If FOTC took place in March 1972 instead?

Yet he successfully managed to fight him on two more occasions in history making fights, and looked pretty good in duplicating his win over Quarry who was coming off the best streak of his career. And, we can talk about how the FOTC took a toll on Frazier, but I don't think it did much good to Ali either who by the way, took the bigger beating, was older, and relied on speed and stamina which typically tends to diminish before power.

 

Ali might be able to eke out a close one over Joe, probably wouldn't be floored though.

 

Can you think of anyone who has come back from a 3 year lay off, a problematic one at that, and come back into title contention within 3 fights? and then win it?

Sense dictates that Ali was not going to win it, but it was difficult to tell Ali that, he wasnt listening to anyone he was soooo headstrong and full of powerful impossible beliefs.

He'd have taken Frazier as he eventually did, given a bit more time. Some of Alis problems were actually caused by his intense self belief.

 

Depends on what you mean by ring rusty... he looked better than in his previous fight vs Bonavena, he looked like a shot fighter if you compare him to how he looked in the 60s... he improved massively without anymore tune-ups for Frazier BUT a few more tune-ups vs good fighters would have certainly made him better.

I know Joe had slipped a bit himself by the time they fought the 2nd time in 74 but Ali was much better than in 71, I wouldn`t say definitely that the best 70s versions of Ali would have beat Frazier of 71 but I will say this... Ali would have been better & would not have been worn down as easy as he was, his sharpness & stamina were better & those were 2 of the main reasons Ali lost in 71, Joe fighting the fight of his life was another.

Ps. I would back Ali of 64-67 vs any HW I`ve ever seen on film tho, phenomenal fighter.

 

Leonard.

 

excellent answer!

mind you if thats in reference to Hagler, he lost that fight in most peoples eyes.

 

You`d take Frazier of FOTC to beat the Ali that beat Williams in 66 ?

I think Ali would win a UD in that one, look how good he did in 71 & IMHO the 71 version of Muhammad Ali doesn`t even compare to the Ali that tooled Cleveland Williams.

JMO

 

I think most people scored it for Leonard actually, either way it was close & Hagler needs to STFU with this robbery **** :thumbsup

 

In the words of Angelo Dundee himselfe in his last book, Ali was woefully I'll prepared for this battle.

This was also seconded quite loudly by Hugh McIlvanney, considered perhaps the very best modern boxing writer,

in the doc Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World

 

Right. Ali was woefully ill-prepared for the Fight Of The Century because Dundee says so (What motive does he have here?). Yeah, ring rust or decline is one thing but let's not act like Ali took the fight too lightly.

 

Interesting question,Bokaj :good

Ali would have been better equipped,physically,to have beaten Frazier at this point,as he was sharper than he was in '71. After all,a more ring rusty Ali gave Joe a very close fight in FOTC. One can easily envisage a fifteen round version of their second bout with Ali scoring a close decision.

On the other hand,the FOTC featured a career best Joe Frazier,so it's possible that Ali would have underestimated him,and things would have turned out as they actually did. Maybe Muhammad needed to lose to Joe first time out in order for him to beat him the following two times.

 

That's hard to disagree with !!

 

FOTC took more out of Frazier than it did Ali,though.