Physically stronger: Muhammad Ali or Jack Johnson?

As to who is stronger who knows tempted to say Ali but I remember seeing a picture of Johnson hauling a big ass tree on his shoulder looking like it weighed nothing. Don't know if Ali could do that.

 

Both very strong fighters. I give the edge to Ali. He beat brutes like George Foreman and Sonny Liston who were very strong themselves.

 

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What does beating big guys have to do with overpowering them? They aren't not mutually inclusive things. WHEN did Ali overpower George or Liston. The question isn't who beat bigger stronger men.. the question is.. who is stronger.. I'm still waiting for the strength displays of Ali

 

And even then, look at the early stages of the fight. Foreman's looks like an unstoppable force. Once there's steam taken out, Ali can cleverly handle him. But it's not strength against strength. It's Ali's tactics manipulating Foreman. I don't know why Foreman didn't just grab Ali's neck, I would have. He probably wouldn't have gotten away with it, and still thought he was going to blow over Ali.

 

Still waiting on these displays of strenght from Ali

 

man handling foreman frazier lyle shavers and liston should be enough

 

Precisely !

 

Manhandling? Do we have different views of manhandling or something? He was not manhandling foreman or Liston...

 

jesus christ give me a break. He was able to tie Foreman and Liston up. He wasn't really overpowered by Liston or Foreman and negated their inside game. What don't you understand

 

Johnson, by a whisker.

Ali is the taller, but Johnson's arms and shoulders were considerably more powerful, albeit Ali's legs were probably a bit stronger.

That said, Jack Johnson's strength is clearly documented in text and photograph, particularly out of the ring in the form of strong-man feats, which Ali never attempted, because Ali was strictly a great fighter who focused on winning inside the ring.

Know-how is better than strength. People get confused because Ali was a master clincher, a mental paragon of resilience and endurance in combat.

Johnson was clearly revered as a uniquely powerful specimen; Ali always confounded the world by defeating more powerful men, not by strength, but by his overall ring skill-set.

Ali flaunted what he had: wonderful boxing skills, and was rightfully never considered a human powerhouse outside his arena; Johnson flaunted what he had: tremendous strength--in any arena--besides his own all-time great boxing tools.

In terms of pure strength, the historical vote should go to the Galveston Giant.

 

You can't be this naive.... liston and foreman have NO inside game... NONE... Why do you think Foreman was pushing Frazier back constantly. Just because AT TIMES ali was able to hold them SOME.. when they weren't working means nothing.... Foreman would LITERALLY bang away to the body and head for like 10 straight punches.. WHERE WAS THE MANHANDLING THEN... IT WAS NO EXISTENT. Then when Foreman gets tired.. Ali holds him as he gets closer to his chest.. You can this manhandling???/ atsch Do you know what manhandling means.. AT ANY Point if foreman wanted ali off him.. he could've simply backed away (sicne ya know he was doing all the leading) or pushed him off. It's really that simple.. Foreman resting because he's punchign himself out isn't manhandling him.

 

Spot on.

Wait.. Ali Manhanded Foreman atsch

 

Excellent post. Clearly elucidates the case for Johnson.

It does make me wonder though how useful a trait pure strength really is in boxing. Neither man would be considered a particularly powerful individual today, in a pure strength sense, and both clearly utilised a high level of skill in order to control opponents in the ring, or stop themselves being controlled.

Johnson would be able to handle any powerlifter or professional strongman with ease, but he wouldn't be able to outmuscle them. Technique clearly plays an enormous part in both men's "strength".

 

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Here's that picture I was talking about...I remember a few weeks ago had the palm trees in the front of my house cut down in similar sized chunks. The tree loppers looked very built and it took at the least 2 of them to move 'em. One large african guy tried by himself and failed. Johnson had that crazy country boy strength.