Did Ali have the easiest Heavyweight reign 65'-67'

The thread or Great A's post? Personally, I don't think there's anything to add to what he wrote really.

 

Truth

 

Had some time to kill. And this is a bit like whacking off to an Imbruglia video. It's really too easy and you've done it to death already, but still...

How many times do we have to go through this? The scheduled fight with the nr. 1 contender, Terrell, didn't come off due to politics and no place in the US would host an Ali fight right then. So Chuvalo came in as a replacement on 17 days notice across the border. Now, was this is an eloborate plan to duck the declining Machen or was it just making the best of a tricky situation? Let me see that brilliant mind at work.

 

From what I remember that wasnt what happened though, Cooper was cut but putting pressure on and landing quite a bit before landing the money shot. Either way there was the case that Ali may have been close to defeat. Cooper for his credit made a post boxing career hyping up that moment, imagine if Ali didnt rematch him :admin

 

Interesting side issue :yep Anyone care to expand on the comparative level of ease in whacking off to an Imbruglia vidoe in comparison with say the ease of a title defence against Brian London??

 

Well, since Erskine scored his best wins during the late 1950's, an Ali defense against him wouldn't have been at all feasible, would it, now? But had Ali been champion during that period of time, Erskine would have been a Top 10 contender. Not in the Top 5, but he was certainly rated by RING during that time. Cooper of course, had the majority of his successes after that, and certainly was a better fighter than Erskine during those final three fights of theirs. Timing is everything, after all.

(Live by it, die by it.)

Cooper was probably about as good as Cockell, at any rate. After all, this was a guy who had gotten the shot by beating the remains of LaStarza and Matthews, and who had been destroyed by Turpin and Slade (who Marciano also didn't fight).

Speaking of fighters that Marciano didn't fight...

Walls was still rated in the Top 10, and avenged that decision loss with a first round kayo. Funny you didn't mention that. Plus he had serious one punch power, as evidenced by his victories over Layne. Yet no shot from Marciano.

Anyway, the reason why I'm bringing up Marciano is that, like every other great champion he didn't fight every available contender that was to fight, yet it's obvious that you consider him to be great. Rightfully so. Same with Ali, yet seem to have a hard time accepting that. Just saying.

 

I'd give you a better chance of the former than beating even the Brian London of today. Unless you're a bit... you know...

 

I consider BOTH Marciano & Ali great - SUPER GREAT - AS GREAT AS IT GETS :good
Only really commented on Ali's questionable first reign because that was the subject matter of the thread - and plus it does rattle my cage when people try to boost certain fighters from Ali's era solely based on the fact that they fought Ali, or Frazier or Foreman - like that automatically makes them great - my point with Chuvalo was that he got beat by the has beens of the 50's - people forget that and only remember the stuff about him never being floored.

 

just stop posting all these threads about Ali.. the whole classic would appreciate it
Ali had faced Floyd, Liston, chuvalo, and Terrell. good enough

 

:blah

 

Several years ago SI magazine called Ali the most over rated Heavyweight champ of all time....saying that in his prime years..he did nothing to distinguish himself as one of the all time best ...oh yeah,..they also called Marciano the most under rated Heavyweight champion ever...

 

You have seen this fight? Sure Ali is doing a lot of clowning in there,but no way is he playing with Cooper and dominating him,Cooper is always competitive and is very much in the fight after 4 rounds. By the way what is always forgotten in this is how good a punch it was from a very good exponent of the left hook,all you hear about is the split glove incident etc.
To be fair in the 5th Ali goes to work and does a number on the already badly injured Cooper.Even later in Ali's title defence against Cooper it was very competitive and Cooper was always in the fight.