Who would have been Ali's toughest matchup among boxers he never fought?

Lewis
Holmes
Wladimir
Usyk
Tyson

Lewis/Wladimir for being highly skilled Super Heavyweights with 1 punch KO power.

Holmes for having a better jab than Ali plus Holmes would be the best technical fighter he's ever fought.

Usyk because of the fact he's a unique southpaw Heavyweight ATG with superb skills.

Tyson because he's basically a faster, bigger, more explosive version of Frazier with a better variety to his offence.

Non ATG Heavyweights who I think would trouble Ali aswell.

Byrd
Ibeabuchi
Witherspoon

 

Mike Tyson, Usyk, Holmes,

Guys like Holyfield, Lewis, Fury, Klitschko brothers, Witherspoon etc could give Ali all he could handle but those 3 i listed up top would IMO would be the most difficult/challenging match ups that could be made for a peak Ali

 

Seems like a good list, but I do object to this Tyson being a Frazier 2.0 in everything.

He did have the advantages you name but also trailed Frazier significantly in stamina and workrate. If Tyson would have been in the 15th in a brutal war with Ali he would not been throwing left hooks like that in the last round. Fully possible that he wouldn't need a 15 round war to beat that Ali, but in case it would go in that direction he'd for sure not have Frazier's late round stamina.

He also didn't have Frazier's resilience. While I don't at all buy that Tyson was weak and folded as soon as he encountered resistance, Frazier was barely human in how he would never give up.

 

I just meant in physical attributes TBH.

I know Frazier has better staying power late in nights and more heart aswell.

But I'd argue Tyson takes a better single shot than Frazier.

I don't think Frazier would've took bombs off a big puncher like Ruddock without visiting the canvas once or twice IMO.

Funnily enough I actually think the Ali of the 2nd Frazier fight would be a tougher opponent for Tyson compared to FOTC Ali.

Because that version of Ali would be tying up Tyson like he did to Frazier.

And as he know that was a bit of a weakness with Tyson where he let opponents clinch him on the inside nullifying his offence.

 

Scrap-iron Johnson, no doubt.

 

Norton should be mentioned somewhere IMO.

 

The thread title is "Ali's toughest match up amongst boxers he never fought"

 

He fought him tho mate.

 

Holmes, Tyson, Wlad, Usyk.

 

Sorry misread.

 

Misread.

 

I agree. Ali don't want to trade with Tyson like he did with Frazier in FOTC.

And Tyson did have the better chin and power.

With Tyson the roughest and probably decisive patch would be the early rounds, While with Frazier it was the mid and late rounds. With Tyson the most difficult part would be to not take too much damage early on while also doing some to him, with Frazier it was to keep him off him while at the same time having enough left for the last two thirds,

 

Mike Tyson, Greg Page, Tony Tubbs

 

In no order
Tyson
Holmes
Wlad
Holy
Louis
Dempsey
Honestly don't see how Usyk is a problem for Ali