If FOTC took place in March 1972 instead?

This is a great question that can never be answered beyond dispute. I see it as a very close call but I figure Ali would have to do better. He was RING's fighter of the year in 72 and mine as well-perhaps spurred by the loss but he surely made up for lost time.

I would think he could only do better. In 1971 I was surprised that Ali could do so well with just two fights under his belt, a sign of a great competitor and an all time great. Not to mention the rush he was in to get to Frazier.

Like Frazier said "it was the closest thing I ever experienced to dying"

The question is could he (Ali) now do better in the late rounds where it could be the deciding factor?

Rooster says.....yes!

 

It was ali who said it was the closest thing to death,and that was in the third fight roosty......

 

I think Ali, with more rounds under his belt would be more confident of his legs and stamina,and consequently would not be such a stationary target
I see ALi taking a close decision ,rather like their second fight.Taking nothing away from Frazier ,that night in the Garden he would be hell for any heavyweight .

 

Frazier had been through the mill by that time though.

 

The Ring Fighter of The Year awards became the biggest joke in boxing in the 60s and, especially, the 70s.

 

In 1972 Ali beat
Mac Foster
George Chuvalo
Jerry Quarry
Al Lewis
Floyd Patterson
Bob Foster

.Frazier beat Terry Daniels and Ron Stander.

Ali was 29 when he came back Frazier was 29 when he fought Foreman. Ali ,with a couple more fights under his belt beats Frazier 7 days a week .But all fights would be competitive.

 

What like when he lost to Norton and he had an extra 6 or so bouts under his belt? Yeah, "but he was undertrained" you'll say. Fine, that's acceptable. So what the excuse for the rematch? He won but it was thisclose. So Frazier beating a version similar to the Ali or Norton II is "a joke" is it? Only to a complete fool perhaps or someone that needs to get their head out of Ali's arse and enjoy some fresh air.

 

To Ali's credit he didn't duck Frazier until 1972, and made Frazier his third opponent back after the layoff.

Some people like to merely make excuses for Ali's loss and suggest he should have ducked Frazier for an extra year or two, or five or six extra fights down the road.
But if he had done so he'd be deserving of criticism for it would be a plain case of ducking.
Because the fact is, when Ali came back in October 1970 he was telling everyone he was the righful champion, and saw his claim was as at least as legitimate as Frazier's.
Both fighters need crediting with settling the issue at an early possible juncture instead of stringing it out.

 

I think Joe Frasier was a good boxer. I think Mohammad Ali was a good boxer.