Ali's power was clearly underrated

That left hook after a head fake just absolutely ruined Oscar Bonavena. Ruined him.

 

If the ref didn't stop the fight and Ali himself didn't start to back off how many head shots away was Ron Lyle from serious injury. Someone counted fifty four unanswered punches.

 

Bang on. He was very similar to his hero Jack Johnson in those regards. Both Jack and Muhammad did it absolutely their way.

 

I agree he had harder hands than many thought....a sure tale of a fighter having some destructive power is the damage he inflicts. Ali seemed to prefer to not hurt fighters physically his style suggests he preferred the art of hitting while not being hit so he didn't set down on his punches even in the 70's he didn't. I think he fought that way for so long he no longer could set down and punch.

 

Similar to Griffith he could hit as hard as any guy in his division, they just elected to fight in a way where that wasn’t possible most of the time. If Ali had turned on every shot like Shavers with maximum intent I’m sure he’d be remembered as a puncher.

 

The subsequent sucker punches did there part too.

 

Holmes hit harder than Ali

 

"STOP" Liston?....Sonny..." QUIT WHILE SITTING ON HIS STOOL!"...as all "great" champions do! He took a DIVE up in Maine in May 1965...Ali never planted his feet...loads of fast "pitty pat" punches during his career!!! Ask the people who were there!!!

 

I think his left hook gets severely underrated

 

That has literally nothing to do with the thread.

Also Norton, their common opponent when both were adequate, said Ali hit harder when he sat down on his punches. Holmes was probably the harder puncher on average, but when Ali sat down on his punches, he was the more effective puncher. The KO sequence over Bonavena was more powerful than anything Holmes was capable of generating.

 

Ask the opponents that he fought.
He also sat down on his punches sometimes and hurt and knocked out people.
Nobody is saying he was Ernie Shavers.

 

Ali's combination of stamina/durability, gradual attritioning, sporadic flurry-dazing, and ability to sit on a punch when timely and safe, ko'd/tko'd some guys who'd start bouts with chins that looked like they'd be able to account for his punching.

 

If you want to see a difference between the bit-better-than-average power of Ali and actual big power, well, see the difference in how those two reacted when Foreman hit them as opposed to Ali.

Ali was good at frustrating guys, grinding guys down, and a good finisher when he had someone hurt.

 

In your opinion maybe. I don’t think Ali’s power was underrated at all an if people think he was a more effective puncher than Holmes an I’m not one of them, then it was down to his speed an combo’s not power. This thread is about his power though not effectiveness

I was using Holmes as a example as why Ali’s power is not underrated as I consider Holmes to have more power than him even though no one here seem to consider Holmes are having much power

 

Agreed.

There was a beautiful left hook in particular in Manila - round 2 I think it was - hurt and sent Joe into the ropes, and Ali then cut loose knowing he’d hurt Joe.

And the even shorter left hook that Ali landed just before the hook that first KD’d Bonavena was a beaut also.