Yeah, only the lucky get old, Burt. I hope to be so lucky. After all, wisdom is not something they issue at birth. I have a question for you or anyone who cares to answer. How do we qualify the statement, "Speed is strength"? Meaning, I believe speed IS strength, but not all guys with speed have power.
If Ali had top end power in adition to his other atributes then he would have been virtualy unbeatable. Could this theoretical frankensteins monster even have existed theoreticaly? The answer is basicaly yes. The power punching Ali would probably have needed to sit down on his punches to get the full benefit of his power, but there is no reason why he could not have existed mechanicaly. A fighter of that size having the same handspeed and other atributes but carrying a punch comparable to say a Joe Louis is well within the limits of what is physicaly possible.
Yeah. But to become a real puncher Ali would have had to change style, and I wonder if that would benefit him. Against Williams he managed to combine movement with getting real leverage and power behind his blows, but that tactic was only safe against a walking stiff like Williams was at that time. Against a better fighter the risk would be too big of him punching himself out.
what if he fell in love with his own power and became a headhunter? Maybe that is an unavoidable consquence? He certainly wouldnt be moving backwards as much. And was his punching technique that which would suit this style? I dont think it was. Basically i understand what the OP is saying and even though he is already the best, yes he would be unbeatable. But technically it wouldnt be Muhammad Ali, it'd be a hybrid human being
Muhammad Ali was pretty much a headhunter anyway, but I know what you mean. He'd probably neglect his jab somewhat. We've seen so many big hitters in the past forget about the fundamentals and just go for the home-run shots. Donavan Ruddock and Edwin Rosario immediately come to mind. I could hardly believe what I was seeing watching Ruddock jab and move against Weaver.
The Willams' fight result for Ali has always been overated. Williams was 33 years old (Ali 24), and had been gut-shot 2 years earlier in November 1964. He hadn't beaten a major opponent in 4 years since his first fight with Ernie Terrell. The two Liston fights had been over 6 years before. Old and with no mobility, Williams was the perfect "opponent" for Ali. "Williams underwent four operations over the next seven months for colon damage and an injured right kidney, which was removed in June 1965. Doctors did not take out a bullet that had broken his right hip joint and caused partial paralysis of some hip muscles. "It is a miracle that he is not in braces," his surgeon, Dr. Don Quast, said two years later. After being released from the hospital, Williams was charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated assault on a peace officer. Williams lost almost 60 pounds off his 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound frame, but he regained strength by tossing 80-pound hay bales on a cattle ranch in Yoakum, Tex., owned by his manager, Hugh Benbow. In May 1965, Williams was arrested after his wife called the police and said he threatened her and was waiting outside of her place of work with a pistol. Williams was charged with carrying a pistol. On August 13, 1965, Williams pleaded no contest to the three charges against him. He was assessed concurrent 30-day sentences in jail and fined $50. He returned to the ring on Feb. 8, 1966, against Ben Black (2-1-1 at the time of the fight) in Houston, receiving a 10-minute ovation from his hometown fans that began when he walked down the aisle and didn't conclude until he appealed for quiet with a finger to his lips."
If Ali had genuine top end power then his need for mobility would have been significantly reduced. He would have been knocking people sily like Joe Louis or Mike Tyson and his main problem would have been getting his oponents to come to him. If they were silly enough to oblige they wouldnt last verry long.
well Louis and Ali are interchangable so he is #1 on my book. When Ali really sat down on his punches, his power was respectable, just not on the level of the real power punchers. And that's why Ali had phenomenal hand speed and movement in and out of his peak. When he was REALLY sitting down on his punches though, he could bang. When you look at who he stopped, he really stopped some tough/durable guys like Foreman, Lyle, Bonavena, Frazier, Liston, etc.