How would Muhammad Ali do against the heavyweights in the past 35 years

He beats a lot but he can get caught by the bigger men

 

Loses to Wlad, beats Vitali quite easily.

Tyson does well early on, but is wore down when he realises that he isn't intimidating Ali at all. Ali would wind him up to the point Tyson is being led like a lamb to the slaughter and Ali is peppering him with combo after combo until Tyson is stopped, probably around 14. Or Ali takes a decision over 12.

Beats him quite easily, takes a few jabs and drops a round or two, but wins convincingly.

Ali UD15,12

Tough fight, 50-50.
I can see 2 scenarios, one where Ali is too quick (which I think is more likely) and darts in and out taking a UD and making Bowe's face look like he'd stuck it in poison ivy.
Or Bowe's excellent left giving Ali fits and him managing to set up some overhands which make Ali fight more cautiously and start to lose rounds.

So either Ali UD or Bowe SD. Definitely Ali over 15.

Both get comprehensively schooled and slowly beaten down.
Well actually, Jones gets stopped early, James gets slowly beaten down.

His defence would make Ali miss some tho.
Ali TKO3, Ali UD15

This would be bullying. Valuev's speed is several galaxies below Ali's and it would show. He also doesn't have the power to even slightly ditur Ali. But what he does have is the chin to hang in there taking his beating. He'd also have some choice words for Valuev before the fight.

Ali UD15/12

Same as Wlad, losing based on size and the skill to consistently land the left whilst being able to grab Ali in clinches and set up power punches to make him fight more cautiously, then lose rounds. Ali's pace gets Lewis (and Wlad) stopped over 15.

Lewis SD12, Ali TKO 14

Ali doesn't brawl, and is far too mobile and quick and takes a UD.

Ali UD15, 12

Moore was somewhat chinny, Ali was an underrated puncher. Similar to Holyfield actually.

He'd be quick enough to land on Moorer with the right whenever he felt like, although being a southpaw I can see Moorer giving Ali some problems early on. Before Ali adjusted.

Haye gets embarrassed. Taken to school. He doesn't even hit hard enough to have a chance. Certainly not as hard as Shavers, Liston or Foreman.
In fact I think there's a genuine argument Ali hit harder than Haye.

Ali UD15, 12.

Wilder gets schooled and stopped, too much speed.

Ali TKO9

Fury wouldn't land enough to beat Ali, he'd lose rounds based on being several moves behind and too slow to catch up with Ali, Ali was more aggressive against taller fighters, he wouldn't have anything to fear coming back at him here either. It would look like the Terrel fight but more competitive and Fury takes less damage.

Ali UD15, 12

Joshua gets stopped, no chance to catch Ali consistently and imo doesn't have the power to KO him. He would not stand up to the pace of a prime Ali and would get stopped because of it.

Ali TKO6

Usyk gives Ali issues, based on him having better footwork and being a southpaw, Ali would win but it would be a very hard fought win.
Usyk would win the early rounds imo where he would be landing more jabs but not leading, Ali would finally adjust and prove That speed kills and would win a UD.

Ali UD15, 12.

Ruiz is pretty easy work for Ali imo, he'd toy with him. Bad match up.
Ali would be too quick for fat boy to catch and would land his straight right on him no problem and his jab would cut his face up badly. Ruiz has a very good chin and would last the distance.

Ali UD15, 12

Spinks is somewhat competitive for a round or 2, but is completely neutralised by 5, and stopped by 8. Too small and slow imo.

Ali TKO8.

Ortiz sparred Ali in his twilight years, rumoured to have been competitive.

Ali UD15, 12.

 

If he fought all of them 3 fights each... he'd get at least 1 win against each one of these guys. He'd beat most of them 3 out of 3.

 

I don't think Usyk is going to fulfill the Heavyweight fantasy some of you have for him. He beat Chazz Witherspoon... I thought Witherspoon died like 10 years ago. I like Usyk but let's see him against a Heavyweight with a pulse before we say he'd lose a close decision to a prime Muhammad Ali.

 

Ali threw less punches in 15 then those bigger guys in 12, how can you pretend as if he has an edge in stamina against everybody?

 

Thank you for being realistic. I wouldn't mention Usyk until he actually does something worth while at heavyweight. Saying he will give Ali problems and he barely put away a guy that was paid to lose does not look like a guy at even Buster Douglas level.

 

Proof?
And don't mention the Kownacki vs Areola fight, neither are mentioned here.
And don't mention the FOTC, Ali wasn't at his best there.

 

Major fallacy that Tyson would implode if he couldn't get them out of there, he could settle down and do the full 12 no probs when prime, could out jab jabbers. Nobody thought Ali would have it easy or even win until head ****ed Buster Douglas showed its head. Prime Tyson under Rooney for a short while gives Ali major major problems imo and could win. Tyson is my example of having everything but if your not mentally 100% then forget it, youll come a cropper against lesser fighters

 

He looked good against Quarry and Bonavena or got the rounds in anyway, him against Frazier was the best Ali was in his comeback imo, Frazier went down hill after and getting banjoed by Foreman doesn't help, Ali just had a monster in front of him and imo loses to Joe always h2h both at their best. Nearly blind in one eye too, lets not forget, in hospital after with high blood pressure, he shouldn't have even been allowed to fight the FOTC

 

For speed and closest to his prime I agree, but his conditioning wasn't close to that of 67, in fact nothing he did was.
Best version of the 70s but not close to Ali of Williams and Terrell.

I agree, it's a horrible match up for him, I think that the best Ali loses a UD against him but takes less damage than he did in 71.

 

Or Cooper ??? I'd say Haye with his speed could hurt Ali, win no

Disagree George, theres a difference without a doubt

 

He comeback slower but stronger imo George, Clay couldn't dance and tie up Frazier like the 70's Ali, he looked thicker on the eye blatantly to me

Agreed mate
Joes my top 3 fighters all time, nice to see people recognising just how special h2h he was

 

Great post, but I don't have Wlad beating him.

Wlad had more ability than Vitali, but Vitali had more mental strength and a better chin.

An early version of Wlad was vulnerable but very dangerous.

A prime version of Wlad was overly cautious due to his earlier knockouts.

Which version of Wlad are you picking?

I'm assuming that you're picking the versions from his 10 years of dominance. If so, Ali would have done a complete psyche job on him before and during the fight, making him very hesitant, like how he was against Fury. Ali's speed would have given him fits. He'd have kept feinting him and jumping in and out of range. Wlad wouldn't have been able to have set himself.

 

Ok

klitschko threw around 200 punches more in 6 rounds against lewis then ali in 6 against liston. All while growing a vagina in his eye.
Lewis threw almost as many punches on 2 weeks notice and way way way past his best. Ali threw calculated on 12 rounds 60 punches less then wlad against haye, assuming ali kept exactly the same pace through 12 which is impossible but lets just give that to him. Wlad against haye was an extreme low pace tactic match with wlad standing alot and thinking. Klitschko threw 545 punches in his fight against jennings, where he really wasnt that good anymore.
Against wach, were klitschko was target practicing he threw up to 700 punches. I dont think there is a fight were ali threw that many punches and keep in mind that wlad in anything but a high pace work rate guy.