Was Ali vs Shavers the most overrated title fight in history?

That fight stunk on hot ice. Truly, one of the most boring and disappointing mega events in history. Although, I was hardly surprised. That no-action fight seemed about as legit as Mayweather-McGregor.

 

Right, I don’t disagree about the fight, but there was no expectation of it being a great fight going into it.

Muhammad Ali had not beaten had not been a quality opponent convincingly Frazier III two years earlier!
People thought he lost to Jimmy Young and Ken Norton. Due to these gift decisions they actually showed the scoring for the fight after each round. They tried to keep it secret from the fighters but Ali’s corner was getting the results relayed to them from someone watching the broadcast from the dressing room.Incredibly it does not appear that Shavers corner was doing likewise!

His other fights against Richard Dunn, Jean Pierre Coopman and Alfredo Evangelista were against such subpar competition it difficult to judge Ali’s. Coopman was apparently drinking champagne prior to the bout in his dressing room.! Ali laughed after the first clinch when he tested Cooperman’s strength! In all fairness he looked so bad against Alfredo Evangelista that there was concern that this might have been the end and his luck had run out.

There wasn’t really a ton of excitement about Earnie Shavers. He had already lost to run while Ron Lyle, Bob Stallings, and Jerry Quarry. The real challenges for Muhammad Ali’s immediate future work in Norton and Jimmy Young both who had in the opinion of many beaten Ali . Shavers was considered a longshot and in fact walked out to the ring to the theme of Rocky.


On the other hand they have the unmitigated gall to call Mayweather Pacquiao the fight of the century!

 

Yes! At least Ali Shavers was free! People paid money to watch Mayweather Pacquiao! They should’ve called that fight Crime of the Century, but of course it would’ve been out done by Mayweather McGregor if you are measuring sheer larceny!

 

Commentators made it seam Haye vs Valuev was a worthy title fight. "Oh, how Haye looked so great."
Not.

While Hipp challenging Seldon for a title wasn't rated as a must watch fight, I couldn't see how those two were the ones fighting for a championship belt.

 

Ali-Liston II is the most overrated fight of all time. There’s the famous photo and the clips of Ali bragging about his “anchor punch.” There’re the conspiracy theories about Liston.

What I saw was nothing happening for a minute or two until Ali scored a flash knockdown. Walcott then lost control of Ali and butchered the count, not even giving one to Liston. Liston then got up and kept fighting, at which point Walcott ended the fight without a good reason. It should’ve been an NC.

 

i agree the fight was very overrated but pacquiao was either not injured at all or exaggerated how bad it was. Either way he was a liar. He checked off on the medical questionaire that he was fine. During tbe fight he used both arms constantly and even raised them up above his head to celbrate after the final bell.

He couldnt get his story straight and claimed god healed him in the ocean or some nonsense. He went from saying he got robbed to claiming je already knew hed lose.

 

He fight itself isnt overrated at all. Nobody hails ali liston 2 as this amazin event. It was the drama and confusion that caught the worlds attention. I do agree that it was hyped up far beyond what it was.

To the untrained eye it looked like Ali destroyed the scariest man on the planet with 1 punch. This would be the equivalent of someone koing anthony joshua or golovkin in the first round today, people simply couldnt believe what they saw.

 

I feel like there’s a very positive spin put on that fight considering what it was. I’d prefer to have seen Ali either finish Liston or see him recover and finish the round. I rarely hear people saying that it sucked.

 

In a way the fight exceeded expectations. I have a World Boxing from 1978, which covers 1977's fights.
Shavers was seen almost as a second rate fighter challenging Ali. He was viewed as a terrific puncher, but having been stopped by Ron Stander, Jerry Quarry, and Ron Lyle was considered glass chinned and a fighter with poor stamina. He was voted 1977's Inspirational Fighter of the Year for having went 15 rounds with Ali, despite losing the decision.

 

I am convinced that Ali got through his last couple of defenses because he was Ali, and people were still fearful of him!

 

Don’t forget he also claimed that he won. Maybe he does have a future in politics.