How would Ali have done with solid fundamentals?

I watched the fights neither man was as good as the 1st fight but Frazier really diminished...It is evident in his body tone and muscular structure as well as his timing....Frazier went down hill from fight 1

 

Angelo Dundee said that in a couple of fights he got Ali to hold his hands higher [the Jones fight is an example],but it hampered him ,so he told Ali to forget about it.

 

Because in his prime, he either danced back out of range, slipped the jab or did the pull counter.

When he came back, his reflexes still quick, but not the leg speed to 'safely' continue the pulling back of the head, especially against someone like Frazier, who threw that sweeping hook to land on the jaw, when the head is pulled back, or a Norton who was patient and threw when Ali gave him an offensive opportunity to capitalise on.

Actually, Ali can be seen parrying the jab, he parries jabs and punches to the body and head in the 1st Liston, in addition to ducking, weaving and slipping ... he always had the ability to competently do so, but not the inclination. Showman versus technician ... slipping and pulling looks more athletically talented, which suited his personality to a tee ... blocking, parrying and countering is much more textbook and I'm sure that we can agree that Ali was from another textbook.

 

Yes ... special and infuriating.

In Foster, he just simply tries to walk through him and at times seems to totally abandon defence ... it was just stupid to take some of the punches he took, but hey ... he won the fight and got cut for it ... he got what he deserved to get, I guess.

 

Hard to say. Ali had a style all his own. Sometimes is is best not to change what makes a fighter great.

I do think Ali could have added a body attack, and uppercut to his game. A better hook would have been nice too.

Not sure if changing his guard in the middle of the ring would help Ali, since he felt comfortable keeping his hand low to rapid fire. Some fighters punch faster going up.

 

Dundee said Clay could not learn any of the standard, or would not. And at 6 foot 3 he was tall the time, with a very long reach.

And yes, had Clay known how to do and practiced standard, he could have added much to his game. Like lateral movement.

Someone mentioned Frazier having a better right in Manilla....IMO compaired to what he had early, he was still a one armed fighter.

Early when he could see with his right eye, he had a fine right hand...and I'd never knew until after Frazier retired what happened to his good right hand that he had for say Buster Mathis... And Bonivania.

 

He would have a couple of less losses on his record, that's for sure.

 

Would it have made him a better fighter in his prime? Doubtful, what made him so special was his one of a kind physical abilities, if he fought a more conventional style it probably would've slowed him down. BUT ! Unfortunately once he slowed he didn't have those skills of proper hand placement for defensive purposes, and took far to much punishment that lead to his physical issues after his fighting career was over. The proverbial double edge sword scenario.