Muhammad Ali Vs Joe Frazier II (Ali-Frazier II took place January 28, 1974)

:good Ali's speed was awesome in this fight.

 

Stevie, in percentage terms, please compare this Ali to Peak Ali, for:

Handspeed:

Footwork speed:

 

80% for both. I was n't inferring that he was AS fast in '74 as when he was fighting in the 60's,but he was still amazingly quick.

 

80% seems a good estimate to me.

 

No other heavyweight was that fast at the age of 32.

 

I wholeheartedly agree.

Who would be 2nd fastest at that age? Patterson?

 

I reckon that's spot on. Especially handspeed.

 

I've watched it many times and my score has always been more or less the same. 1-3, 6, 9 and 11 clearly to Ali; 5, 7-8 and 10 clearly to Frazier. Rds 4 and 12 were quite close, but with Ali having the slight edge IMO. In other words 8-4 or 7-4-1 on my card. A draw would not be an inconceivable result, though.

 

Floyd was approaching 32 when Henry Cooper rated his hand speed as superior to that of a peak Ali, who Cooper was coming off his rematch loss to. My suspicion is that Sir 'Enery may have been confusing speed with quickness, but in any event, Patterson should never be sold short here. Right before the end of that bloody rematch between Ali and Cooper, we do see Henry able to duck and avoid some of Muhammad's shots, but not able to similarly evade Floyd's blows four months later. Also, in 1963, his left hook knockdown was the result of a jab duck and counter. Going by the Patterson-Cooper footage, he does clearly have more trouble with Floyd's speed than he did Ali's.