Ali improved as a boxer after FOTC

godking · Feb 28, 2008

Bokaj said:

It's so funny that Tyson fan comes with thi criticism. When way past his prime Ali managed to get away from Shavers after being badly hurt. Who did Tyson ever get away from when he was hurt?

Ali's technique was unorthodox, but one of the best a boxer ever has had. Tyson on the other had severly limited technique, because he could only fight in one fashion. When Ali no longer could rely on his footwork he developed a nigh impregnable gard. In Manilla, as earlier stated, he fought on the inside for the most part of the fight against one of the mos feroucious in-fighters ever (much better than Tyson for example) and succeeded, even if he paid a very high prize.

His punches was very precise and he threw them from all angles, both in combinations and flurries. He's not known as a puncher, but he was the first to KO/TKO Liston, Bonavena, Foreman, Wepner and Lyle, and the only one to ever KO Bonavena, Foreman and Wepner. He was able to succesfully defend himself while scoring with effective counterpunches on the ropes for seven rounds against Foreman, one of the most feared punchers of all time. He outjabbed Liston, considered by many to have the greatest jab in HW-boxing (obviously they're wrong, but he still had a very good jab) etc, etc.

He had som flaws (which I've high-lighted earlier in this thread) but all in all his technique was great, and he was one of the most inventive boxers to ever step into a ring. Just look at how he tries out a new way of blocking a punch against Ellis, or a new defensive posture in his second fight against Patterson. Only the narrow-minded fail to see how great Ali's technique was IMO.
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Ali was not a great technician and his skills heavily relied on his athletism .

Without his athletism to fall back on Ali's technical deficiencies became apparent.

There is a big difference between the myth and the reality when it comes to Ali.

Bokaj · Feb 28, 2008

godking said:

Ali was not a great technician and his skills heavily relied on his athletism .

Without his athletism to fall back on Ali's technical deficiencies became apparent.

There is a big difference between the myth and the reality when it comes to Ali.
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You're confusing Ali with Tyson. Ali remained on top long after his physical gifts started to decline, due to his ability to adapt. Quite different from Tyson running in to the same punches over and over again against Douglas, for example.

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Ali improved as a boxer after FOTC

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Ali improved as a boxer after FOTC

godking Active Member Full Member

Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member