Ali vs Frazier 1..THE FIGHT

Joe Frazier of 1968 thru 1970 (up to the knee injury in April 1970)

Defeats Muhammad Ali of 1967.

As for the March 1971 Championship Fight, Muhammad Ali was 'fresh and rejuvenated',
and came into the ring in 'perfect shape'.

 

atsch:-(

 

'Smokin Joe' did slip.

April 3, 1970 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

 

It did, to a tremendous degree, he wasn't totally the same fighter.But Joe, the way he was salivating to whup Ali's ass, probably, for that one night, may have been at his perfect moment.Ali should've waited, but the extenuating circumstances.

 

None. Just ignore the people who are always making excuses for Ali.

 

A younger Ali, Frazier would probably TKO'ed.

The older Ali may have been the better fighter to be in with Frazier.

 

Enough to switch the UD victory in the opposite direction.... IMO.

 

Anyone can look sharp for 3 rounds, look how sharp he looked in his next fight vs a man that wouldn`t break or cut up early & was in it for the long haul, Oscar Bonavena, Ali looked like ****, a complete shell of the 64-67 version.

 

To be fair though, your opinions on Ali hold as much weight as Roosters on Leonard.

 

The biggest fight during my lifetime...(still)...

 

Not as much as that Dempsey was still in the game, in all probablity at least doing some training. Ali sat on his ass for almost 4 years, thinking he was done with boxing.

Tyson had tune-ups for Holyfield. Did that make him the Tyson of the Spinks fight?

But more importantly, it's right there on film that Ali is a bit slower, a bit less accurate and with poorer stamina.

 

There is video footage of Cus D'Amato stating, while watching a training session, that it was obvious Ali was slower, and rusty.

Eddie Futch knew it, too. They were right on it, and made sure NOT to let that fight simmer. Three months after an ugly war with Bonavena? After I fought some of my tougher battles, man, I wasn't ready to get back in the gym for that long!

Joe Frazier vs. Ali in 68 would have been a totally different fight, because it would have been different men. It seems clear to me that Joe was fresher and closer to his peak in 71 than Muhammad, and I would ALWAYS rather be the injured guy then the guy on the layoff, but thats me.

 

That was also the sentiment at the time and the reason why Joe was the slight betting favourite and quite heavy favourite with the boxing writers (I think).

 

Look at the time off, and the time on.

A guy needs time to get sharp, not just rounds.

Ali and his people were foolish and brazen. Joe was in his prime, in form, and in practice. Ali was rusty, newly returned, and looked far from sharp against Bonavena. His sharpness against Quarry could also be called eagerness; He attacked, and was very much getting winded when it ended.