What pre-Louis heavyweight has the best shot at beating prime Ali?

None of them would be able to.

 

Jack Johnson had size and power. If I am picking one man, I will go with the Galveston Giant.

 

Oh Galveston ,Oh Galveston. Glen Campbell (1969)

 

Jack Dempsey would have been a bad stylistic match for him.

I will say no more than that.

 

Tunney or Dempsey.

 

Dempsey

 

Dempsey has a great chance. Depended on the rule set, Johnson and others have a good shot imo.

 

Best shot doesn’t necessarily mean having a decent shot at beating Ali - Dempsey would have the best shot imo - certainly Dempsey’s left hook and Ali’s vulnerability to that punch type would positively build into Dempsey’s perceived chances.

However. I think prime Ali’s mobility keeps him out of harms way for the most part whilst tattooing Dempsey at range with the jab and other assorted punches worked off the jab.

There’s also the safety net of Ali’s tremendous chin if Dempsey gets any power shots through.

 

Best pre-Louis shot is Dempsey blitzing Ali.

 

Schmeling. Counter punching excellence. Wouldn't bet on him to do it though.

 

While remaining reasonably and realistically anchored in his displayed natural abilities and skills, I could fantasise and extrapolate Jack Johnson into a modified style with greater accent on output and aggression - a somewhat reinvented boxer that could give Ali a lot of trouble.

However, as he was, Johnson deferred too much to defence to beat Ali - and Johnson’s accent on defence would be likely increased even more in the face of Ali’s speed and output.

Still, Johnson was naturally strong and could clutch and wrestle with the best of them (Ali himself channeled Lil Arthur in the Frazier rematch with his OTT hands on stifling of Joe) and would have some potential to employ “spoiling” tactics to perhaps arrest Ali’s momentum at different stages of the fight.

I remember, in fantasy, old boxing mags usually afforded Ali a 15 round decision over Johnson BUT with Johnson decking Ali at least once at some point in the fight.

Jack’s one of my favourite fighters but I personally don’t think he had the power to put Ali down - but, on the flip side, it seems he didn’t often wind his power right up given the greater risk it invited.

Perhaps, as far as Ali’s opponents went, Johnson could be most closely analogised to the slick, defensive minded Jimmy Young but with more power and greater application of strength.

 

Dempsey taking him in 6 or less also Tunney would give him fits.

 

I thought Schmeling was a Louis contemporary?

 

Dempsey, Tunney, Willard