"Ali-Chuvalo" 1972...

a few experts say the weighlifting may have slowed chuvalo down at the time,i know after the first ali fight in 1966 he was working with a workout coach trying to loosen up those muscles.today chuvalo is lifting rather heavyweights from what i'm told up tp 400 lbs i here

 

You were probably never very fast in the first place then. I'm 36 and currently in better shape than I was when I was 30 due to training and sparring again. However, i've nowhere near the reflexes and speed I had when I was 19- I played left wing for the school/county/local team etc from the ages of 5 to 32. I simply wasn't as quick as I got older. Someone who played, say centre-midfield and had average speed was possibly similar at 30 to 20, as it was never their forte to begin with.


Just like an athlete like Ali simply wouldn't have the same at 30 to 23 (the span of Chuvalo fights). Still, I'm sure many want to put it almost exclusively down to 'exile', whereas the truth is, he's simply a lot older. Speed merchants of the ring begin to fade in that area when they're 30 (or even younger) and that's that.


Of course, one or two sprinters have somehow (ahem) began to run their best times when they were nearly 30 years old, like Flo Jo, but lets' not go there, eh

 

I was kidding. I would be surprised, but pleasantly so, if I haven't slowed down in the last 7-8 years.

I do firmly believe that the exile took some speed from Ali, though. But at 30 he would probably be just a tad slower than he was at 24, exile or not.

 

It probably did, but being in his 30s did even more. He certainly would have been 'more than a tad' slower, especially in the reflex dept. He was always going to be a lot easier to hit in 1974 than he was in 1964, irrespective of what happened between 67-70 (in terms of pulling away from punches at least).

 

I think his reflexes stayed with him surprisingly late, though. But of course everyone slows in their 30's.

I think football is a pretty good indicator. Speedsters, like Giggs for examples, tend to lose a step somewhere between 28-30 in general, but some (Carlos and Cafu) keep it for a couple of years longer. A long inactivity is also very noticeable. Footballers who looses even a season to injury might never get their speed back, depending somewhat on their age.

Personally, I tend to view Ali somewhat similar to Ronaldo. Ronaldo was still great even after coming back from his long (injury) lay-off. He was probably a bit more composed and physically stronger, but he never was quite the same "phenomen" anymore. That almost superhuman speed and acceleration was gone and he ran a lot less, even though he still could skim most defenders.

 

I have to say also, that I think the fights where Ali seemed to be at his possibly quickest after the lay-off was in the rematches against Norton and Frazier. One would think he would be a bit slower at 31-32 than he was at 28-29, but looking at the films I don't see this to be the case.

 

Me too! I'm 34, turning 35 in August, and I can honestly say that physically I'm stronger than I was than when I was 19 or 20, and reflex/speed wise, I don't think I've lost anything. Everybody ages different. It probably helps that I don't drink, smoke, and eat a pretty healthy diet, and I don't abuse myself, i.e, lead a pretty boring life! hehe

 

But George Foreman proved that age is not a death sentence, as long as you handpick your opponents and fight guys with glass jaws! hehe :yep

 

What a surprise! I knew as soon as I mentioned age a slew of 30-somethings would flood the thread with "I'm faster than I was when I was 17" type spiel.

 

Yep.

Very good comparison that. :good

 

I just tested my reflexes. I'm exactly the same speed now that I was at age 33.

 

Nice one. :good