Ali KO. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouduTeGnL7I[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7OQB_Ykr9Y[/ame]
Wasn't Dokes 19 years old at the time of these vids ? not a grown man , especially not for a heavyweight . 19 for a heavyweight is something like 15 for a welterweight . Dokes added experience and muscles since then . What you did here is like posting Tua's RSC loss to Savon in 1991 in response to a question about prime Tua .
I was not posting it as proof of my view since nothing happens in the exhibition aside from usual sparring. It was only to show that the two boxed against each other for those who did not know.
It also surprised me the first time that I saw it , it took me time to understand . It's even without the headgear . But you still had to post "Ali KO" along with the vids .
Dokes never saw a day in his life that he could have beaten an early-1970s Ali. Gifted guy, but never fulfilled his potential due to lack of discipline and focus. Dokes or Page should have been the successor to Holmes ... but neither did what he could have done to stand out above the field of also-rans.
Ali wanna be Coetzee really screwed up Dokes unexpectedly with his jab. Michael had broad shoulders (long collarbone), but short arms. His best punch was an untelegraphed hook to the head, but it wasn't nearly powerful enough to hurt Ali as needed. Jerry Quarry couldn't get anywhere with his own short quick hooks on Muhammad. Watching Dokes draw with Weaver (in a rematch I thought Hercules won), I don't see any way he beats the Ali of JQ I, who would be conducting affairs at range.
Dokes would clearly KO Ali. Ali does not have the speed, jab, devestating power, and underrated skills of Razor Ruddock. I mean does Ali have the Razor Smash? I don't think so. That type of weapon gives Ruddock a distinct advantage over any fighter in history. Sure, Ali beat Foreman, sure Ali beat Frazier, sure Ali beat Liston, sure Ali beat Wepner, but does he have the Razor Smash? Also, Ruddock KOs Ali in 5.
Was Dokes that much inferior to Ken Norton ? yes , I know , no1 fought d prime Ali , d1 with both speed&resiliency all @1 @ d same time , d 1 that never existed . :yep Only Joe Frazier could beat a prime Ali and no1 else at all . Well , mayb lennox lewis some will say . But then 70-71 is not even d recognised prime Ali , prime Ali was d Sonny Liston until end of d exile Ali , d1 who never rematched Doug Jones . I wonder what does that Ali do to Norton & Frazier .
I agree on both points. Dokes and Page,after Larry Holmes,were the two most naturally talented heavies around at that point in time,but never had the motivation to match their talent. Dokes,even at his best would n't have stood a chance against a 1963-75 Ali.
Dokes had potential and even a few good moments in the ring, but I don't see him as ever beating an all time great, and troubling very few. A prime Ali or Holmes would have outboxed him comfortably and on the right night even forced a stoppage..
Ali had too much for Dokes, who despite his talent, never truly had a very good punch.Ali stops Michael late, in the 11th round, losing at most one round(the first).
