How Much of A Chance Would You Have Given Teofilo Stevenson Vs. Ali?

Stevenson was a great HW amateur and Ali Is almost entirely recognised as the greatest HW pro. Stevenson was in the talk for a fight with Ali even Foreman at one point but Stevenson’s love for Cuba was stronger then the evil siren calls of wealth.

I think had we taken him as he was it wouldn’t be a very appealing fight- But had adjustments be made for the pro level he had every tool to perform at the highest levels of the sport.

 

Agreed. Given a Heavyweight Pro Career, of 20 appropriate fights, over 2 or 3 years, and who knows? Straight to Pro and Ali, as he was, Ali would have played around for a few rounds, and then he would have gotten serious. Ali by stoppage before the 8th round, IMHO.

 

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Duran deserves a mention

 

It's a fight that would have put butts in seats, but I don't think anybody "knows" what might happen in the fight. If Stevenson trained in Cuba, under his same coaches, no distractions, for a one time pro fight, who knows? Stevenson would have youth, and size, while Ali would have experience fighting at the pro pace and going 15 rounds. Stevenson might have to adjust to the slower paced pro game, or he might not, he looks relaxed in 3 round fights maybe he could keep that pace all the way? For Ali that would be the worst scenario, the best would be if Stevenson gassed after 3 or 4. There are too many variables that we don't know the answer to, but it would have sold tickets!

Could Stevenson have won the fight? Yea, he could. He had the size, speed, skill, and experience to beat anybody, but whether he would have adapted to longer, slower fights is something we'll never know.

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Keep in mind the timeline. It depends on when Teo turned pro. He won his first Olympic gold in '72. If he turned pro then, took 4 years or so to acclimate to the pro game, and then took on Ali in the 76-78 range, when he clearly was slipping, he'd have a pretty darn good chance of pulling off the upset.

 

Stevenson never boxed more than three rounds in a fight. Ali, in his absolute worst shape, could still finish strong in the 15th round.

I doubt Stevenson lasts seven or eight rounds without totally collapsing. We saw what happened when the coddled Cuban heavyweights turned pro. It wasn't a pretty picture.

You could make an argument that Nino Valdes is still the best Cuban professional heavyweight ever. Maybe Luis Ortiz. Three round fights don't provide a full picture of a fighter. Being the dominant amateur heavyweight in the world didn't mean a whole lot back then if you never heard the bell for round four.

 

If he prepared for a one off 15 rounder with Ali in 72, it is unlikely that he would win. He could box all day in the gym and it wouldn't be the same as having your first 4th, 5th, etc...round be against Ali.

 

Yeah,, it was Roberto Duran who told Fidel Castro that Ali would kill Stevenson

 

We're not doing that this time.

 

A very good one, especially in Ali's second career. Stevenson wasn't limited at all. The man could box, punch and move well. Plus he had towering height and reach for this time. Assuming he is brought up correctly through the pro ranks, a win over Ali is not out of the question. Look Norton did it, Lyle almost did it, Young should have been given the nod. Shavers was close. IMO Teifilo is better than these guys. Oh Stevenson had a jab, a punch Ali had issues dealing with a all stages of his career unlike Foreman wasn't likely to gas.

 

Against the Ali that lost to Spinks, a pretty good chance. Against a prime or near prime Ali, no chance at all.

 

It is, in my opinion, a very strong leap of faith to call Stevenson a better fighter than guys like Norton, Lyle and Young. Considering that he never fought a 4th round, much less a pro fight. Maybe he could have been groomed to be better but that requires about 2000 "ifs" to all turn out correctly. In the half century since, the most successful heavyweight to come from the vaunted Cuban system has been Ortiz, so Stevenson making the transition is miles away from a certainty.