I like to imagine what would have happened to Ali, if after he'd lost to Frazier he'd gone back to his old trainer Archie Moore and said "OK Archie my legs are gone, show me how to fight without getting hit so much." Remember that Moore coached Foreman in his comeback and taught him how to use his patented cross arm block. I like to think that if this had happened Ali could have exited without the brain damage. Thoughts?
Disagree wholeheartedly. First off, Archie is not going to get along with Herbert Muhammad for very long. If at all. Given Ali's popularity by 71, I sure don't see Moore lasting 2 years. The best guy capable was the guy they had in Angie Dundee. And Angie knew how to work with the boxers. And even if Ali's legs weren't as good as they used to be, they were still the best set of wheels in the division.
Interesting fact here is that Ali teamed up with Gil Clancy for his very next fight, against Ellis. And by Ali's own admission (in interview with Cosell), Clancy showed him how to deflect blows with his shoulders, something he did effortlessly against Ellis. So Ali could obviously quickly learn new things at that stage. I can't see Moore being the one to do it, since they'd already parted ways when Archie had tried to do. But maybe if Clancy had stayed... I also think that Ali did adapt his style somewhat to his aging legs, even if it would take a couple of years. Look at the rubber fights with Frazier and Norton for example. He fights much more text book in these fights than he did as a young man.
Ali did make up some lost ground,athletically,after 1971. I don't think he would have done any better than he actually did (which was great) had he had any other trainer post FOTC.
