How is it that ali "lost his legs" and declined during the layoff?

Or he could have been worn down from having the title so long. Like Joe Louis had somewhat of an off night against Conn the first time. Eventually ring miles catch up with even a great champion.

 

He lost his prime years. We never saw the best Ali could have become.

Ali fought Frazier in 71 after only six months removed from a 3-4 year layoff. He was rusty, he was not in the best of condition, his timing was off yet he made it one heck of a fight for ten rounds. The 11th altered the rest of the bout as Ali was nearly put away...he was terribly hurt. Prime Ali would not have been languishing on the ropes as he was in the 11th when he was caught full force with a hellacious hook. Ali was standing flat footed along the ropes because his conditioning did not allow him to do anything else.

 

Ali would of had to come down off his toes against Frazier whether he was in his prime or not. Frazier applies too much pressure round after round and he cuts the ring down too well. Ali could move but he wouldn't be able to sustain it for 15 rounds. He would have to rest his legs at some point [probably in the mid rounds} that`s always gonna be Joe`s opportunity to get to him.

 

he means 3 and a half years out of elite sport, when he says out of the ring.

I was wondering how you didnt see that.

 

ok, I am with you. thanks.

 

That's pure speculation on your part. Prime Ali was a much better conditioned fighter than what Frazier fought in 71. Ali "resting" in a few late rounds does not equate to Frazier winning.

 

Ali's lay-off was a great move legacy-wise. He could have never performed as well during that time as people now imagine he would have performed.

 

I don't see anyone beating him with the possibility of Frazier. He would have stacked up many more defenses. Dundee stated we never saw the best Ali. I tend to agree.

 

Ali was never the same after the layoff. We did not see the best of Ali. Ali had a bad habit of getting way out of shape, then working it off in camp before a fight. He paid a price for that. Ali had tons of natural talent, in his younger years he could get by with not training like he should, it just caught up with him.

Corrie Sanders is another example of a naturally talented fighter, he rarely ever trained because he did not have to, it caught up with him later in life. When he beat an unprepared Vlad he was in the best shape of his career, he had been preparing on fighting Valouev in South Africa, then Klaus-Peter Kohl made the bad decision to have Vlad fight Corrie unprepared. I warned them before the fight, posted it on this site.............I knew that Corrie, at his best, was truly awesome................Lennox Lewis even said that he avoided Corrie, if you beat him, no reward, if you lose to him, bad results...............which Corrie would show up? Also the ban of South African fighters in the Olympics kept Corrie from winning the gold, which he would have easily done. Ask Bobby Czyz how good Corrie was....................

 

Have not read this thread, so maybe it has already been mentioned, but immediately after the FOTC...

Ali firmly stated that the pre-exile version of himself would have been "whipped quicker" by Frazier that night.

Ali readily admitted that the 3/8/71 version of himself was tougher and stronger than the pre-exile version.

Of course, the Ali Fanboy Club International does not want to talk about that press conference.

Or pretend it didn't happen.

Or pretend that Ali didn't really believe what he was saying and was just being a great sportsman, gracious in defeat, yada, yada, yada.

lol

 

It`s speculation on your part as well. Ali was younger and sharper in the 60s but that is not going to change that fact that Joe Frazier`s style is always going to put him through the grinder. Ali may have looked untouchable in the 60s but his opposition was not on the same level as he would face later.

 

It's not speculation that Ali lost his prime years.

It's not speculation when a man as close as you could get to Ali stated "we never saw the best Ali".

It's not speculation to state that anyone coming off a 3-4 year layoff, past his prime years, will not be as good physically nor technically as he was prior to the 3-4 year layoff.

I am sure Frazier would give Ali a tough fight. I am just as sure an active PRIME Ali would have been a much tougher opponent for Frazier.....faster, more elusive, more stamina.