True or false did we miss out on seeing true peak Ali?

I am a prophet. A boxing forum prophet needs nothing special, just a memory and a dream, maybe a few coins in his pocket.

 

Probably never saw his prime. Almost 4 years off leads to ring rust. Ali was still a young fighter when he returned to the ring, but he had to get back into the swing of things and didnt train or diet as hard in the 70s.

The pre exile Ali was fast and quick. The 70s Ali was physically stronger. I believe if Ali had not been exiled he would have combined his speed from his younger days with the strength of his post exile days and put together a more complete package.

 

Agreed, imagine getting behind the wheel of a car after a 15 year hiatus, it will take time to get accustomed to traffic, the feel of the instruments. Muhammad Ali did not spar much during that enforced idleness of 43 months, he travelled around the country on the lecture circuit in various colleges. Not to mention the mental stress of fighting his Draft Evasion convictions in the court systems awaiting a final verdict, possibly prison. And being unable to fight because of the loss of his boxing license due to the conviction which makes him a felon.