When Should Ali Have Retired..?

Not to down on Muhammad, because he’d already proven himself as much as he needed to prior to the Norton rubber - BUT what if the decision had been given to Ken in that fight?

I don’t know if it was a contractual obligation but I’m sure Norton would’ve granted a rematch. I think Ken would’ve won that rematch - and likely by an even greater margin than their third fight. That could’ve been the beginning of a very ugly slippery slope at that point.

I agree with the view that the Shavers fight took the biggest chunk out of Ali in its own right - especially since Ali was at a more vulnerable age, with much wear/tear already accumulated - Shavers shots were more likely to leave everlasting damage than they would’ve on a younger, fresher Ali - of course Ernie wouldn’t have landed those shots on a younger Ali in the first place.

Over their 3 fights Norton damaged Ali severely, and perhaps, save for Frazier and later Shavers, he really hurt Ali more frequently than anyone else.

 

1989, before the rise of Lennox Lewis

 

Right after Ali-Frazier III That was when his Parkinsons began to rear its ugly head. His own doctor Ferdy Pacheco refused to work with him in he continued to fight he tried hard to convince him to retire

 

It

It's actually a Channel 4 (UK) documentary originally with a British narrator but there is a redubbed HBO version with an American voiceover they are the same documentary covering the same subject but just edited differently for an American audience. The Channel 4 version is the original version.

 

I think I've seen that one. If it's the one I'm thinking of,Frazier's modern times voice sounded terrible.

 

After Shavers. He has nothing more to prove. Parkinson wouldnt have been so aggressive with him. But he needed money for him and his family and Don King gave him some millions exploiting him.

Ali v Holmes was a true autopsy.

 

That’s why he should have retired after.

 

Ali made more than Holmes in the fight. 8 million is a lot of money now. It was a tremendous amount of money then.

I’m not saying the fight should’ve happened, but I understand why Ali took it.

 

From a legacy point of view Zaire or at the absolute latest Manila, but healthwise do n't come back. I tend to lean more and more to this - he probably should have never come back from his exile. Go off and give lectures, be a personality, make some money and not take the horrendous punishment that he did after he came back. Hopefully live a long healthy life

 

This is the only correct answer. His legacy was complete. Sure, he then never would have fought Shavers but he also never would have had those very controversial decisions in the third Norton and the Young fights. Had he retired at the end of 1975, chances are his quality of life would have been significantly better later on indeed.

 

Good post. If only,eh?

 

Don King took most of that, he ripped Ali off and he put the fight together, the nation of Islam ripped Ali off also.

 

After "The Rumble in the Jungle". Muhammad Ali no longer had anything to prove to himself, and nothing to prove to the world. He didn't need the health damage. He didn't need many to dispute his victory in the third fight against Norton (some also against Young). He shouldn't have lost to the mediocre Leon Spinks. The only thing Ali has proven (against Shavers) is that he has a great chin. Muhammad Ali would then retire as the lineal champion, which only Gene Tunney and Rocky Marciano had done before him. And he beat everyone he entered the ring with.

 

Either after the Rumble in the jungle or the thrilla in Manila at the very latest. I don’t think any victories he scored after the third Frazier meeting did his legacy much good. In fact most of them were flat performances anyway. And needless to say he didn’t need to take anymore hammering

 

I believe it.