Did the exile hurt Ali's legacy or did it help it?

I think he would have been beaten by Norton anyway (just seemed to have Ali's number) but not sure about how it would have affected his legacy. I can see both sides of the coin too.

One thing I do know is that I would have loved to have seen more of the Ali that danced around Cleveland Williams. By the time he came back he wasnt the same fighter and couldnt put on that kind of show anymore

 

It would but inevitability his quality of opposition would have been undermined.

His layoff gave fighters a chance to establish themselves are great fighters in thier own right. His quality of opposition, at least the perception of it was improved by his abscence.

So in that regard yes it did help tremendously.

 

Thats my big regret as well, I'd have loved to see Ali in those years. Big, fast, strong, good movement, good ring brain...he would have put on some amazing shows in those years in he had been able to.

 

Yes!:good

 

Ali would've probably been seen stronger head-to-head but weaker resume-wise. Although it wasn't planned, going away for three years built up his opponents and gave his legacy a tremendous boost. Louis should've taken notes, but then he did go to war and retired rather quickly after.

 

I agree.

Let's keep in mind, also, that if Ali did fight and defeat Frazier in 1968/1969, the win wouldn't count for much. It probably wouldn't of even been the "FOTC", really, if Frazier was just another contender, albeit a good one.

And since Frazier wouldn't be as highly regarded, Foreman wouldn't have been a "future ATG". He would've been a crude, hard-punching but limited Olympic champ.

The layoff helped his resume because he came back and beat most of the better guys anyway.

 

Agreed. But Ali's refusal to go into the military, his refusal to go to Vietnam and, "Kill other poor, (brown) people," was what made his legacy as a man.

 

Ali was not forced into exile.

He got drafted when he refused to "step forward" when the time came
to be sworn into the military.

All his legal problems he brought down on himself (he knew what he was doing all along,,,,,and had adequate legal adivce from his lawyers).

 

Get aload of this guy. atsch

 

I Remember when Ali returnd from Exile, a lot of Experts were trotting out that old Boxing Maxim " They Never Come Back" Ali's Answer was " They Do if Their Good Enough " and so it subsequently Proved

Pre Exile a lot of Good Judges Felt Ali would Surrender, or Quit if Dragged into a War, the Seventies Proved he had an Iron Will to back up the Style, Ali coming Back from the Layoff, And the Frazier Defeat seemed to enhance his Legacy, its a pity he drifted along and put in some indiffrent performances, instead of putting out his Best Effort each time, However if he did that Many of his Matches would have been deemed ultra mismatches and not attractions, But the Ali Roadshow, keeping Tv and Fans happy by givin them Rounds for their Bucks seemed a happy compromise

 

Covering what most people already said like but anyway...True he became personally near Hero by avoiding draft and losing his title, but in a way we will never know how much it affected his legacy as a boxer.

Those 3-1/2yrs out would have been his best, no doubt, it was his peak as a fighter, take a look at Williams / Zora Folley, he was always confident but something in him had changed around then, he had reached his peak, any heavyweight over the coming 3-4yrs would not have got near him, think he was good when Liston couldnt lay a glove on him when he was green......his peak would have been something else, he was red-hot and would have danced with and destroyed all comers, its like never seeing the 2-3 years when Tyson was awesome and at his peak.....

What we missed we'll never know, what we gained we all know.

:| The Auditorium stood and cheered as J-Dog left the stage in tears following his legendary speech....:|

 

Ali would have lost way before 1976, Norton always has the style problems, and if Ali beats Fraizer in 1969, there WILL be a rematch in 71 or so when Fraizer is ready.