I am certain the '67 Ali would have had a different approach to the fight than the '74 Ali did. Would it be as successful? Who would you pick in this match-up? And don't think of the Foreman who bit for the cagey Ali's tactics but the one who had just destroyed a rather skittish Norton and taken out Frazier.
ali never could beat foreman outboxing him, foreman did cut the ring pretty well, still ali had the durability, the magic and everything.. he would find the way to win a decision in a hard fight
I'm going with Ali, I don't think he would have knocked Foreman out because at that stage of his career he would have danced more and wouldn't have been sat on the ropes absorbing punishment making Foreman tire himself out, he'd win on points IMO.
Just remember this was the guy a few years removed from getting floored hard by Cooper and who later was floored hard by Frazier.
Yeah and he was later hit by probably the hardest puncher in the division in Shavers and never went down, anybody will go if hit with the right shot.
There seemed to be a difference in punch resistance between the very green Ali and the latter day version. Proof perhaps that much of punch resistance is mental.
I wouldn't say so, Ali would have more than likely gone down from those shots at any point in his career IMO.
I think Shavers, Foreman, Lyle, Frazier, Norton and Berbick hit him with harder shotsÂ… multiple times for most of these guys.
67 Ali would have won a wide decision over Foreman with a decent chance at a late stoppage. He would have just made Foreman look silly with his movement all night long.
Good point ... I remember Kenny (not exactly the strongest puncher of the 70s gang) freaking breaking Ali's jaw and he stil didn't go down... I will go for 67's Ali managing somehow to defeat Foreman 74. Simply put, his mental agility, lighting reflexes, speed and ring generalship would have carried him to the victory... and his iron chin would help too
Never seen so many be so wrong. If engages Foreman like he engaged Terrell, being first, hands down, circling to his opponent's right, ultimately sitting down flat after a few rounds square up, Foreman catches him, hurts him and finishes him.
A no brainer for me. Ali would have beaten Foreman by what was for him,a more conventional method. Floating like a butterfly as well as stinging like a bee. Ali by late rounds tko after being streets ahead on points
I think what some people are missing is how much stronger and more savvy Ali was in the 70's. He manhandled Foreman in their 74 fight but Cooper did the same to Ali in the 60's! Ali was more well rounded later in his career, the only thing is his opponents were better and/or fresher, too.