Would Ali have won the FOTC had he taken more tune up fights before?

Following his over 3 year layoff, Ali only fought twice before he faced Fraizer for the world heavyweight title.

Had he taken a couple additional fights to shake off the rust before he finally faced Frazier would the fight have gone any differently?

 

No

 

I think people overstate how rusty Ali really was coming into the fight. He had two tune ups and was training consistently during his exile. Ali was the best he could have looked at that age and he lost to Frazier who peaked and was never the same after the fight. Way too many people try to excuse the lose instead of just admitting the truth that Ali would never have beaten that version of Frazier.

 

Based on his lackluster performance against Bonavena in his 2nd fight back was he really the "best he could have looked like"? As he looked more impressive a little later that decade.

 

I dont think so. That night Frazier was unbeatable.

 

No, he was fresh. He had two very good introductory fights that allowed him to get into a rhythm without tiring him out too much. He was in perfect form against Frazier I. Better than in his subsequent fights with Joe Frazier.

 

Frazier had less than 2 rounds in the ring in the year before the Ali fight, while Ali had 18 rounds in the ring. Crawford had fought 5 times in 6 years before the fight with Canelo. Ray Leonard hadn't fought in almost 3 years, and had fought less than 12 full rounds since 1981 when he beat Hagler in 1987. For an experienced fighter, conditioning and training are usually more important than ring activity.

 

Quarry and Bonavena were hardly light touches, and about as good as two fighters available at the elite level to prepare you for Frazier. And Ali handled both very well, including being the only guy to ever stop Oscar.

 

Or maybe Bonavena was just an awkward opponent for him

 

Maybe but maybe not it's hard to say.

I think Ali was in great shape anyway though.

 

He beat the #1 and #2 contenders more emphatically than anyone else had ever done. Nobody was going to be able to get him ready for Joe Frazier.

 

He stopped a guy who has never been stopped before. How was it luckluster?

 

Maybe. He had been back in training for six months. Another six might have improved his conditioning just that little bit, so he could have taken command down the stretch, like he did in Manilla, instead of Frazier doing it. We'll never know.

 

His movement, timing and activity rate. Cosell says time and time again in the commentary that it's not the Ali before the exile.

I think Bonavena was stylistically a bit tricky, but Ali did not look his usual fluid self. Main thing was that he was flat footed, though, like he didn't trust his conditioning. He said himself that he was schocked at how tired he was after only three rounds against Quarry, so likely he didn't.

 

Agree 100% Frazier was possessed that night--he was NOT going to lose! But IMHO Ali fought brilliantly in the FOTC--I think he beats anybody else except Joe!

Ali did lose some speed and timing but I think he punched harder in that bout than he ever did in any previous fight. (Ali really landed some HEAVY shots against Frazier--Joe took a LOT of punishment and was never the same fighter afterwards!)

Ultimately, I don't know if another tune up fight would have made any difference.