Would Muhammad Ali benefitted from a third prep fight before the FOTC

of course. really, you ask that?

I see why this board has driven boxed ears to hysterics.

 

I don't think so. Two good fights are ideal preparation; he might as well have lost his cool after three. And if it had been an easy fight, it might have simply toughened him up.

How many preparation fights did the almost 37-year-old Vitali have when he came out to Peters after a four-year layoff and showed the best form of his career? In his next fight, he broke the record for most landed power punches.

I wonder what would have happened if Rico had at least one preparation fight lasting at least six rounds before Usyk.

 

If he did take one more tuneup, surely Joe would also have decided to have another defense while he waited.

Wonder against whom that might have been, and could we have gotten an undermotivated Joe and an upset defeat?

 

Speaking of which, I think the real reason they rushed this fight was because Ali's criminal appeal was about to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, and the feeling at the time was that Ali was going to lose and go to prison. Hence, they wanted to get the big money fight on as soon as possible before he had to go away again.

 

Yes yes yes.

 

Enough w your legalize ... More books !!!

 

Hello, Fogger!

1. Yes.
2. George Chuvalo
3. With one more bout first, possibly. With *2 or 3 more bouts first, probably.

*Garcia, Patterson, Chuvalo, and plenty of rest between fights would have been ideal.

 

Despite not being born when this fight occurred I'm glad it played out as it did. It gave us possibly the greatest night/event in boxing history (and a helluva fight to boot).

I understand the hypotheticals about Ali's preparation but I genuinely think we saw absolutely elite versions of both fighter's and hence a nearly perfect meshing of styles and performance. I wouldn't change a thing personally.

 

Hello, Jakub79. Styles.

 

This time I have to agree. Both were the best of their careers, certainly in the three fights they fought. Perhaps the 1967 Ali was even better, I don't know. But this was peak Ali after his comeback.

 

Comparing prime Joe Frazier to out of shape Sam Peter is hilarious. And Vitali didn't show the best form of his career. His best performances were against Kirk Johnson and Danny Williams.