Jack Johnson vs Muhammad Ali

I think the gap in strength is huge. Johnson's grip was so strong he could literally tie some guys' hands behind their back. Ali's clinching was usually done for safety purposes, Johnson used it to set up powerful uppercuts. I think Ali would get mauled if he clinched with him. I've never seen a clip of a fighter hitting Johnson regularly at range, he was very good at blocking and catching punches and would even grab some guys' wrists to prevent them from throwing (probably couldn't do that with more modern gloves) and he usually didn't chase guys around.

 

The main reason why they couldn’t land against Johnson at range was mainly because Johnson’s filmed opponents were either grossly outmatched, or flat out sucked. Burns was far too small to be competitive with Johnson, and Jeffries was a shot fighter who didn’t really have much to offer Jack. Ketchel didn’t have the skillset to compete with Johnson from range, nor did Moran, Flynn or Willard. I think that speaks levels as to how poor their skills are rather than for how formidable Johnson’s game is at range. Mind you, I don’t think he’s particularly bad at range, I just think he’s very limited compared to Ali and many other boxers who proceeded him. Johnson has a solid jab, as well as a good cross and maintains distance well. But he doesn’t seem prepared for what Ali could offer him.

 

Incredibly delusional take you’re talking about the guy that got slept by a Washed Choynski . Any of Ali’s top 5 opponents starch Jack. What’s next he can outmuscle foreman

 

Very lucky the Choynski fight wasn’t filmed you’d see it there

 

Choynski went on to beat Childs ,Maher, and draw with Hart,so maybe he had something left?

 

I always hesitate with this kind of fight, because the gulf in how Boxing was played out is getting to the point where it is vast to the extent of being crucial.

That is, in a 12-15 rounder in an air conditioned arena, I have a hard time seeing Ali losing. But in blazing heat, outdoors with no shade, & over 20, 30, 45 rounds? You see what I’m saying…& I consider it wholly unfair to transport either fighter entirely to the others’ time. That’s without even mentioning rule changes & refereeing or scoring conventions.

 

I would compare him to a current chisora at the time he fought jack. Not saying exactly the same style of fighter especially in the cardio dept.

 

Jack Johnson was Ali's role model. Ali looked up to him. Ali would fall to his idols relentless pressure and lose by ko.

 

And Jack was also very green when he fought Joe, in fact he largely credits Choynski for making him a better boxer. I don’t think the result of Johnson-Choynski speaks levels to how prime Johnson does against anyone.

 

Johnson engineered the defeat of Joe Louis by the very average Max Schmeling. I believe that Johnson has the versatility, to beat Ali on points

 

He spotted that Louis did not return his left hand to the guard position after jabbing,but how did he "engineer," Louis' defeat?
Max has noticed it himself when viewing Louis' previous fights on film.

 

After reading all six pages I "learned" Ali couldn't clinch , the Terrell fight was competitive, and Ernie Terrell and Jack Johnson were virtually the same size.

 

The so average Schmeling who became world champion. Give me a break.