"Better Modern Training" and Muhammad Ali

This is what I find incomprehensible about the "better training" argument.

Why would anybody in their right mind want to change, or try to improve a prime Muhamad Ali?

There is a bit of a double standard where this argument is applied. Some people want to use the "all sports advance" argument, but then have progress stopping in the late 1960s to protect their favourite fighter.

The bottom line in boxing, is that if John L Sullivan hits Wladamir Klitschko under the right circumstances he is going down.

 

His reflexes, speed of hand & foot are just phenomenal. I haven't even gotten into the fact that he's accurate, throws every punch great, and is unconventional as a fighter. Ali would just utterly embarrass Vitali. Ali also dealt with the 6'5 Ernie Terrel. Considering Terrel is faster than either Klitiscko or anyone they fought I think that says a lot about Ali and his ability to evade. He completely nullified the 6'3-6'4 Bugner who was much faster than either Klit. And he was quite possibly the smartest HW of all time. And, Ali fought and beat the best. He fought in the golden era of HW boxing, and has the best resume in the history of HW fighting.

Check Ali past his prime against Bugner.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nEdp5vP5G4[/ame]


Wlad would be a tougher fight but I still think Ali schools him enough to win.

He handles both of them.

 

The best fighters in history were 80% born.

Sure they might have turned out badly with the wrong breaks and influences but much of what they had was god given.

Nobody expects to see another Joe Louis or another Muhamad Ali in their lifetime.

Why is it so hard to accept that Bob Fitzsimmons was a similar aberation, albeit under different circumstances.

 

:good

And there's nothing to show me that Wlad/Vitali were born better or born as phenoms. They're more ordinary, and whatever advancement they have in training won't matter. It's not like their stamina, skills, or ability match Ali. They are tall, physical, and hit hard. They know how to use range, and their physical advantages (Especially Vitali). Wlad is the much better technician, although he has weaknesses his brother doesn't has. That's the contradiction, but he's the better boxer. That is really all they are, though. Good fighters, nothing special.

 

I would also be curious to know what na modern trainer could do to improve Primo Carnera significantly.

I would suggest that when he won the title from Jack Sharkey, he was about as good as he was ever likley to get.

 

Its because Ali relies on speed/movement/skill and not power/size/strength. Ali has shown he is very good against bigger slower men. Skill wise Ali is better than Lennox, Lennox is more arguably more skillfull than Liston/Louis and hes bigger/rangier, and very fast.

Vitali is unorthodox but very effective, I'm not 100% sure on how he does against Louis/Liston, but he may well win, especially against Liston, hes a nightmare fight in many ways. And remember I've being Vitali's biggest critic and hate his twaty fanboys

I dont think Ali necessarily has an easy night with Lennox/vitali, but he beats both

 

Wlad would have stood a very good chance at beating ali.
His main weakness is having a bad chin, but Ali wasn't exactly a bomber.

He'd be like a 6'6 250 pound Ken Norton.