Ali 1967 vs Frazier 1967, who wins?

yea ali was to good at that time for joe,frazier however will never admit that

 

Well, at least you're being honest.

 

I think the more mature Ali in 1970 was better equiped. to handle Frazier. More disipline & better defensivly. The younger version of Ali was a little too reckless. If Frazier had landed that left hook instead of Cooper, it could have been lights out. It's true Ali was way faster in '67. But sometime's age & experience are invalueable.

 

18 rounds over four years doesn't give that much experience, but it makes sure your body ain't quite the same ever again.

Actually it was first after FOTC that Ali began to be more careful with keeping his right hand up when in range of a left hook. That was a humility that Frazier taught him that night. Look at Manilla for example and you will see that he keeps his hands up better.

 

Wasn't it Ali who said that "only a man who has known the taste of defeat can come up with that extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even"...?

 

Frazier was a ATG, However I think the only reason Ali lost to him in the first fight was ring rust. A 67 Ali was in his prime and would have beaten Frazier in a great fight. Watch the first fight closely, Frazier won but took a serious beating, especailly in the first 6-7 rds.. I had it much closer than the judges did. I has Frazier 8 rds to 7. However Joe had the two big rds the 11th and 15th, that really won it for him. Ali faded in that fight. Don't think he would have in 67.

 

He Hit alot harder in the 70s???? Not according to KO stats he never. Ali Ko'd Folley with one punch before exile and everyone was talking about how hard he could really punch in the Williams fight. His Timing was perfect then - secret of a good punch. You can't have perfect timing when you're outta the ring that long. Plus he faded badly after 6 or 7 rounds. He was not up on his toes at all like in the Williams or Terrell fights. Ali's whole boxing was based on footwork. Compare Williams fight footwork to Frazier 1 and it is no contest.

 

Frazier won it, but it was close. Since most Frazier fans say that he never was the same after FOTC because of the beating he took, they should agree with me. A fight that takes such a toll on you when you're in your prime must be a hard fight. It's the same as in Manilla - Ali was well ahead on points after 14 rounds, but it still was a very close fight. I probably have both of these closer on points than most do, by the way.

Ali hit harder in FOTC because he sat down on his punches. When you move around a lot your punches aren't as hard. In 67 he would be moving around, not landing such hard punches but also getting hit a lot less. Like the rematch, but with less holding. I don't really think there was that much more holding in the rematch than in the others, Frazier just responded differently. He often looked quite content to rest himself in the clinches. At least the ref said that he viewed that way, and I think it makes some sence.

 

But he could look damn good for those 5-6 rounds. Just look at his rematch with Norton, one of my favourite perfomances by Ali. But in FOTC he had just recently returned and didn't trust his legs, and therefore tried to take Frazier out of there, but only succeeded in punching himself out. I do think that the punching he did during the first 5 rounds in FOTC was as good as anything he did before or since, with the exception of his destruction of Williams. But that's on a different level.

 

There's a difference between moving well against fighters like Williams and Terrell and moving well against Joe.

Joe moves quickly and knows how to cut off the ring.

 

He moved well enough against him in 74 to give a taste of how he would look in 67.

 

Ali takes a clear decision ,maybe 9-6.

 

Also, Eddie Machen gave Frazier a fight as well. Good post Mendoza.


Grebfan9
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