I was thinking about how far the great man had slipped between the George Foreman fight in 1974 and the Earnie Shavers one three years later the other day. Would consensual opinion agree with mine when I state that Ali's abilities had deteriorated more between 1974 and '77 than between 1967 and '74 ?
Of course. The ring wars were starting to catch up with him. I think he was still good in '75 but he did lay back on Wepner and Lyle (until he stopped them both) and was all in vrs. Frazier. Something about Ali's condition in the Foreman fight. Ali was really on it for that, mentally and physically.
Interesting question. After the exile he was never the same. His legs were never the same. He was terribly rushed into the first Frazier fight. The Bonavena fight showed how badly he slipped. If he did not pull out that semi fluke last round KO most would not have forgotten how beatable he looked. In many ways his best performance was Superfight 1 and how well he did vs a prime Frazier at all. Still, h started to get something back in the fights between Frazier 1 and Forenan. He was a different fighter but still tremendous. Post Manila he really stopped training and began to badly slip. It was a steeper slide as he had far less left.
Hey,truth be told Manila pretty much finished Ali and Frazier. When you go to war like that, a big chunk of you gets left in that ring... That fight (practically a near death experience) took so much from tow warriors that were already a little long in the tooth. Frazier got finished up by Foreman. And Ali started squeaking by on decisions against fighters he should have handily beat...The thing that made them both ATG`s,is that they gave absolutely everything of themselves in the ring... Sadly in the end, it cost them their health and vitality...
Frazier didn't need to go back in with Foreman after Manila. I give a war torn, out of shape Frazier credit for even trying to make a go of it at that point against Foreman of all people! Ali was getting by on toughness and ring knowledge after Manila.
Very good point about Frazier :good Also Joe and Muhammad deserve kudos for rematching in 1974 for their second fight. Both would've been guaranteed a title shot anyhow. Shows their warrior mentality.
Yes. I say this as a worshipper of speed N youth (youth = speed = beauty) there is more slip between '75 & '76 than at any other time
Very true,Rooster. Comparing Ali's performances in Manila and Yankee Stadium one year later illustrates your observation most vividly.
