Is there anything that Ellis could have done to beat Frazier?

Shape shift into George Foreman is about all I’ve got.

 

Not really.As Frazier said ,"Jimmy wasn't really a heavyweight,"

 

Short of slipping a laxative in his water, and being allowed to bring a weapon in the ring, absolutely nothing.

 

And Joe was wrong about that, as Jimmy was heavyweight enough to put a better whipping on Oscar Bonavena than he was able to do.

 

Yes Futch is great, but if Ellis is making such improbably perfect adjustments would not a Futch be able to counsel him how to handle these things during the fight?
Granted he would not get as much out of it as Ellis, but there are always adjustments to make to the adjustments, no?

 

A stick might have helped.

 

A BIG stick! I'm thinking Baseball Bat or a James Figg type Cudgel. And DNA programmed, so, when Frazier takes it away from him, Joe won't be able to use it on Jimmy.

 

Ellis had a sound plan. He came out jabbing and firing that crisp righthand at Joe. Jimmy won the first 2 or 3 rounds. Then Frazier found the target with one hook and it changed the whole fight.

 

Until Frazier came along nobody had knocked Jimmy off his feet campaigning as a heavyweight.

 

Im sure he already tried everything he could to beat Frazier.

Put him on as many PEDs as possible that were around during his time with a doctors supervision (Olympic doctors and coaches?). Im talking east german olympic women levels. Lets get Ellis looking more animal than human. Im talking hes so massive with muscle children are afraid of him and hes legally considered a wild animal in some states. Maybe he grows a hoof or a couple tufts of fur but also, maybe he stands a chance now with Frazier. Hel probably die of a massive heart attack if the fight goes over 4 rounds but thats ok, we want him to go to war with Frazier at this point and the fight to end early. Ellis is no longer the lamb meeting the lion, he's more of the Jurassic freak mutant meeting a lion.

I don't think its going to make a difference but its something.

 

Without cheating, no. And it was a matter of styles in how Bonavena gave Frazier fits and Joe couldn’t drop him.

 

That laxative business sounds nasty.

Imagine Joe Frazier, of ALL people, being forced to retire on his “stool”.

Same thing happened to Liston though it was self inflicted.

In his dressing room, Old man Sonny overdid it on the Prune Juice before stepping into the ring in Miami.

I believe it was also the Prune Juice that somehow got onto Liston’s gloves and then transferred to Muhammad’s eyes, temporarily blinding the young Ali.

Of course it was much too embarrassing to reveal the truth of these matters so Sonny came up with the shoulder excuse. The much lesser of two evils.

Many in front row attendance at Miami said there was a bad smell to that fight - and quite literally, they were correct.

 

No love for Liston?

He has a shop on The Strip, which strangely appears to go in and out existence, even throughout a single day. He’s more than happy for anyone to pawn for his power - his rates are exorbitant however and the required collateral is pretty much your very soul.

If Sonny isn’t at the counter, just ring the bell. Never mind the store temperature, it’s always hotter than hell in there.

Just tell him Pugguy sent you, I was a bit tardy on my own repayment and therefore am already enslaved.

 

To beat Joe Frazier on Feb 16 1970, Jimmy Ellis would need never ending stamina, keep Joe on the outside with his snappy left jab, avoid exchanges, avoid the corners and ropes. Jimmy would have to make Frazier miss, then counter, dropping in now and then his sneaky right hand. Jimmy would need to stay on his bicycle. That right hand deposited Oscar Bonavena on the seat of his pants in Dec 1967, Ellis went on to win on points. Ellis will have to do a lot of rope skipping and road work to possibly win, Joe was an out of control Locomotive in their 1970 fight, stuck in one gear, DRIVE.