Unpopular opinions

No-one would ever "destroy" Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. He went 15 with a young Spinks despite gassing from weight loss around the halfway mark, having one eye completely closed for many of the late rounds and being heavily decked from a massive Spinks right hand he never ever saw. He was smooth as silk defensively, didn't overexert, took a great punch and obviously had plenty of ticker tho he seldom had to use it. He also possessed massive power himself.

Laziness and being too passive prevented him from being a good level ATG.

 

I think most fans know he wasn`t the greatest. One of the greats and perhaps the greatest showman.

 

Harold Johnson vs Dwight Qawi is the logical conclusion to dream fights

 

Archie Moore, not Ezzard Charles, is the greatest ever light heavyweight.

 

The vast majority of the consensus ATG heavyweights are highly overrated head-to-head relative to the best non-ATG heavyweights.

 

Here's one that's bound to be unpopular - I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Frazier would have lost to Ali had they rematched earlier, say late '71 or early '72.

Having said that, I fully realize that it very well may have played out the same as it did in real time, but there would have been some differences. Frazier would have been the undefeated, defending champion without the ignominious loss to Foreman on his record. That would be an intangible, psychological plus that he did not have in the real time rematch. While it is true that Frazier was diminished in his 1972 fights with Daniels and Stander, Ali didn't always look so sharp until his return go with Quarry. (Watch his Blin fight). When Frazier and Ali met in 1974 they were both in good form and while Joe lost, he gave a good account of himself, better than many expected. Had they fought two years earlier, Ali might not have been as battle-ready as he was in '74, and Joe would not have had as much inactivity and the Foreman defeat, and the loss of Yank Durham.

Even if Joe lost to Ali in 1972, it most likely would have been by decision. Win or lose, Joe's legacy rises with the Ali trilogy, and that would probably always have been true. If Joe loses in '72, they have a rubber match soon after, and that likely goes the limit, too. If Joe loses that one too, he retires with two decision losses and never meets Foreman.

 

If Tommy Morrison had a more strict training regimen, he would have earned the heavyweight championship sooner and held it longer. Possibly never loosing a fight, regardless of his chin.

No girls, no drugs, just focused.

 

I think Joe might’ve beaten Ali if FOTC happened years earlier.

 

Including steroids and HIV?

 

Let say he may have needed some steroids....

 

Here is another......Trevor Berbick was paid to beat Ali but not hurt him. So he held back some intentionally.

 

Is that an opinion or a fact?

 

Opinion

 

Floyd Patterson is highly overrated.

Knocked down, what, 12-15 times or more in his career? Maybe 20? Minimal punch resistance.

Sham defenses vs. Rademacher (zero pro fights, disgraceful), McNeeley and London (who was nothing AND was coming off a loss).

Also captured a vacant belt beating an old light heavyweight and was basically an interim champion — someone had to fill the gap between Marciano and Liston. And even then he lost to Ingo, a one-trick pony.

I like Floyd and his insistence of defending against Liston and his gameness in his post-championship years, but I think he was a horrible champ.

 

Anyone else score the first Curry-Starling fight for Marlon? I’m not sure if it’s an unpopular opinion as it’s not discussed much. The rematch is discussed more as it was a bigger and better fight.