Hasim Rahman & Oliver McCall vs Muhammad Ali 1967

The Rahman and McCall who stopped Lennox Lewis vs the Ali who beat up Terrell

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Little rough on them don't you think? You can be nice and at least give them a 3 minute round.......

or a participation trophy!

 

Hmmmm....something to consider here. Although, I think the issue is the gulf in speed and skill level here. I know that, at least, Patterson and Folley would have a decent chance in beating McCall and Rahman, even if they couldn't do it 10/10 times, they'd at least win a few and again because of skill differences. But yeah, Ali did have the physical advantages against his 60's opponents that he wouldn't have against Rahman or McCall. But he would have clearly superior speed and skill advantages.

Remember, a prime McCall coming off a KO win against a prime Lewis (yes I know Lewis may have fallen asleep at the wheel in that fight) and struggled with a 45 year old Larry Holmes. If Holmes was 15 years younger, how do you believe McCall would've done? Even if Holmes was 3 years younger, the 42 year old who fought and beat Mercer and who fought Holyfield, how would McCall have done?

And Holmes is a very relevant example because he's as close as you can get to Ali at heavyweight, stylistically, without actually talking about Ali.

And while it may forever be debated if whether a 30 year old Holmes was better than a 25 year old Ali, what isn't in question is whether a 45 year old Holmes was better than a 25 year old Ali.

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In order for me to believe that McCall would remotely pose a threat to a prime Ali he would've had to, at the very least been able to stop a 45 year old Larry Holmes. And unlike Foreman, who had nothing to do with Ali stylistically, Holmes was almost an Ali clone.

 

Likely this