In your opinion, what are Ali's five most brilliant performances?

I find your choice of Spinks 2 intersting. I have fond memories of the occasion,as Ali was evening the score for a fight he should never have lost. Muhammad had definitely slowed up by this point though. The Ali of Zaire for example,would have knocked Spinks out at will.

 

Veritable monster - I like that ! :hi:

 

You say Quarry II but show us the Quarry I fight.

 

I won't rank them, but...

Ali vs Williams
Ali vs Foreman
Ali vs Frazier III - Just for pure will, heart, skill, in-fighting, and competition at its highest form.
Ali vs Liston I
Ali vs Terrel/Folley

Honorable mentions: Ali vs Quarry I. Good performance for a comeback, but Quarry style along with the cut really make it look easy for Ali. Ali vs Frazier II - good gameplan that was well executed. His dancing, skills, and speed look very good here. A tad bit of holding but he looks good and sharp, definitely an underrated Ali performance. Liston II doesn't make it due to the high suspicion and controversy surrounding it.

 

1. Jimmy Young
2. Jurgen Blin
3. Buster Mathis
4. Leon Spinks
5. Trevor Berbick

 

Never had a problem with Liston or his greatness. I just think the pendulum of his estimation had swung a little too far into the ether over the past years. These opinions vary through the decades.

I put him somewhere around 9 through 12 ATG heavyweights.

Regarding Ali, that first fight with Liston was pretty earth-shattering. And he beat up the man, not just outpointed him, beat him up and left him dispirited. If you discount theories of mob-involvement or influence from the Nation of Islam heavies, one can think of the Liston II fight along the lines of Marciano-Walcott II. The defeated just wanted nothing more to do with a foe of whom he had already had his share.

 

Williams and Terrell - His two peak performances.

Foreman - Upsetting a supposed "monster" while past his own prime.

Liston I - Upsetting a supposed "monster" while only young and green.

I'll also surprise you all and say Mildenburger - Went to Germany and beat a good, aggressive southpaw who was expected by some to be a tough test for him.

 

Foreman
Liston I
Frazier III
Williams
Terrell

 

1.patterson
2.foreman
3.williams
4.liston 1
5.frazier 2

 

Patterson is not a bad call, actually.

 

Nice post Seamus.

 

Foreman
Terrell
Liston 1
Williams
Frazier 2

 

Williams was 75% of his prime...with no mobility.

Quarry had just seen his brother almost killed by Foster....so he had no chance against Ali either. (Quarry 2)

But Ali basically fought everybody...so he deserves his accolades.

 

You sure are observant, Pete. I'll give you that.