If Ali fought Tex Cobb in 1981

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013.


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  1. heizenberg

    heizenberg Well-Known Member Full Member

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    A extremely diminished Ali was supposed to fight Tex Cobb in 1981 but Cobb broke his arm in a bar fight and Trevor Berbick took his place and defeated Ali who clearly was a shell of what he once was in the ring. I'll be it that it was actually a somewhat close fight with Ali winning a few rounds. Do you guys think at this stage in the career of the great Ali he would've also been beat by the lethargic but tough Tex Cobb had they fought.

    Also I'd like to here you're opinions on whether the final two fights Ali had, the terrible and embarrassing beating from Larry Holmes and the embarrassing defeat to Trevor Berbick were heavy contributing factors to Ali's diminishing ability to function. Do you guys think if Ali didn't have these final two unnecessary fights would he still suffer from the same health problems?
     
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    #1
  2. TheSouthpaw

    TheSouthpaw Champion Full Member

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    The disease Ali has was the inevitable..Did those last 2 fights help any?..No! Cobb would have beaten him hands down, maybe not as bad as Holmes or Trevor did but Tex would have still had Ali outa there within 6. Ali was done and had no business even fighting anymore. To be honest with you Ive always thought he should have hung em up for good after the Spinks fight but a rematch was in the works and once again Ali shocked us all!
     
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    #2
  3. heizenberg

    heizenberg Well-Known Member Full Member

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    No doubt about it, Ali should've called it a career after the Spinks fights even before the Spinks fights after he fought Shavers would've been a good time maybe even after he fought Norton the third time, heck some would argue he should've hung em up after the thriller in manila.
     
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    #3
  4. TheSouthpaw

    TheSouthpaw Champion Full Member

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    It just wasnt in his nature to quit. The 3 years he lost might have had something to do with Ali hangin out longer than he should have. And I agree it wouldnt have hurt my feelings (or his legacy) if he would have stuck to retiring after Frazier III.
     
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
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  5. Entaowed

    Entaowed Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    The dieting & debilitating injections just before those fights made things worse. Apparently he never passed a physical after Manilla, & at LEASt after the Spinks rematch it was a crime to let him fight anymore.
     
    Entaowed, Dec 6, 2013
    Entaowed, Dec 6, 2013
    #5
  6. heizenberg

    heizenberg Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Yes also hindsight is 20/20 there was no way for him to know how the rest of his career would play out after The Thriller in Manila. I feel he still had some great performances after the third Frazier fight and provided many more memories in some of these performances but for his health it may have been best for him to have called it a career after that epic war.
     
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    heizenberg, Dec 6, 2013
    #6
  7. TheSouthpaw

    TheSouthpaw Champion Full Member

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    Ali had no way of knowing just how bad this disease was gonna effect him. He really didnt know just how sick he was gonna get, nobody did. Im not mad at me for continuing to fight on cause he DID put on a few good shows after the last Frazier fight..But few and far between!
     
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    #7
  8. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    Aren't u Walter White ?
     
    he grant, Dec 6, 2013
    he grant, Dec 6, 2013
    #8
  9. clark

    clark Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali's problems came way before those last two fights. Of course they didn't help matters. The fight with Cobb would have been a close one. A few years before and it would have been all one sided like Holmes-Cobb.
     
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    #9
  10. TheSouthpaw

    TheSouthpaw Champion Full Member

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    No I thought you were
     
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    TheSouthpaw, Dec 6, 2013
    #10
  11. doug.ie

    doug.ie 'Classic Boxing Society' Full Member

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    i'm going to watch all of ali v berbick again tonight i think....i've always had the opinion that he did surprisingly well in that fight all things considered..and not as bad as most seem to say it was....i must watch it again
     
    doug.ie, Dec 6, 2013
    doug.ie, Dec 6, 2013
    #11
  12. DaveK

    DaveK Vicious & Malicious Full Member

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    Cobb KO1 Ali
     
    DaveK, Dec 6, 2013
    DaveK, Dec 6, 2013
    #12
  13. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ali would of still beaten Cobb. It seems to be forgotten that Berbick was a legitimate top 10 contender at the time of the Ali fight, and Ali gave him a battle.
     
    TBooze, Dec 6, 2013
    TBooze, Dec 6, 2013
    #13
  14. clark

    clark Well-Known Member Full Member

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    :huh
     
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    #14
  15. clark

    clark Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali wins on points despite his (Ali's) condition.
     
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    clark, Dec 6, 2013
    #15
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