How competitive would Golota and Cooney be against ‘67 Ali?

Gerry's uppercut grazed a few testicles, too. (Imagine how that must've hurt. Oh, Jesus!) I think Cooney would scare Ali a little, and thus Ali would try to knock him out early and he had enough pop in his right hand to do it.

 

They would have a much better chance against Ali pre -championship (1961-64) than Ali from (1965-68) .
From 1965- 68 , he'd stop both of them with in 10 rds. Both Cooney and Golata wouldn't be able to handle Ali's unique combination of size, speed , skills, and underestimated power .
Cooney did have a powerful left hook, probably in the top five in heavyweight history with that punch.
But his hook wasn't as quick or relentless as Joe Frazier. And Ali wouldn't be clowning with him as he was with Banks and Cooper, knowing how formidable Cooney at his best was.
Ali would be all business against Cooney and Golota.
And if he was, both men's chances would be slim and none of getting past 10rds.
He probably wouldn't knock them clean out. But the referee wouldn't have a choice but to stop the massacre before he killed them.

 

I actually think Golota would do better than Cooney in a match up with peak Ali. Golota had issues with huge punchers. Lewis, Tyson, Brewster all bombed him out quick. Although the Lewis fight he has legitimate excuse with the Lidocaine issue, still his track record was poor, once a fighter had a certain level of power.
However Ali was not in that class as a puncher and skill wise Golota was very well schooled and pretty athletic. He bent at the waste with ease for a big man and he had a terrific jab. He jabbed Bowe to death - and Bowe had a good jab and he also post prime had enough skill to arguably beat Byrd a very slick customer.
I think it would be a very entertaining contest but one where Ali’s superior mental fortitude would see him through to a mid late win forcing Golota to quit in some manner as he was prone to do.
Cooney would be very dangerous but I think Ali’s hand speed and foot speed would catch Gerry chasing or reaching. The version of Cooney that fought Holmes would have to be taken seriously by any heavyweight. He was a monster puncher and really big for his era.

 

I think 1967 Ali would beat them both and probably by a late round stoppage. Both men would manage to land a few shots here and there but would be mostly dominated

 

Cooney had no idea how to deal with angles. Golota would do better.