Jack Johnson vs Muhammad Ali

Ali destroys him with speed, footwork and defense. And Ali, especially 70's Ali, was very, very strong. I think he would do just fine in any clinches that occurred before he stops Johnson, Cleveland Williams' style, in 5 rounds.

 

In the first two rounds, Johnson is competitive, but in the third his eye starts to swell, leaving him half-blind for much of the match. By the sixth round Ali is clearly ahead, though jack still has moments. The shift comes in the seventh round, when Ali lands a left hook that sent Jack to the ropes, and launchs a flurry of blows seeking a knockout. Johnson repells Ali with his own desperate offensive, but has wobbly legs for the remainder of the match. Johnson, on the verge of getting stopped, hugs ali the whole round but the next round goes solidly to Ali, battering the wobbly and half-blinded Jack,. This state goes on for the rest of the fight; In the last round, Ali taunts Jack and makes fun of him. Two of the Judges scores the bout 148–137 and the other has it 148–133 all in favor of Ali.
Ali UD.

 

Johnson had more speed and finesse, than you could imagine. He'd play with Ali and give him a big watermelon smile, as he's being counted out.
JJ when he was in his fifties could catch punches from all directions in his mitt, from featherweights - up at Trafton's gym in Chicago. Nobody compares to him, and Ali couldn't hit him in the ass.

 

Muhammad Ali would do well to stick and move rather than get hung up on the ropes or toy with Johnson on the inside. Jack was a master of tying people up and anyone who got involved with him at it usually had problems

 

Ali is the favourite but certainly wouldn't rule Jack out.

 

Ali takes the Galveston Grappler to school

 

Ali was able to handle Liston and Foreman and Chuvalo... Johnson is going to present nothing new in terms of strength. In fact, I am quite certain that Ali was stronger.

Let's add to the fact that Ali's top 10 victims are better, often far better, heavyweights than Johnson's top single victim.

 

Ali wins on points in one of his top 5 toughest fantasy matchups.

 

You're in good company, because Nat Fleischer would certainly have agreed with your analysis. I appreciate your opinion and the way you arrived at it! Personally, I think Muhammad would win a decision over Jack Johnson, but in no way would it have been an easy one, IMHO, of course. I sure wouldn't bet the farm on Ali vs. Johnson head to head.

 

Johnson generally was the one who brought the boxing master class to his opponents of his time, i think in Ali he would be facing someone who was a step higher with regards that, and with some unorthodox approaches that only Ali could master.

Johnson sure as hell would not be able to outclass Ali and talk to the ringsiders as he did against Burns or Jefferies.

Ali by UD