Spinks was a small potato and Ali wouldn`t have won it three times if he hadn`t lost to Leon in the first place, if he beat him in the first bout, that would have been pointless just as beating him in the rematch wasn`t that difficult.
Before the Shavers fight because after that bout scars were found on Ali`s brain and his speech slowed as did his hand movements.
I totally get that. Only heavyweight ever to do so. If we're talking alpha-belts, first fighter to win it four times. Quite an achievement he / we would've missed out on had he retired earlier. Y'know, after writing my last post in this thread, I'm kind of thinking Ali retired at exactly the right time, if... ...IF he's lived into his old age being as sharp and healthy as, say, Georges Chuvalo and Foreman are. But, as other posters have said, we saw the signs of Parkinson's years before Ali quit. So, hindsight being 20/20, he should've retired at the end of 1975. Or 1976 at the latest.
It was a crazy year. I think Ali went a little nuts in 1976 because that would've been the year he'd have been released from prison if the Supreme Court hadn't overturned his conviction. He defended the title four times that year. He fought Inoki in Japan. His autobiography came out in 75 and he filmed a movie about his life in 76 (released in '77.) Starred in a movie, made four title defenses, participated in a boxer/wrestler closed circuit in Japan ... that's a full year. Oscar Bonavena got shot that year, too, like days before the Richard Dunn fight. And I recall reading stories that Ali was really bothered by that. So much so that he had a nothing workout with Rodney Bobick (who was on the undercard) scheduled and he beat the crap out of Bobick in front of everyone, and he rarely if ever got into it with sparring partners at that point. So there was something weird going on. Seemed like he planned to retire at the end of 76. All signs pointed to it. But he changed his mind.
If the Supreme Court hadn't overturned his conviction, and Ali had gone to prison in 1971 for draft evasion ... and his last fight had been Frazier 1 ... and he wasn't released until 1976 ... I think he'd have been an HBO boxing announcer in the 80s and 90s and had a long career behind the microphone - like Foreman - and possibly would still be alive. Depends on how much of his ailment was caused by the blows. Some people get it without taking blows to the head. I'm sure the boxing did tremendous damage, though.
Against such a poor champion, though. Someone he had no business losing the title to in the first place. For me, that's mostly an achievement on paper.
I agree with you that he had no business losing to him in the 1st place but imo winning the title for the 3rd time when nobody's ever done so is a huge achievement regardless of who he beat to accomplish it.
Both Ali and Frazier should retire after Manila. Thrilla in Manila has definitely proved the greatness of these two fighters, and should be their swan song.
No ,I meant after Wepner . Rocky would still be born then . I wonder though ,if Ali had Lost to Chuck how Sly would have made the Rocky film pan out ???
I don't agree. Holmes beating Mercer, although no title being on the line, is for me a greater achievement than Ali beating Spinks. In the end, it's all about the quality of opponent in front of you. A poor opponent doesn't become better if he happens to have a title he managed to take from you.