Zaire Ali v Prime Hollyfield

I would classify Holyfield as versatile, but still orthodox. He brought many tools to the table, but he wasn't awkward.

This is a very commmon misapprehension when it comes to this version fo Ali. People think of him standing against the ropes and taking Foreman's punches, and forget the fast paced fights he had with Frazier shortly before and after. The version of Ali in Manilla wasn't quite as good as the one in Zaire IMO, but that fight still set the record for punches thrown in a HW title fight.

Actually, if I was to give the edge in workrate and stamina to one of them it would be Ali of 1974. Holyfield looked much more tired after 12 rounds with a very slow Big George than Ali did after 12 rounds with Frazier in their second fight.

 

This is what i like about Ali. When he knocked out Foreman, he was just getting started and could've gone another hard 7 rounds if he had to, while Foreman was gone.

 

Ali by decision.

An older, slower Holmes made a prime Holyfield look very ordinary when they fought, using similar tactics to Ali's rope-a-dope. Yes Holyfield won, but what if Holmes had been 32, not 42?

I see Ali outhustling Evander, scoring with sharp lead right and jabs, and smothering Evander in close. Evander will be more selective and less wild than was Foreman and I think he'd work the body a lot more, but Ali holds the aces. Evander can only react, and Ali will dictate the tempo and nature of the fight.

I tend to disagree with McGrain regarding Evander as a strategist. He was no Einstein in there. Sure, he could follow a gameplan like a good soldier, but improvise on the fly? Haven't seen any evidence of it.

He had a rock-solid gameplan going into virtually all his fights and he did often follow these to a T, but the thing is in Zaire he'd have a gameplan for Ali moving and jabbing (much like Foreman's camp did) but he'd have too much trouble trying to adapt to Ali's new-found strategy.
He coped with Holmes, but he'd not cope with an Ali who was still very quick in mind and body.

Evander got so frustrated against Holmes he eventually drew an imaginary line on the canvas in the 11th, basically telling Holmes to meet him there. I see the same thing unfolding against Ali, but Ali would go back to the ropes and lure Evander back into that same old pattern.

Ali UD 15.

 

First off why do people talk about a slightly past his prime Ali had problems with Norton?

Holyfield lost to Michael Moorer who is no Norton.

Riddick Bowe beat Evander 2 out of 3.

Evander was in his prime or close to it fighting Bowe.

And don't talk about Evander like he can out smart Ali.

Look at the first Bowe fight, Holyfield traded with a man who was two stone heavier and lost.

He needed a rematch to put things right and only won because of what Bowe didn't do not because what he did.

 

Yes, he was in great shape. He was not what he had been 7 years earlier, but that version was a phenomen. Ali at 32 was still as fast or faster than any HW before or after, only a select few (prime versions of Frazier and Marciano and maybe someone else) had ever had better stamina and probably no one had ever had better durability. In ring generalship, guts and coolness under fire he was unmatched IMO.

He was still a very formidable fighter, not a one trick rope-a-dope pony.

 

I agree; just because he CHOOSE that strategy doesn't mean he'd lay on the ropes if he'd fight a Larry Holmes type of opponent that night. He did what he had to do to get the win against Foreman, but had a whole bunch of tricks up his sleeve that we didn't get to see that night.

 

The Ali that fought Foreman was very fired up and in incredible
shape. If that "fired up" Ali fought Holyfield, Ali wins by TKO.
In fact, Ali probably would have beat any of the ATG fighters on that night.

 

I have a hard time seeing Ali stopping Holyfield. Perhaps, if Holyfield is tired and way behind on the cards in the late rounds and decides to go all out, but only then.

The guy wasn't easy to KO, to say the least.

 

Seeing how a single punch from a bored Ali badly hurt a tough Ron Lyle
the following year, I see a much better shape and motivated Ali
stopping Holyfield. Remember, I said a motivated Ali like in Zaire.

 

Well, who knows. Ali would be far from the hardest puncher Holyfield faced, but probably the most accurate and also the best finisher (except for maybe Tyson).

 

I like Ali by UD. His speed,jab, legs and chin would be his keys to victory. But I think it would be a good rugged fight, and Holy would have his moments...

 

Bump..

 

Muhammad Ali would win, via UD. I’d be keen to see anyone’s argument after watching him fight and to me, lose against Holmes,

 

Oh Lord! as has already been pointed out Evander had some tense moments with 2 dinosaurs Holmes and Foreman. Ali would bust Holyfield up. He can't outbox Ali and he doesn't possess the power to hurt him. The only question is when does this fight end? . When Ali sets down on his punches he has the juice to stop Evander, especially late like the Lyle fight.

 

Holyfield is Ali kryptonite