Who do you think wins if young Ali replaces Old Ali in Zaire? Could Young Ali replicate the Liston win vs the hard hitting George Foreman by dancing all night and making Foreman hit air?
I think regardless of 1974 George Foreman attempting to cut of the ring against the 1964 version of Muhammad Ali, he would get sliced and diced by the Ali who made Sonny Liston quit in round 7 on Feb 25 1964. Ali had unending stamina, footwork, speed and reflexes, sure Henry Cooper took advantage of Ali's vulnerability to a left hook, doesn't anyone ever consider immaturity and inexperience as a factor in that June 1963 fight? Ali would not toy with Foreman as he did against Cooper. Liston had a great left hook but Ali danced circles around a tiring Liston, who like Foreman had only two rounds of competition in his last fights. Those two goliaths depended on sheer power and intimidation, Ali short circuited their plans with Psychological warfare. Foreman gets stopped by 1964 Ali in round 6 due to cuts and exhaustion.
i see it just the same. Ofc punchers chance and all the possibilities...but this should be the most likely scenario
I'm not sure Ali had the maturity at that stage of his career to beat the pre-Zaire Foreman. As a matter of fact, I doubt it. The post-Liston II 1965 - 68 Ali beats Zaire George though. That fight erased all doubt in Ali's mind about his ability. Ali during those years had enough rabbit in him and pride about his good looks to stay in shape to defeat Zaire George. And it almost goes without saying that the best Ali always beats the best Foreman, IMO. Just too much speed and stamina.
Another factor in this is that in 64, he was Cassius Clay. In 65 he was Muhammad Ali and had all the added belief and mental strength that being a Muslim gave him. It's not to be sniffed at. His faith gave him a whole level of strength and willingness to go to the well.
So true, Muhammad Ali had more mental maturity, he had to deal with the blatant racism that was going on in the 1960's, he was expected to behave in a Subservient manner, Ali was far from that type of stereotypical of individual. Ali had a lot to prove to the boxing organizations who were on a witch hunt to get rid of him from the boxing scene, like drafting him into the military. There was no way that any of his challengers could have ever accomplished that back then.
