Could anybody beat prime Ali? If not, who comes the closest.

I am not sure what a prime Ali is. Is it the guy who beat a washed up, bullet-ridden Cleveland Williams? Or the one who got out hustled and out punched by Frazier?

Anyhow, I will go with a 1988 Tyson to lay him flat enough times and hang on for the decision.

Toodle-oo!

 

I agree with you, nobody could have beaten him that night. 1988 Mike Tyson gets KOed in 5 or 6 rounds. Perhaps Holmes comes close for a couple of rounds.

 

I also wouldn't pick anyone to beat prime ali in a best of 3.

I think people that have the best chances are
Joe Louis
Joe Frazier
Ken Norton
Larry Holmes
Maybe Lennox Lewis

Futch was able to use Nortons jab to expoit Ali's lack of fundamentals so a really good jabber would have a better shot than most. Also Norton and frazier did a good job of cornering him pressuring him and cutting the ring when they beat him so I think the guy who best puts those things together is Joe Louis. But even he I wouldnt favor in a best of 3

 

Cleveland Williams was already shot both figuratively and literally. Any great heavyweight could look unbeatable against such an outclassed opponent. Ali lost most of his prime years in exile but I am sure other opponents could have given him a More difficult night's work than big ol Cleveland.
I actually think Older Ali with more body mass, to absorb punishment and more experience fares better against Tyson than pre-exile Ali.
Joe Louis would give any version of Ali a fight and I am sure a few others Ali and no heavyweight for that matter is unbeatable. In fact Ali had many tough matches, where only his will power saw him through. Their have been more dominant reigns than his he just happened to defeat everyone during the consensus best hw era.

 

That's laughable.

 

Again, who is this prime Ali?

The one that Frazier and Norton beat?

 

Prime Ali is the one who beat Williams in 1966 and Terrell and Folley in 1967.

 

Good one, Seamus.

If Henry Cooper, Doug Jones, and George Chuvalo could give prime Ali such trouble, I wonder what a truly great opponent could do.

 

Ali listed Walcott, Charles and Marciano as the three fighters who might have beat him on his best day.

 

Those burnt out shells and nobodies are the measure of greatness?

Then Haye, Chambers and Chagaev measure Godhood.

The people that don't know **** and still think they should post their feeble thoughts.

 

Please, Terrell had not lost for ~ exactly 5 years, & Folley undefeated for 4-last lost to Terrell. Williams was dangerous but kinda shot yes-& never had a shot.

Check when Jones & Cooper gave Ali that trouble-not prime Ali.

Ali had tons of amateuer, Olympic & pro experience in '66/'67. He had about the weight of prime not overweight '70's Ali & appeared to have less bodyfat.

His speed, endurance & ability to dance/move all night made late '60's Ali the best.
He likely had about the same punch resistance, showed it with Chuvalo-but overall did not get hit that much.

 

Holmes or Norton. I reckon Lewis could get the job done.

 

Tony Tucker , Vitali Klitschko , Wladimir Klitschko , Lennox Lewis , Riddick Bowe , Carl Williams , James Douglas , Nicolay Valuev , Larry Holmes , Abdul Gerardo Aziz , George Foreman (under any legitimate conditions) Would have all given him too much of what he was used to give to his physically inferior opponents. Luckily for him, he retired permanently in 1981. But why go so far? Joe Frazier, George Chuvalo*2, Henry Cooper and Douglas Jones either did just that, or were razor close to doing it.

 

Frazier