Rico Verhoeven vs Muhammad Ali

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by PopPellegrino, May 23, 2026.


Verhoeven vs Ali

  1. Verhoeven by PTS

    5 vote(s)
    8.6%
  2. Ali by PTS

    5 vote(s)
    8.6%
  3. Ali by KO/TKO

    32 vote(s)
    55.2%
  4. Verhoeven by KO/TKO

    16 vote(s)
    27.6%
  1. MidniteProwler

    MidniteProwler Fab 4. Mayor of Aussie Boxing Full Member

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    You have to lie to suit your narrative haha Usyk has not retired lad and you know it.
     
  2. PopPellegrino

    PopPellegrino Active Member Full Member

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    Usyk has been retired for a while. I mean, he hasn't fought a ranked opponent or mandatory in a year and two months, and he vacated all his belts. That sounds pretty retired to me.
     
  3. MidniteProwler

    MidniteProwler Fab 4. Mayor of Aussie Boxing Full Member

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    Keep lying to yourself to suit your narrative lad :lol:
     
  4. slash

    slash Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    When Usyk threw punches Rico bent his head straight down, like looking at the mat. Rico also led with his chin, but Usyk uppercuts lacked steam (I'm so glad Usyk finally CLIPPED him with an uppercut). Ali didn't go to the body much, it's true, but he had a quasi-uppercut just made for that interloper. Uppercut city.
     
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  5. MixedMartialLaw

    MixedMartialLaw Combat sports enthusiast Full Member

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    Ali would beat Rico but Rico is a far superior athlete to McCline.

    I doubt any version of McCline would do anything to Usyk.
     
  6. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Stop lying to yourself Rico is garbage and would get smoked by Opetaia
     
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  7. UnleashtheFURY

    UnleashtheFURY D'oh!

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    McCline is actually very underrated.
     
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  8. UnleashtheFURY

    UnleashtheFURY D'oh!

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    English please.
     
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  9. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Let me makes this easier for you to understand. Benavidez would beat the **** out of Rico in the boxing ring, Rico isn't a puncher in any way and he has no head movement. Usyk made him look better than he really was

    Anyone over 200 pounds in the top 20 would outbox Rico comfortably. Even obscure guys like Pat Brown would outclass Rico
     
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  10. UnleashtheFURY

    UnleashtheFURY D'oh!

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    Come on. Ali was more than just off balance there. I think Ricos, size, athleticism and awkward style would cause him problems yes. and he has the power to hurt him too. Norton was not a big puncher by any means. All of his stoppages were against tomato cans and a few over the hill fighters like Quarry.
     
  11. UnleashtheFURY

    UnleashtheFURY D'oh!

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    Your post made no sense. Rico has you guys salty. Anyone who looks at Ali as a great fighter but not a demigod can see how Rico could cause him real issues in the ring. Get over it. It's not an absurd statement to make and it has logic behind it. Rico isn't some random schmuck. He's arguably the GOAT in a purely standup sport and he gave the unified HW champion of the world absolute hell.
     
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  12. PopPellegrino

    PopPellegrino Active Member Full Member

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    Where was Rico's power when he fought Usyk? A shot Ali took Shavers' punches in 8 oz. gloves filled with 100% horsehair for 15 rounds. Do you want to continue embarrassing yourself by suggesting Rico can seriously hurt Ali?

    Rico's athleticism is also overrated. He's 38 years old, has average speed for an athlete his size, and seems to have a pretty weak chin despite showing some good recovery. His "awkward style" is his biggest weakness against anyone who has good power.
     
  13. UnleashtheFURY

    UnleashtheFURY D'oh!

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    There's no talking sense to a hero worshiping cult prone to hyperbole.
     
  14. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ricos head would be target practice for the basic jab and straight right and Ali is much more likely to follow up with combinations. Usyk was confused by the jittering, and when Rico tries to back off and readjust Ali would outbox Rico and tie him up most times when he gets too close or shell up from time to time. He has no head movement, could not handle usyk when usyk was moving in spots and only had significant success when Usyk was stationary

    Your boy Usyk is shot, thats why he ducked Kabayel when he became mandatory after Rico and is targeting other shot fighters.
     
  15. PopPellegrino

    PopPellegrino Active Member Full Member

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    I am not hero worshipping anyone.

    Ali was a grade-A jackass. Frazier often talked about how, when his kids came home from school, they would be called gorillas because of Ali's trash talk. This was despite Frazier helping Ali every chance he got, and their supposed “making up” after the fights was largely marketing. Ali was also involved with the Nation of Islam, which promoted racist garbage, and was a famous adulterer. Ali isn't even close to my favorite fighter. He could be extremely negative at times, and he had some stinkers. I have a list of my top 150 heavyweight fights, and Rumble in the Jungle doesn't even come close to making the list. In my opinion, it's the most overrated fight of all time.

    What I am saying is that Ali outboxes Rico easily. There is hardly a debate to be had. You worship weight and height, and to a certain extent, they matter, but when the skill gap is this high, it's laughable that you think size is some sort of smoking gun that has to be brought up over and over.

    Rico's speed is average for an athlete his size, and he seems to have a pretty weak chin despite showing some good recovery. His “awkward style” is his biggest weakness against anyone who is decent.