While I don't think Ali's legs and stamina ever were the same after the exile, I also think that the fact that he couldn't rely on them as much brought out some of the best of his other qualities in the FOTC. For that reason I love to watch him in the early rounds, when he was still reasonably fresh. But he also made some mistake. This is a break down of the major things I see. Aggressive start Especially pre-exile, Ali often just circled his opponent in the first round. Hardly throwing any punches, only feeling him out. Here he is looking to land hard punches from the off. He probably wanted to make Joe respect him early and also exploit the fact that Joe usually was a slow starter. Right from the bell Ali is looking for an opening. He feints a left and makes Joe duck, but still can't find anything. He's coming close to the corner, so he circles right out of there. Joe is close now and tries a left hook to Ali's ribs, but Ali sees it coming and counters with his own left hook while at the same time circling back out to the left. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4a/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/1492184659216913.gif?1492184694" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4o/ Changing up leads A boxer will usually lead with his jab and let other punches come behind it - primarily the right. But Ali knows that Frazier will expect this so he is mixing up leads. Left hooks, right uppercuts, a straight right followed by a left hook/uppercut - Ali uses it all. He masks the leads by feinting, and the fact that he changes them up all the time means Joe doesn't quite know what to expect and can't react in time to counter. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4q/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/14921866651649415.gif?1492186679" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4q/ After this right-left combo he leans on Frazier who is ducking down, both to prevent him from coming back with his own hook and to tire him out, and moves out again before the ref has time to caution him. Not clean boxing, but effective. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4s/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/149218685568011.gif?1492186879" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4s/ Orthodox leading At times Ali will switch back to leading with the jab and letting the rest come behind. Here he throws four jabs, all of which Joe slips well, but instead of a fifth there's just a feint and then a straight right followed by Ali grabbing his head. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4E/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/1492187698754437.gif?1492187744" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4E/ Here he is mixing the orthodox with the less orthodox. The first one-two is really a sneaky right hook behind the jab, which he then follows with a regular one-two with straight punches and the mixes it up a again with a straight right followed by a left hook and right after that another regular one-two, which Joe ducks under. Ali then tries a lead left hook, but Joe ducks under it and come back with his own, and then tries another which Ali pulls back from only to counter with a short left hook, almost uppercut. Joe ducks in to it, since he's probably expecting the punch to come higher. Great stuff from both. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4H/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/1492188047754480.gif?1492188096" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4H/ Countering with the right inside Joe's left hook A straight right has a shorter to travel than a left hook, so if you can time a left hook it's a great counter. Here Ali counters it and seems to use the force from the impact to bounce out of the way of the incoming hook. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4U/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/14921892232169181.gif?1492189258" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4U/ Here he instead goes inside: let's the right shoulder come up when delivering the punch which helps to deflect the incoming hook. Very difficult maneuvers both. [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4Y/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/8/1492189514754438.gif?1492189523" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw4Y/ Keep that right up! Well, if Ali was so skilled and great how come he got his ass kicked? you may wonder. A lot of that had to do with how great Joe was, but part was also his neglect of the guard. That was what he really got wrong from a technical perspective. When you're facing a left hooker like Frazier, holding the right hand up to protect you're chin is the one thing you should concentrate on more than anything else, but... [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw56/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/9/1492190030754485.gif?1492190039" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw56/ [HTML]<a href="http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw5a/"><img src="http://i.freegifmaker.me/1/4/9/2/1/9/14921903112169130.gif?1492190321" alt="gifs website"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.freegifmaker.me/">FreeGifMaker.me<a/>[/HTML] http://freegifmaker.me/images/2aw5a/ A more disciplined guard would have protected from some of those ferocious hooks. This especially made a difference in the 11th and 15th, but if he had managed to eat less of them early on he would have been fresher in those rounds also.
Ali was under 30 and had two fights under his belt with Quarry and Bonavena, who were both come forward types to prepare him for Frazier. The truth is Ali looked awful vs. Bonevena, despite the late KO. Ali's legs in these fights were fine, Frazier just had the ultimate pressure style, with the stamina and power in his hook to keep pressing Ali all night. That and some Frazier body shots had a lot to due with Ali " losing his legs "
Okay, then in the 1970's Ali, who wasn't always in shape and seldom floated like a butterfly developed better counting and clinching skills post TFOC. It worked for him, as Ali liked people to come to him. Ali sometimes rested on the ropes, sometimes taking head or body shots...but Ali could take them, then he would return fighter when the other guy either punched himself out or dropped his guard, much to the crowds delight.
This was something he trained already in the 60's. He used it briefly against Chuvalo in the early rds in 1966, but saw that George wasn't tiring and got back on his toes. In Zaire, he was successful with a tactic he had honed in the gym for at least 10 years. Ali had worked on that plan B a long time.
To a degree those tactics worked for ali most of the time after exile. The leaning back on the ropes, inviting his opponents in. That worked fine if they flailed away at him whilst he kept his gloves up high. They would make mistakes so ali could counter or drain them self's. But in fotc ali knew that tactic couldn't be used through out the fight. He could do it when tired to gain respite but he knew he had to come out blasting at frazier and try to work at him. But Joe was also to relentless and fit for that, he could have smoked all night and ali knew that. So basically ali tried to do what worked best but I believe even he knew it was futile by the last few rounds.
Ali didn't stay on the ropes often before Zaire. In most fights between FOTC and Zaire he primarily moved behind a jab and tested in clinches. The rematch with Frazier was a better representation of how he usually fought during those years. But I like his aggression early on in FOTC. Think it brought out some of his best work.
That's true, and think that's because against certain opposition he had to fight aggressive. Ali seems at times to have fought to the level of his opponents. If he thought he could get away with it he'd lay back on the ropes and allow them to punch away. Then come off and counter. But against frazier he had to plant his feet and hit back hard.
He was ultimately succesful with that strategi in the rubber. I might do a similar thread about the technical and tactical adjustments he made.
And u have to remember in the rubber match frazier to a degree was a different fighter. He wouldn't have been as sharp and fast as the first and even second fight. That gave Ali confidence in the first few rounds of manila.
Both were diminished, but Frazier was younger and had had fewer fights. Ali made some adjustments and reversed the result. That much are facts. The rest is speculation.
