perhaps an important factor would be that ali can hurt and slow charles but i am not sure charles can do it to him. i would want it to be a 10 rder to bet on charles
I think Ali would get the better of it on the scorecards with more speed and more flash, but it'd be an ugly fight for him. A lot like a Doug Jones fight that goes 15, in my view. I'd take Ali to win 8-7/9-6 with his better jab, better speed, greater strength, and flashier style, but he'd have hell of it. Ali struggled with smaller technicians. He always beat them decisively, but he often had a good deal of trouble with them. Ezzard Charles, possibly the best undersized heavyweight operator ever, would give him a lot of trouble. I think if he got him before he fought Liston, he just may spring the upset. Can't pick any version of Charles to beat Ali after his bouts with Liston, though.
I would imagine we are picking them both at their best ... the Ali of Williams and the Charles of the first Marciano bout .. :yep
he, yes Ali looked at his best in the Cleveland Williams fight in 1966 . Yessir, but lest we forget, Cleveland Williams was a SHOT fighter in the Ali fight literally and was but a shell of himself..One year before Williams was shot in the abdomen by a policeman, and was severely wounded. He survived but TEN FEET of his intestines was removed and one of his legs was badly atrophied in the Ali bout one year later...Lest we forget...
Do really think that Clay was that invincible against Liston? He looks skittish and amateurish. I think Charles would eat him alive and give him a good lesson to live on. It's all about styles. What Doug Jones could kind of do, a prime, or at least prime heavy, Ezz could do in spades.
Ezzards technical ability and smarts would win him some rounds. Look at the Folley match for Ali but extend it about twice as far and make it more competitive. Ultimately though Ali's physical gifts and size would win it for him on the cards.
The best version of Charles at HW would give Ali hell ! No way this would be easy.......I like Ali in this one, but not really with too much confidence....
Prime 1967 Muhammad Ali beats Prime Ezzard Charles by close but unanimous decision. true, he did have problems against smaller opposition, but accuracy, footwork, reflexes, speed, stamina, timing, and reflexes, spell the difference. Charles is a great combination puncher with a lot of skill, but against all the above listed attributes makes for a very difficult fight. The post exile Ali no longer had those mentioned attributes, relying on experience, and new inventions, Rope A Dope. The post exile Ali has a much more difficult time, and could possibly lose by decision.