Guys who get flattered to much in retrospectives either in ring or out of ring

Muhammad Ali in comparison to heavyweight champions who have risen up after him, is grossly overrated. He's a historical figure, prone to folk lore. It reminds me somewhat of how some folks in the earlier days of the internet believed Bruce Lee could've been a champion level fighter if he'd decided to do it.

Ali was great, of course. A fighter can only be as great as their era, peers, and technology. Still, he's seen as this untouchable, unbeatable figure within boxing, and that's just not the case.

 

I agree. He's overrated. Several heavyweights are better than him.

 

Most overrated fighter of all time is Muhammad Ali. He lost multiple fights which he got gifts in and is lorded as some kind of genius boxer, when he actually was hit a lot for someone who was "illusive".

Although he was in a competitive era, other HW champions were far more dominant and skilled in their eras, far harder to hit and far better boxers. One that comes to mind straight off the bat in this conversation is Lennox Lewis.

Now that the old timers who used to relentlessly bang on about Ali are dying off, we are now more able to make an honest assessment.

 

He was banned at 25 and then came back boxing at aged 28.

His last world ranked win is when he was aged 35 vs Shavers.

Therefore its not like the ban stopped him from operating at the highest level, as he objectively was well into his 30's. You are in your athletic prime still at 28.

 

Klitschko
Usyk
Holyfield
L Lewis
Tyson

They all beat him in their primes.

 

You may as well re-title this thread Lets Bash Muhammad Ali.

 

Ali is not the greatest because he would beat everyone head to head.

He is the greatest because he had many many high profile fights where he overcame the odds. Something NO MODERN heavyweight can compete with even remotely. Fury has a little bit of that with klitschko (on boar meat) and when fighting wilder overweight with mental struggles and after being out of the ring for a long time and two ridiculous build up fights. But ali jumped right back into it after his ban.

He also had fights where he didn't win but fights others might not have taken. Wilder and joshua still haven't fought and each fanbase upholds their claim that their fighter would win... But that is also a thing of the era.

Ali also is a historical figure, a political figure, someone you could listen to when he was talking without the need for cleaning your ears and vomiting. He was an entertainer. And while sometimes misguided, mostly in his official appearances he had the heart in the right place.

Lastly his boxing was just beautiful to watch at times. He looked like he was dancing in there. Sure his opponents helped sometimes by being slow with bad feet. But liston wasn't slow, foreman was dangerous and his high long guard was pretty effective before ali.

Usyk is absolutely atg brilliant at boxing but not as aesthetically pleasing. We see showboating from weirdos like whittaker and that's not the least bit entertaining but just demeaning, a lack of respect for the craft, a teenager kind of behaviour. Even prince naseem who was a spectacular entertainer whom i very much enjoy to watch doesn't have elegance and true aesthetics.

Ali js just poetry.
His style.
His story.
His fights.

There is noone else on that level regarding that. So your points are interesting, but they only add facets to the greatest.

 

Edwin Valero. You still get guys on here and elsewhere talking like he was some freakish legendary monster, when the reality is that his resume is one note and not very impressive aside from DeMarco (and he still struggled). The fact he committed actual horrendous crimes is also brushed off in favour of glazing his 'killer instinct' and wild man persona.

I remember people unironically picking him against guys like Pacquiao. If the bout against Pac had somehow happened he would've been sparked brutally within 2 or 3 rounds.

 

The Ali bashing is just uneducated.