If Ali hadn't been banned

What was the problem?

 

Bob Cousy on Muhammad Ali challenging Wilt Chamberlin.

'I don't think Ali should be proclaiming himself as some kind of 'great warrior' by taking on a giant like Wilt Chamberlin, in a 'Super Fight Battle'.

'Who made Ali the King, in ranking people anyway, he doesn't know crap'.

'Everyone in basketball knows, that both Bill Russell and Nate Thurmond can beat the
hell out of Chamberlin,,,,,God they do it 4 times a week during the season'.'

 

We never saw the best of Ali, Dempsey or Louis ... all three lost key years of their prime ... Ali to exile, Louis to WW2 and Dempsey to inactivity ...

 

I think so. If the opponent had looked good, instead of Joe just looking bad.

Personally, I feel that Louis KO of Walcott may just be a bit underrated. Joe was clearly was past his prime, but still managed to stop a peak Walcott... His best win IMO (if not his best perfomance).

 

With the help of an Iceland businessman and Norwegian contingent,
a proposed bout was offered for the summer of 1968.

In the city of Reykjavik.
Part of the Economic Develpoment and Tourism Board.
The proposal was offered in 1967, before Ali had been suspended.

No challenger was named, but Ali could have picked anyone.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Amazing, that the island of Iceland could get a backer to put of
$2,500,000 in 1968.

That promotion would have lost a bundle, but worth its weight in gold in publicity and tourism.

 

prime frazier was 68-71 peak frazier(the best, stronger with more experience) was in 70-71

we saw a prime ali 64-67 but the peak ali would have been in 1968-69.(26-27 years old)(a man, not a boy)

 

Joe Frazier of 1968 thru 1970 was much quicker than the 1971 and later Joe.

On Ali, late-1967 thru early-1970 is based on conjuncture.
No one knows what he would have done.
Maybe he gets knocked down in a fight, gets cut, comes in out-of shape,
who knows,,,,,,,,,,
Yes, it was his prime, but it only takes a split-second and a hard punch to change everything.

 

Pretty much agree with this. The best Ali we got to see was from Patterson to Folley, I'd say.