I know ali was lightning fast but the dokes that fought cobb had to have the fastest hands ever on a 218 pound man.
But dokes was more hittable and moved much less than ali, even in his prime. Liston had bigtime power not sure how that would work out for dokes, he never had the footspeed to get in and out on liston like he would have to to avoid being hit
Dokes is in the top 5 of fastest heavyweights in history, the speed of heavyweights is usually underrated, for example, Mike Tyson put 4 punch combinations faster than most boxers trough history at any weight class. But regarding only heavyweights, yeah, Dokes was really fast and talented overall, but that era wanted to be too much like Ali but without the dedication.
Possibly. I would say at his best, it was certainly comparable with Ali's and the likes of Patterson and Tyson. Evander Holyfield who had good hand speed himself,was supposed to have said that Dokes in 1989, had the fastest hands of anyone that he fought in his career and this was a against a Dokes who was on a comeback after almost 3 years out of the sport because of alcohol and drugs rehabilitation.
I thought as you do back in the 70's. I was wrong. Everyone gets hit when fighting top opposition. To say Ali was "easily hittable" is a load of crap. Very tough target in his prime. Post prime he was a different hwt but still very great. In his prime he was quicker than SRR with his jab, legs that in of themselves got him out of trouble, lightning quick combinations and uncanny reflexes. At his best a very difficult fighter to hit cleanly.
You're right, that analysis explains how the guy was a bum, beat no one of any significance, and achieved nothing.
See Dokes try to hit a fat, old Ali in 1977. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...2DBE6ABFA1E69083030F2DBE6ABFA1E6908&FORM=VIRE The 1960s version of Ali spanks Dokes in hilarious fashion. Not even in the same league.