Mayweather's Number One Criticism of Muhammad Ali

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Let me take a wild guess, something having to do with losing to an Olympian with 7 fights while on the verge of Parkinson’s?

What a bum, Galento in 4

 

It's certainly true that Ali was a bit diminished in that fight. However, I think Mayweather's stance is that Ali's health had took a turn for the worst because of the punishment he received in fights from not prioritizing defense.

 

He’s not wrong, but his Parkinson’s was hereditary so his health was going to diminish either way. He certainly fell in love with his durability especially after Zaire

 

I wonder if Mayweather still uses his IVs ...

 

A bit diminished? That's like saying O J Simpson was a bit diminished when he played for the 49ers, Willie Mays was a bit diminished when he played for the New York Mets, and Michael Jordan was a bit diminished when he played for the Washington Wizards. By 1978 Muhammad Ali had been boxing for twenty four years, sparred nearly 20,000 rounds, and had fifty eight pro fights. He also had Parkinson's Syndrome. I would add his brother Rahman has Parkinson's and he had a whopping eighteen pro fights.

 

**** Floyd.

 

When Ali deposed of George Foreman he was 45-2 with no unavenged defeats. He had had beat three Olympic Gold Medalists, two consensus top ten hw atgs, and a bubble top ten atg. He had climbed the mountain. All the controversial decisions and embarrassing losses came after that.

 

Its was rumored that Ali would take an immense amount of punishment in SPARRING at times letting the sparring partners beat on him to show they could not hurt him.

 

Have you actually seen fights with him in the late 60's and late 70's? The difference is immense. It's like saying Tyson was "a bit diminished" against McBride.

 

Except Norton 1.

 

I’m pretty sure he had Parkinson’s syndrome which is caused and not hereditary… @NoNeck was it you who said this?

 

He had traumatic Parkinson’s, but likely was predisposed to Parkinson’s to begin with. I think his brother also got Parkinson’s but at an older age and in a more mild form. His brother was also a fighter.

The vast majority of people with normal Parkinson’s will get it in their fifties or older, whereas Ali was getting nailed in the back of head and showing symptoms while still in his thirties.

 

He avenged his defeats against Frazier and Norton in the run up to Kinshasha. If he would have retired after Kinshasha he would have been 45-2 with no unavenged defeats. If you want to count losing a split decision against Norton as an embarrassing defeat that's your perogative.

 

Like I said, he was diminished. But he still held a world title at the time.