Could any fighter Ali`s size or smaller have beaten him?

That still doesn't mean Frazier wasn't better....

 

Ali NEVER stated he lost all three bouts vs Norton. Ali won 2 out of three. Their third bout being razor close.

 

I literally sent you 2 videos of Ali saying Marciano would be his toughest fight

 

Yep, a better version of Norton imo

 

Frazier had been yo yo'd by Foreman by the time the rematch happened, plus his style was catching up with him being a pressure fighter

 

Lesser technically IMO but with a much better chin and the best headbutt in the business.

 

He did, to Foreman in a phone call. "Hey George, you fight Kenny for me, I cant beat him but hes scared of you"

 

You catch Holy with a good shot, he wants to catch you 5 times back. Norton is a good example of how someone with very good fundamentals a very good jab and will to win can do with Ali. Same as Holy

 

Silly.

First if that conversation ever occurred which I highly doubt Ali never stated he lost all three bouts with Norton. His comment obviously referred to not being able to beat Norton at that stage of his career.

 

Really not true. It was Norton’s herky jerky style which made him difficult to time plus the fact Norton never faced prime Ali. Ali stated himself after his third bout with Norton that Norton was the kind of fighter he would have easily beat in his prime. There is enough evidence in their bouts to conclude that a prime Ali moving and boxing with speed would have beat Norton rather convincingly.

 

Absolutely.

 

It always makes me laugh when people bring up the close fights with Norton, what people have to remember is Ali didn’t fight Norton until his 43rd professional fight, of which some of those included fighting with ATGs, and top level contenders, as well as around a 100 amateur fights.


On top of this 3 and a half year lay off and fighting as a professional for at least 10 years at that stage ,Ali’s reflexes and speed had deteriorated with age and because of these points mentioned. Even though 31-32 years isn’t mega old it’s a little like a newish car with a few hundred thousand miles on the clock it’s still a newish car but as had some hammer so therefore doesn’t perform as well. The 1966 fighting year through to say 1968 if not inactive would be very difficult to have found someone smaller who would have beat him once he had got over being the young and green fighter showing off thinking he was invincible which created some bad bouts ie Cooper,Jones ect but what do you do when you are in your early twenties and think you know it all. Ps Ali is 6ft 3 not 6ft 2.