How would Muhammad Ali do against the heavyweights in the past 35 years

I think that he beats all of them provided he is in his prime, 1964-1967. Ali had confidence, foot work, cat like reflexes, speed, and stamina. Also he had an outstanding trainer in Angelo Dundee. Size does not mean a thing, it just means that you are fighting a one dimensional punching bag, that does not have the speed to hit you back. He would have had some trouble with tactical opponents, not sluggers, as you can't hit, what you can't see, and they would get exhausted trying to hit him for a 15 round fight. The FOTC 1971 Ali, was nowhere near his prime, but 4 years removed from it. Klitchko's were great, but lacked the speed in their classic European stances, one punch at a time. Someone like Lennox Lewis, with a glass jaw, would also be toyed with until tasting a flash like right hand, like he threw and connected on Cleveland Big Cat Williams, in 1966. Someone like Povetkin, has good tactics, but speed can defeat someone slow of foot. Prime Muhammad feasted on European opponents,George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Brian London, and Karl Mildenberger, in 1966. Prime Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson get out boxed, lack of foot work and speed, become their nightmare. Do not forget Ali was a master of getting into and living in an opponents head. He would make sport of an opponent's mental and physical flaw, then exploit it. He was always prepared for a fight, Dundee saw to that. Now in these times, do fighters rarely stick with the same training team, this causes mass confusion with the fighter, changing habits and style. Some people get Ali from the 1970's mixed up with prime Ali from his first prime title reign, they were different like night and day. Prime was not vulnerable, while post prime was very vulnerable. I do feel that post prime Ali would have fell to defeat at the hands of the modern 35 years fighters, he lacked his prime arsenal. Sure post prime Ali fought unforgettable matches, but his fighting style did lead him on a path to neurological issues that plagued him for the remainder of his life.

 

I respect your opinion as always, but I can't see him using the Povetkin tactics on a prime, pre-exile version of Ali.

Those early versions of Ali saw him on his toes in the centre of the ring.

Povetkin just kept walking forward where he could be grappled and controlled.

Ali would literally have danced all over the canvas, whilst talking to him to try and gain a psychological advantage.

Wlad used to miss so many jabs by tentatively pawing it out half heartedly.

The Haye fight actually tells me a lot. Because Haye's upper body movement alone caused Wlad lots of problems, even when he was pressed up against the ropes and Wlad was right in front of him.

The Fury fight also tells me a lot even though Wlad was past his best and Fury is obviously bigger than what Ali was. Because even though Fury had only respectable power and Wlad had huge power, those feints that Fury threw had Wlad fighting in a very cautious manner all night long. He didn't switch tactics to try and fight him, it was just rinse and repeat. And I think that fight would have played out the same whenever they'd have fought. Tyson got into his head beforehand, and he wasn't used to the movement.

Against Ali, he'd have been facing a guy the same size of Haye, with the confidence and the movement of Fury, but a fighter that was obviously even better than what both of those guys were. A bad combination for him.

I honestly think he'd have beaten Wlad before they'd have gotten in the ring. Ali crashed Liston's training camps and told George he hit like a woman. He'd have told Wlad that he was like a robot.

 

Firstly, I do not think that Ali's prime was in the 60's. He was flashy but inconsequential compared to his 70's accomplishments.

How he does against heavies of the last 35 years? Very well.

Very well.

 

But very vulnerable.

 

The Rope A Dope damaged him as a retired individuals, what he had with flash was great to watch, I saw those fights, when they happened. The slower fighters from the 1970's gave him trouble, they would have not battled him in the 1960's, too much speed. In the 1960's he would have not suffered a broken jaw at the likes of Ken Norton.

 

Who did he beat in the 60's compared to Foreman, Norton, Frazier, Lyle...?

Don't tell me a late stage chronic Liston.

No one lives on quicks that long. Sooner or later you need the guile and strength he developed in the 70's.

 

True, but why see someone without their arsenal, it's like seeing somebody fight with their hands tied behind their back. In the 1960's, he would defeat those fighters you mentioned rather easily. Did you like the way he ended up?, letting other opponents beat on him. Sure he won and father time did not rob him of those skills, he was convicted of draft evasion, in 1967. Let's be honest, you can only fight the fighters put in front of you in your era, You cannot fight people from the past or future. It was agreat fight against Liston who would have eaten those fighters you ate for supper.

 

In the 60's he was skittish like a waterbug. That worked fine against a mummy like a shot Cleveland Williams.

But to see true Ali, watch the Berbick fight. Bereft of some of his physical abilities he manages a masterful performance over a future world champion.

 

The only fighter I can see who' might possibly get a win is Lewis, we are talking about a prime Ali right?

 

Ali beats up Wlad and has him doing the back stroke on the canvas around the 11th round,

 

Vitali and Lewis beat him

Holmes and Byrd take him to the cards. Coin flip.

Chisora is all wrong for him. Chisora is a better version of Frazier.

The late 2000s version of Wlad beats him.

Fury beats him.

He beats Wilder, Joshua, Tua and probably Tyson.

 

Prime you are right, but Lewis does have a glass jaw, remember Ko losses to Hassim Rshaman, and Oliver McCall. But to be truthful, I think that a prime Larry Holmes could cause a prime Ali problems, hard left jab, he did have some movement, could take a punch. Holmes went down against Renaldo Snipes in 1981, hurt by Weaver, in 1979, a terrific puncher, and went down against Shavers. Against Tyson, in 1988, Holmes was long past his prime but a good win for Tyson. When Holmes went down, he showed heart and always got up in his prime. You do have great posts.

 

I agree Holmes would give Ali fits, Ali Lewis would be a tactical fight .

 

True, but then we could also say something similar about each HW listed. Wlad can't live off of length and grabbing forever, or Tyson can't live off of speed and power forever. Having big weapons or difference makers should be weighted heavily. One of the greatest asset a boxer can have is speed, and being pretty much the fastest guy there ever was, should imo, be enough to win or be in most one off fights. Then when you mix in his other qualities with that speed, I think it's easy to envision his quicks being enough, especially quicks in that guy. Just my thoughts.

Either way, Sea's best ever 70's version or the 60's likely runs the list at their best each fight, I just think the 60's version gets the job done easier and prettier.