Is it agreed that Muhammad Ali's form improved after FOTC 1971 ?

When Ali went on that Post FOC roadshow, he beat quite a few good fighters, and he didnt have to fight to his considerable Zenith to do it, in fact Ali often looked bored and some fights seemed little more than Working Holidays for the boys, but he did show in individual round flashes a hint of his true capabilities
I seriously doubt for instance that Mac Foster would of heard heard the final bell had Ali produced and maintained the form he employed for Frazier, Ali could of had a much better ko% had he fought to his Maxim at all times, Give Larry Holmes a Scott Frank Marvis Frazier or Zanon..and he would, like most others, Lick his lips and Dispatch them as soon and spectacularly as possible, Not so Ali, To Guys like Mathis and Lubbers Ali must of seemed a Dream Assignment, - Best Payday for Least Harm (in Losing) ? Ali was often an Entertainer first..
But give him a Frazier or Foreman...and that Straw Boater and Cain had to be put aside.

 

Stevie G - Also we mustnt forget in his later years he suffered from sensitive hands, which meant he often "Flicked" his Jab and was Sparing with the heavier shots...Points gatherers but not the deterrents the old blazing combo's used to be.

 

I think Ali was actually in his best post-comeback form in the 2nd Quarry fight which I think was in June '72. He must have taken Jerry seriously because he was in his best shape for that fight. He really put on a clinic in that fight, making Quarry look like an amateur even though Jerry was a top heavyweight. He was awesome in that fight

 

Absolutely.

Style-wise, Quarry never had anything for Ali, but he was made to look particularly useless in the second fight. Great showing by Ali. One of my favourites.

 

Yes he had shed the ring rust, and had more confidence in his legs and stamina.

 

and jimmy ellis....even if he didnt offer the resistance of them mentioned above...it was a vintage sublime display from ali..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVwLlH7RmHQ

[YT]KVwLlH7RmHQ[/YT]

 

Ali watch jack Johnson on film prior to the second Quarry bout. He stated he wanted to try to use Johnson's style during the bout. If you notice he did in a way...certainly did not fight his usual fight.

 

Yes ,after the FOTC he had shed his ring rust and had more confidence in his stamina. IMO ,his prime would have been when he was in exile.
He was robbed of it ,and so were we.

 

I think he peaked at 212 for Frazier II during that decade. He might have been better for Foreman in that same MSG venue, but the environment in Kinshasa meant he couldn't stick and move as he said he was going to. ["Dance all night!" is what he was promising beforehand in Africa.]

Ali boxed beautifully in JQ II, and that may have been the most effectively he jabbed during the 1970s, but Jerry was also freaked out by what Bob Foster had done to his brother. Even Muhammad was surprised JQ gassed so quickly and didn't put up a tougher fight.

 

The reason Ali did not dance/move after round 1 with Foreman was mainly as follows..

George was cutting the ring off. Ali stated afterward that he was surprised how quick George was and that he was moving three steps to Foreman's one.

The ring floor was heavily padded. If you have ever tried moving in a ring like this it's terribly exhausting. I remember myself I was used to sparring in a very fast ring...very thinly padded. I would generally out maneuver opponents moving in and out and side to side easily. Then a coworker asked me to spar in his gym. When I tried moving in that ring I literally could not. It was as if I had weights attached to both legs.

Ali during the rest between the first and second round calculated all of this and realized he had to change his game plan. Instead of wearing himself out he wore George out by using the very perimeter of the ring...first to tire George out then side stepping around the ring pot shoting Foreman and eventually knocking him out.

 

Ali was good in TFOTC it was just that Frazier had a Tokyo Douglas night. All the fighters that came later were not on Fraziers TFOTC level so ALi looked better against them. Ali possibly dipped if anything only it was hard to tell against that level.

getting revenge over Frazier does not necessarily show improvement. He may have overcome Frazier but Frazier was never the same after their first fight. Ali may have overcame Norton but some would dispute this. All three Norton fights were terribly close.

The 1970s heavyweights were good but they were made to look even better because they were more competative against ALi than the 1960s contenders were. Everyone forgets Ali and Frazier both had one foot in the 1960s when they lost to 1970s contenders and champions Norton and Foreman.