If Ali accepts induction - what happens to his career and the HW division?

Very diplomatic way of putting it!

 

I think the championship would be frozen, aka WW2.

 

Had he been inducted, he'd likely have been shipped overseas (to separate him from the Nation of Islam), probably to a U.S. Army base in West Germany.

He'd have served two years. So, likely would've made a defense or two in Europe.

Since the WBA tournament would not have been held, and Jimmy Ellis doesn't go on his run, maybe Ali defends against Mildenberger in a rematch in West Germany in late 1967. Karl was highly rated at the time. Maybe Ali gets shipped back to a U.S. base in 1968 (possibly on the West Coast) and takes on someone like Quarry.

The only thing that is known is, if he wasn't sent to fight, by May of 1969, his two-year stint would've been over.

And we'd likely have seen Ali-Frazier sooner.

 

Who’s to say he doesn’t get sent to Vietnam and killed in action ?

 

I don’t think he would’ve seen action. Which actually makes his stance on the issue even more heroic. He had more to lose personally by not going.

 

I don’t see it as heroic in the least it was traitorous and cowardly all 5th columns should be removed

 

It was a dumb war. The costs far exceeded the benefits. And Ali jump started the narrative that it wasn’t a cause worthy of killing and dying for.

How can it be cowardly when he would’ve been a mere entertainer had he gone, whilst holding onto the championship to the adulation of the silent majority? What he did was far braver.

 

Regardless of what one thinks about his actions - as an individual, Ali was hardly a fifth column.

 

Max Schmeling did. He wasn't the reigning champ, though. Billy Conn did.

 

I think that had Muhammad Ali would have taken the oath of induction into the U S Army, he would have been transferred into either the Army Reserves or the local Army National Guard. He would have boxed exhibitions, been given time off to defend his title. He would have met the likes of Oscar Bonavena and Thad Spencer in 1967. He would have had a showdown with Joe Frazier on March 4 1968, instead of Joe fighting Buster Mathis. Ali would have reached the peak that we never saw of him, it may have not been The Fight Of The Century, like it was in 1971, but could have become a trilogy. Ali may have taken the first bout on points, then Joe wins it with more experience and tough battles, then Ali takes it in 1974. Who knows, just guessing. But in reality, we had no business in Vietnam, that was a war for the politicians, too bad the young men had to lose their lives for meaningless reasons, war mongering politicians. World War II was a war we were defending our freedom, but Vietnam was a conflict that we had no business in, a lot of young lives for nothing. The politicians make war and the young men spill their blood for them. I think that Muhammad Ali somehow was being punished for expressing his views.