Ali’s disdain for the body

Excellent information and observations guys! Thanks for that.

As to the Williams fight and aesthetics, Ali executed at least one lightning fast double jab, first to the midsection and then to the head.

So smooth and fast, he was at no risk pulling it off. Very pretty.

As to mobility and fluidity, if they only filmed Ali from the waist up for the whole fight you might’ve guessed he was getting around on a perfectly level, fixed height, hover board.

 

Swag, both you and @SolomonDeedes are great for providing sources. You don’t just tell, you show. Very reliable.

 

Excellent breakdown.

Although we all know Ali mainly head hunted, the lack of body work vs Terrell seemed to highlight it to a greater degree as a deficiency.

Ali could and did hurt Terrell early to the head, Ernie defensively clamped down on his head even more so thereafter. More attention to Terrell’s body might’ve brought those arms down for a stoppage or KO.

As it was, though Ali’s combos to the head were artful, stunning and hurtful, it was rinse repeat each round, with a well covered Terrell, all be he hurt, looking very much like he would always hang to the finish unless he dropped that high defense down a few notches.

70s Ali always complained that no matter how hard he trained, he could never get rid of that little bit of loose belly he never used to have.

That’s just aesthetics though, because, as you pointed out - Ali’s apparent conditioning of his body was excellent. Ken Norton’s own testimony always stayed with me - he said hitting Ali in the body was like hitting a concrete slab - or words very close to that effect.

Thanks. I’m going to check that fight out again. After I posted I did a cursory scan of a few Ali fights - in the 2nd Bugner fight he also jabbed to the body and threw more body shots in general than we are normally accustomed to.

 

Yeah, Terrell was severely vision impaired, a stoppage wouldn’t have been out of order based on that alone.

What’s your gage on Terrell?

Out of the gates, facing Ali in the ring, I’ll say I have some doubt as to him being a true 6’6”. But then again, in older age, he did still seem to tower the likes of Norton, Foster etc.

I know a straight Ali up on his toes could be illusory in terms of height, but I’m judging them otherwise, in the studio and in the face off.

Nonetheless, great physical equipment anyway , including of course an 82” reach which holds up as legit on the eye test.

When sparring with Liston, though impossible to say for certain, Sonny did appear to still have a slight reach advantage

Ernie looked okay at 212 lbs but certainly there was room for more muscle and extra “no fat” weight - if he was inclined to it and saw it as an as an advantage.

Seems he had a decent chin - without checking and I could easily be wrong, but KO’d only by Big Cat and Candy Slim Merritt? - and the latter KO was late career. I hold out for film of that KO one day.

Quite strong too, at least when he was fresh he wasn’t being manhandled by Ali and he actually showed his own proactive strength in the clinches on several occasions.

Perhaps Terrell himself could’ve been a lot better if he applied himself more positively (sans octopus spoiling etc.).

When he actually jabbed and punched, he looked okay. Then again, without the grappling he might’ve been as exposed as lacking any other potentials when engaging in a more open fight. What we saw might’ve been all Terrell could be.