I watched an ESPN Boxing Special yesterday and it featured Ali against Cooper, Liston, Mildenberger, Chuvalo and Terrell. I noticed that Ali had uncanny accuracy with his combinations, especially in the Terrell and Chuvalo fights. However, I spotted some things that surprised me. Firstly, contrary to popular opinion, Ali didn't move for 15 rounds even at his peak. There is a myth that Ali could dance for the duration of a fight, but it's not true; he breaks off the action regularly. It's why Chuvalo can hit him. This proves, to me, that Ali would always have trouble with Frazier, Norton and Marciano at any time in his career. Secondly, when Ali finished combinations, he had a habit of being nailed by a left hook. Terrell did this, and it made me wonder:What the hell would happen if Ali got nailed on the way out against Vlad? Now, I don't like Vlad's style at all, and I think his massive improvement in stamina is highly dubious, but he has a left hook from hell. Would Ali be able to adapt his style, or would he struggle to avoid Vlad's sneak left? Would Ali fight like he did with Foreman, pot shotting with the right? Or would he try to overwhelm Vlad with speed? Which approach would serve him best?
Wlad has the better jab and I think that's end game right there...his left hook is practically unblockable and he certainly is ever bit as fast punch for punch...Alis highlight reels do not tell the whole story he was easily hit by jabs and not as defence savvy is one is lead to believe,he also outsized his opponents 80% of the time,his style relied on it,against a 6'6 elite fighter,he would be in serious trouble,ali also clinched a lot,he would be physically outmatched as well. Alis best chance?Wlad gets tired!:zzz
Frazier applied 14 rounds of non stop come forward pressure before he dropped Ali with a left hook. And Frazier had a far better , faster , more frequent left Hook than Wlad. Wlad couldn't hurt David Haye with his left hook . He isn't touching Ali. All you need do is look at how Wlad got out boxed and quit againt Willaimson to know he wouldn't stand a chance against Ali.
You are right about highlight reels: They don't tell the full story. I started a post about the Terrell fight a while back, because I couldn't believe how different the actual fight was compared to the myth. I don't know who would win an Ali-Vlad fight, but there is no evidence to suggest it would be easy for Ali, in my opinion.
hit him on the chin, watch him flail in panic. It'd be like the beatup on terrrell but without terrells chin.
Wlads handspeed is equal to Ali's? Yeah sure. Ali didn't outsize his opponents 80% of the time, of his 61 fights 20 were equal in height or taller and some of the shorter guys were heavier.
but interestingly enough, that failed kliturd argument can easily be reversed and fired back to destory the kliturd's argument about wlad. Once again kliturd self destructs. Its too easy beating kliturds - they give you the gun, loaded in your hand and ask you to shoot them
Ali was faster and had better footwork. Simply put, in my estimation Ali will easily counter Wlads left with his right lead. Wlad landing his right on ali? I dont know if I see it. At some point in the mid rounds Ali Foley's him or forces one of his theatrical TKOS. Nothing off vlad, just stylistically speaking. If vlad pulled a holmes and outworked ali to a UD i wouldnt be suprised. fact
If someone asked me 10 years ago if Wladimjr Klitscko could beat Muhammad Ali, I would have thought they were nuts. And frankly I'm still not sure I'd favor dr. Steel hammer. But I'm not as confident about Ali triumphing anymore. For all his greatness Muhammad had his vulnerabilities, some of which Play right into kilts hands.. Wlad had his weaknesses too but probably not the sort Ali could capitalize on.. Muhammad didn't have the power to hurt him.. He would be out reached and facing a man who's left jab and conditioning were superior to his own.. Ali would still have speed, stamina and durability but would it be enough? Not so sure anymore.
Based on what? The Ukraine is a capitalist society, as are all Eastern European nations today, even the autocratic ones.
Wlad's style is jab and grab and I have always felt speed beats the jab and grab. It's why Jones Jr dominated Ruiz and why Ruiz supposedly abandoned his usual tactics, when in reality he was forced to abandon his usual style by Jones' speed and made to fight a more aggressive fight. Wlad looks to beat opponents to the punch then grab to smother a counter. That's very effective if you can get off first, if you can't then you get hit and your clinching will just prevent you from countering. Fact is Ali is significantly faster than Wlad. Yes Wlad is very fast for a big man and his speed is deceptive against this era's lumbering giants but Ali wasn't some slow 240lbs heavyweight, he was the fastest heavyweight ever and was so against an are of quicker fighters. So Ali looks to beat Wlad to the punch. He won't make the mistake Haye did and try and make Wlad commit to a punch and then counter, Ali will lead with blinding speed, look to land first then dance away and make Wlad come to him. The problem Ali will have is the size difference while he's beaten similar sized fighters like Terrell, Wlad is on another level.
I'm mostly with you but I disagree with the one sentence in particular. I think that Wlad's plenty hurtable--especially for someone with the footwork and handspeed to create angles and throw combinations. I'd pick Ali, but I think that Wlad would be as difficult an opponent as any he faced.
Interesting thread, but IMO it asks the wrong question. It is not how Ali could beat Wlad. All the opposite: the question is how could Wlad defeat Ali, because other than sheer size advantage I don't see more things going for Wlad
I appreciate the thread's opening case. Thank you for exposing some myths. These myths have existed now for decades and they create an inaccurate view of boxing history, namely that prime Ali was totally unbeatable. He wasn't. And the guys that floored him, with the exception of Wepner, were all small. Ali would be in for a rough night in this fight.
