Was Ali the greatest heavyweight of all time?

Louis ranks ahead of Ali because he was more consistent and more dominant. He made more title defenses and generally beat his opponents in more convincing, decisive fashion.

 

I think the argument that Ali faced better competition is partially based on the fact that Ali's opponents sometimes beat him but this uses circular logic. Maybe Frazier beating Ali doesn't make Frazier great it just means Ali is not quite as great as people thought.

For example Ali struggled with Ken Norton but a slightly past it Norton was easily beaten by Earnie Shavers. Does this make Earnie Shavers an ATG? Are all the guys who beat Shavers such as Quarry, Lyle, Bob Stallings also ATGs? Where does it end?

Is Jimmy Young an ATG because he beat Foreman?
is Ossie Ocasio an ATG because he beat a guy who beat Foreman?

 

All this time and you guys still don't know what greatest means..smh

It transcends overall career it's also impact on the sport itself ...and influence out of it.

It's not who can beat up who in other eras...how do you guys not understand this by now?

Ali is the greatest at least for now...


Joshua may change the sport like he did....it's too early to list him there right now.

Ali is and anyone who knows about boxing can't have anyone else except Louis but he didn't transcend it like Ali did.


If we went on JUST becoming a legendary figure than M.Tyson would be number one but career overall also has to be included and Tyson had a VERY short prime!

 

How did Ali transcend the sport?

 

He was both idolized and reviled by people who otherwise could care less about any boxer.

 

If you don't know this answer your watching the wrong sport!

You literally have no foundation to talk boxing .

 

. . . or maybe the meaning of transcend.

 

Well anyway.

 

Lol

 

He's asking how did he transcend boxing...

Wouldn't that imply he's asking how ?????

Not asking what the word means?

 

Right, one would need to know both about Ali and the meaning of transcend to answer the question.

 

So many boxers from the 80's never took their career serious did they. Drugs or cocaine was a real problem back then wasn't it. Douglas from that night was a badass. Tyson just wasn't going to beat him that night

 

What I'm skeptical of is whether he transcended the sport to a greater degree than guys like Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, and Mike Tyson. These guys achieved fame way beyond hardcore boxing fans and as best I can tell were just as famous in their day as Ali was.

 

greatest heavyweight? Most complete record and fights.. And as he got older he slowed down and showed even more greatness.

 

I agree.
But this only means Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali both beat excellent opposition. It still leaves open the question of who ranks higher.