Could the 75/76 Version of Ali be seen as good enough to beat most 80s Alphabet Champs?

How about a returning George Foreman that fought at the end of the 80s? Ali could take some heavy punishment.

 

I think so.

I think Tubbs would have been too fast for him, but Ali may have gotten a gift decision.

The thing is, Ali of '75/'76 would not be in any danger of getting kod by any of the '80s alphabet guys so it would all come down to the Judges discretion.

 

I' favor him over any of them except for Tyson.

Holyfield would give him the seccond most trouble, but Ali would u.d. him

 

Thomas, Witherspoon, Dokes, Spinks and Tucker would all have a good chance of beating post 75/76 Ali. Tubbs and Page at their best might also have the speed to outpoint him.

 

Page and Tubbs were arguably better pure boxers, and Page had underrated power. They might upset him.

 

The clinching and holding were still world class.

 

hardly a skill, but spoiling, as a group of moves within the rules, is.

 

Well I am definitely not an Ali guy but yes I think he would be most of them.

Just scrolling through a list
W Weaver
W Dokes
W Coetzee
L Holmes
L Spoon
D Pinklon
W Page
W Tubbs
D Spinks
W Spoon (86)
W Berbick
L Tyson
L Bonecrusher
W Tucker
W Damiani

So off the top of my head on a cursory scroll I could see a faded Ali going 9-4-2
Of the 6 loses/draws the only 2 I am certain of is Holmes/Tyson....now in a gauntlet fighting them in succession he likely fared worse but in isolated bouts he is probably good in 10
Pick em in 4
And over his head in 2

 

Shoot , I think Norton and Lyle clobbers those alphabet soup cans, and Shavers half

 

Yep, he showed flashes against Shavers and would have gotten beat if he hadn't. He honestly lost to Norton and Young

 

I actually think the 80's fighters had decent talent but just lacked too many qualities to be good fighters. Ali pre Manila would beat all of them. The post Manila version would struggle with most of them.

I've never felt 70's Ali had the focus & dedication of the 60's version. I don't think he was as good as he could've been during that 70's.

 

Now this is a puzzling post.

You think high ring iq boxers like tucker and witherspoon lose to 75/76 ali, but the plodding basic bonecrusher smith beats ali?

 

Lol...well you must have skipped the words “cursory scroll” and “off the top of my head”...not married to it.

The only 2 I think with certainty would beat him (75) are Tyson and Holmes (which I also mentioned). I also had 83 spoon getting the nod and the 86 version which lost to Bonecrusher a loss...not sure a split between 83-86 Spoon vs 75 Ali is a reach??? But could be...not sure the 86 version of Bonecrusher that beat Spoon is that crazy of a pick to beat 75-76 Ali but maybe it is? ( off the top of my head...have not spent a lot of time with the heavyweight division for a couple of years).

Not sure that clears anything up for you or not?

 

The 80's fighters were plagued by drugs like the 90's to current have been plagued by PED's there was alot of good fighters and the era was as good talent and size wise as any so the question is are all the fighters at their best or hot and cold like they were? If it was the division as it really was then the answer is possibly Weaver, Dokes, Witherspoon, Smith, Holmes, Tucker, Berbick, Coetzee etc...depends on the condition of the fighters in the ring at fight time