If You Had To Pick One Ali Win, To Introduce A New Boxing Fan To His Greatness..?

If only there was a way science could put a man's brain into the body of a person with a-...you know...with female...characteristics.

 

We've all been there, man. Stay strong. I think Gandhi and Lindsey Graham both went through this exact same thing. Sort of.

 

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Liston l.

 

I said arguably because it's close. To me any of his last three fights before exile are good picks. I'm perfectly fine with someone picking Williams but personally I would pick Folley but it's close enough that it doesn't really bother me either way.

 

I go with Ali-Terrell. Terrell was the WBA (sic?) champion; he was the fighter with best chance of defeating Ali during his first championship run, and Ali demolished him. I wasn't a particularly pretty fight -- none of Terrell's fights were -- but despite Ernie's unorthodox style and tactics, it was a dominating performance by Ali. Terrell won his fights by grabbing, holding, wrestling, but Ali was so smooth and fast on his feet and hands that Terrell wasn't able to come close to fighting his fight.

 

Liston I
Williams
Foley

 

Liston #1. Reason being Liston is an ATG, and most of the " experts " including the legendary Joe Louis predicted he'd destroy Ali. ( Clay at that time)
The way he dominated Liston, demonstrating speed, skills , and underestimated power is something to behold.
Plus the unexpected adversity he had to fight through during the fight, being blinded by a substance from Liston ( unpourpose or not) for about three rds, was an early indication of what he'd prove multiple times later , his will to win and determination .
The Cleveland Williams win is a Picasso painting, awe inspiring. But we learned so much more about the character of Ali in the Liston fight.

 

A very well supported opinion. For mine, Ali put up just as dazzling a performance against Terrell as he did against Williams. Ernie was simply a much less willing dance partner.

So, rather than just a 3 round “snapshot”, we saw Ali prove that he could do what he did against Williams over and over, for a whole 15 rounds when necessary.

Tbh, Ali’s performance against Chuvalo is also among my favourites. Sublime, lightning combos throughout but, at a “to date” career heavy 214 lbs or so (just 1lb shy of his actual weight for the FOTC) Ali was seriously thumping Chuvalo.

Frazier was a different animal of course, but the Chuvalo version of Ali is the one that I see as being the most ideal to get over Frazier. Still somewhat mobile but heavier and more often better planted to land harder shots.

Then again, prime Ali himself might’ve seen it differently and opted to come in that much lighter in order to remain on the move throughout.