(1973) — Joe Frazier vs Kenny Norton

Hello,

In April 1967, at just 25 years old, Muhammad Ali was banned from boxing and forced out of the ring for three and a half years. He returned only in September 1970, easing back with a three-round bout against Jerry Quarry. His next fight, against Oscar Bonavena, revealed clear signs of decline: slower footwork, diminished punch speed and accuracy, and weakened reflexes. I encourage you to watch Ali’s performances from the 1960s—particularly his bouts against Cleveland Williams and Zora Folley—and compare them to his showing against Bonavena. The contrast is striking. Despite these evident signs of rust and regression, Ali faced Joe Frazier just three months later. It’s important to understand that the version of Ali who stepped into the ring with Frazier in 1971 was not the same fighter who had dominated the heavyweight division in the 1960s. I only point this out because you mentioned that Frazier was the only man to defeat a prime Ali. In truth, by 1971, after more than 3 1/2 years out of boxing, Ali was no longer in his prime.