer was a stocky 6"1 and giving away inches in reach to Lewis and still managed to out jab Lewis for long stretches of their fight as well as really work Lennox over at mid range.

Ali was taller than Ray, had a longer reach, better jab, much quicker hands,vastly superior mobility and a chin that was in the same class (though I wouldn't say better because Ray's was granite).

Factor in Frank Bruno out boxing a pre-Steward Lewis for a fair percentage of their bout until Lennox got him out of there and I think it's pretty obvious that Lewis wan't invincible and a decent sized guy with skills, smarts and toughness could be very competitive with him. That's not to say there's many who have those qualities in the abundance needed to beat an out and out great like Lewis.

Ali is one who I think has all of the requisite qualities to beat Lewis despite being the smaller man. It's not a given but I think Ali would win.

[PetethePrince]

Originally Posted by Bokaj

On the one hand I think Lewis would have been too much for Ali, but then I think of how an old Holyfield gave him a tough fight in the rematch...

These question are always hard, but Lewis and Wlad are the most difficult opponents for Ali that I can think of. Wlad even more so perhaps.

Definitely.

[TheSouthpaw]

Ali in his prime?..Yes, Much like he did with Liston.

[hernanday]

Originally Posted by young griffo

Ray Mercer was a stocky 6"1 and giving away inches in reach to Lewis and still managed to out jab Lewis for long stretches of their fight as well as really work Lennox over at mid range.

Ali was taller than Ray, had a longer reach, better jab, much quicker hands,vastly superior mobility and a chin that was in the same class (though I wouldn't say better because Ray's was granite).

Factor in Frank Bruno out boxing a pre-Steward Lewis for a fair percentage of their bout until Lennox got him out of there and I think it's pretty obvious that Lewis wan't invincible and a decent sized guy with skills, smarts and toughness could be very competitive with him. That's not to say there's many who have those qualities in the abundance needed to beat an out and out great like Lewis.

Ali is one who I think has all of the requisite qualities to beat Lewis despite being the smaller man. It's not a given but I think Ali would win.

I'd also like to add by using angles, one can diminish an opponents reach. Ie. moving around him in a circular way you can difuse his ability to land shots

[ETM]

Originally Posted by Andrei00

I'm pretty sure if Lewis were to live and box in the same era as Ernie, he wouldn't weigh 245lbs. Take another example, Joe Bugner. 6'4" guy, weighed 230lbs against Ali. So yeah, I still believe Ali could handle Lewis' size pretty well.

It wasnt just size with Lewis. It was his combination of size, boxing skills and a razor sharp righthand that packed titanic power. The fact that he had a tough defense and mastered distance makes this a very difficult matchup for any version of Muhammad Ali.

Ernie Terrell and Joe Bugner dont compare.

[DrBanzai]

Lewis was on steroids, before he gassed up he was only 225-230 or so. Ali would decimate a no steroid using Lewis.

[JAB5239]

Originally Posted by DrBanzai

Lewis was on steroids, before he gassed up he was only 225-230 or so. Ali would decimate a no steroid using Lewis.

Well we know Vitaly juiced, and Wlad has put on 29lbs from his lowest to highest professional weight. Lewis put on 25.5 from his lowest to highest. Going by your logic, Wlad is juicing too.

[MagnaNasakki]

These guys are tough matchups because their skills on the outside came with crushing, brutish strength of close and ATG power.

They challenge him because they can do what he did, lacking in speed but bringing substantially more impact.

I'd LOVE to see a fighter as smart as Ali think his way out of this one. I think he could, but it'd take some work.

[DrBanzai]

Originally Posted by JAB5239

Well we know Vitaly juiced, and Wlad has put on 29lbs from his lowest to highest professional weight. Lewis put on 25.5 from his lowest to highest. Going by your logic, Wlad is juicing too.

This thread is not about anyone but Ali and Lewis.


Try to keep your crazy nut hugging ilk to yourself son.

Wlad was 226 at 21 and 240 at 23......LMAO, his weight gain is totally natural.

Lewis gained 35lbs not 25lbs son.

And back to the point Ali would beat the shit out of Lewis with ease.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Danmann

Frazier was 5'11" and gave Ali way more trouble then Terell or Bugner--it ain' t the height, its the talent. Klitcshko has the talent.

But not the chin, or the desire.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by fg2227

Or even a Klitschko if so how would he do it?

Outside of Ali ,I think Lewis is perhaps the toughest matchup for the other heavyweight champions. I pick Ali to beat him , because of his speed and movement. Wlad gets schooled imo.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by ETM

It wasnt just size with Lewis. It was his combination of size, boxing skills and a razor sharp righthand that packed titanic power. The fact that he had a tough defense and mastered distance makes this a very difficult matchup for any version of Muhammad Ali.

Ernie Terrell and Joe Bugner dont compare.

I can't forget A static Bruno outjabbing Lewis for long periods. Ali was too mobile ,and too fast imo.

[Skittlez]

I'm sorry. How the hell are morons comparing Lewis with K2.

Wladimir Klithscko is a god damn watered down version of LL. Lennox literally does everything Wladimir do, but also adds his own amazing arsenal of inside fighting, upper cuts, combinations, jab variations, over hands, great counter punching, and sleek movement.

Wladimir got no inside game, he rarely throw combinations during his 'prime years' and he is a LOT more vulnerable than Lewis. Don't get tricked by Manny Steward's interviews about how 'Wlad vs Lewis' is a 50-50 fight. Its not. Lewis will KO him within 4 rounds.


Ali being able to UD Wladimir 12-0 or being able to dominate Vitali does not indicate in any way what so ever he can handle a Prime LL.

Prime Lewis is a whole different ball park from Prime VItali (whenever the fuck that was) and a whole different ball game from Wladimir.


Wladimir is a great Super Heavy Weight.
Vitali is a great Super Heavy Weight
Riddick Bowe is a great Super Heavy Weight


Lennox Lewis is THE Super Heavyweight. He is the prototype, he is the model every super heavie attempt to achieve and become.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by hernanday

I'd also like to add by using angles, one can diminish an opponents reach. Ie. moving around him in a circular way you can difuse his ability to land shots

You can beat a taller man with a good reach advantage if you mount in and out flurries . eg Leonard v Hearns. Lewis's reach is the same as Liston's.