Prime Ezzard Charles in the 1970s

Who would he beat? Who would he lose to? Who could he upset? Who could he take the distance?

 

No one...

 

Charles would beat Norton. He would beat Shavers. He would beat Ron Lyle, Leon Spinks and I favour him over jerry Quarry too. I would confidently bet money on those fights. I don't see any of those guys winning twice against Walcott.

Charles won't beat Joe Frazier. He won't beat Ali before 1974 but at his best Charles definitely would beat the guy Leon Spinks beat that Norton and Shavers could not.

Could Ezzard beat George Foreman? I don't think so, but I would not be too surprised if he did. I think Charles was that good.

Charles at his best had a good engine and nobody was technically better. Look at the output in the Louis fight. Charles was so game. Watch the way he sparked Reynolds and Satterfeild. The way on film he handled a big guy like Coley Wallace too and it demonstrates how Charles did beat 1970s sized guys like Baksi and Elmer Ray.

 

Foreman/Charles would be a question mark. I think if Foreman fought Quarry, depending on how that went, it would have answered a lot of questions. Charles could do everything Quarry could do and better. Though, Foreman's camp did consider Quarry a formidable possible opponent. I think they'd have thought the same of Charles after seeing him decisively defeat Mac Foster, Earnie Shavers and Ron Lyle.

 

Absolutely. Quarry is a great indication of how Charles would fit into that decade. As you say Charles was even better than Quarry. There is evidence that Dick Sadler who handled Foreman was wary of that kind of fighter meeting George. Back then Foreman as it proved was not quite ready for clever elite fighters. Young and Ali took Foreman to school.

 

You think he could go the distance with Frazier like he did Rocky?

 

He could win the title.

Frazier was not prime in the 70s, and neither was Ali. It would take them at their best to beat Charles.

Foreman depends on the timing, I could see him replicate Young's success.

I think Norton is the X factor. Would be a hard fight for Charles.

And Holmes at his peak, defeats Charles.

But Quarry and Young are not outboxing him. Bugner, Lyle, and Shavers....not happening, they arent beating Charles.

 

Good post but I think Norton may beat Ez.

 

Frazier crushed Ellis and Foster in 1970. He was a beast and I don’t see Charles surviving him. Ali was too big and too good still.

 

For some reason, Holmes always stands out as an 80s heavyweight in my mind.

 

Yeah Norton would be a tough opponent for Charles.

 

I think Norton beats an old Charles not a prime Charles. If an old Ali could still hustle Norton out of a decision I don't see why a prime Charles can't.

Norton was a good contender though.

 

Yeah...in 1970. And he beat Ali at the start of 71. He has 9 more fights in the 1970s, where he does not have enough left in the tank to beat Charles.

Same goes for Ali, after 71, he's losing to Charles.

Ali and Frazier at their absolute peak are still going to have a hard time with Charles.

 

Can't argue with that. Good points.

 

Absolutely, I think Charles has a great shot at becoming World Champion in the 70s. I could see him fighting Norton in a brutal Trilogy. I think by 79, he probably loses to Holmes.

But Ali and Frazier, they are running on fumes. And nobody running on fumes is beating a peaking Charles.