Closest stylically HW to Ali before Ali?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by 70sFan865, Jul 12, 2019.



  1. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I thought about it before and my main candidate is Corbett. Ali is pretty much bigger and more durable version of Corbett to me.

    What do you think about it?
     
  2. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Ali said he copied Walcott’s style and you can see elements of it but it was def a style all his own that I’ve yet to see replicated. When I see someone doing the mirage in the ring again I’ll tip my hat to em
     
  3. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Does Billy Conn count? He was pretty similar

    Corbett and Wallcott are good shouts, can't really think of many more
     
  4. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster I check this every now and then Full Member

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    Walcott, Conn, Tunney, Corbett

    Walcott would be my #1 pick. Walcott was more savvy with the counter punches and hit harder, therefore adjusting his style wheras Ali kept a range more often
     
  5. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jersey Joe is my first pick...I'm sure young Cassius pilfered a few cute moves from him.
     
  6. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster I check this every now and then Full Member

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    The entire Ali shuffle was pilfered from Walcott
     
  7. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Can we go a bit south of his weight class?

    Jimmy Slatterey might be a good call!
     
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  8. joebeadg

    joebeadg Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I always thought Jack Johnson
     
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  9. KasimirKid

    KasimirKid Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I thought of him too based on the one film we have of him and Robert Thornton's 1960's Boxing Illustrated about Slattery, but he wasn't really a heavyweight. He did hold his hands low and did a lot of dancing around similar to what Ali did later.
     
  10. Vockerman

    Vockerman LightJunior SuperFlyweigt Full Member

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    “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.” This quote is most often associated with boxing legend Muhammad Ali, but Ali borrowed it from his trainer Angelo Dundee, who used it to describe the first Light Heavyweight boxer he trained to win a world championship: New Orleanian Willie Pastrano
    https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...01EEC8616E8A740BDCCF01EEC8616E8A740&FORM=VIRE
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2019
  11. richdanahuff

    richdanahuff Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Sugar Ray Robinson and Gene Tunney
     
  12. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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  13. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King Full Member

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    I absolutely love that maneuver. Gets you to lower your guard by moving away casually and then does what is essentially a legal sucker punch!
     
  14. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Joe was a fighting genius!!!
     
  15. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Walcott fought nothing like Ali.

    I guess you could make the case that Ali fought like a bigger, stronger, faster, better trained, more durable Corbett with a far more advanced skill set and offensive repertoire, maybe, but the differences still far outweigh the similarities. So I wouldn’t.