If Frazier had beaten Ali in their third fight how would this affect your all time heavy weight rankings?
Well yes, because not least my aunt would of been my uncle; my mum, my dad, and I would hate boxing. Everyone would of been ranting and raving about the amazing Chuck Gardner and how Jack Dempsey, Jim Jeffries and James J Corbett were robbed of a chance at the World Championship because of the colour of their skin. Although that would be the least of our worries what with nutty Pesident Gore wanting to rob of us all of our cars.
I still think that Ali would be rated pretty high by most people. He did afteralll, dust Foreman who destroyed Joe, and still would have had claim to beating Frazier in their second fight. Ali also fought some of the better contenders of the 70's who Frazier managed to miss or avoid. Ali's standing would not be as strong but he'd still be rated as one of the better heavyweight champions in my opinion.
:huh Frazier would of moved up a spot or 2 in my ATG rankings. He's pretty much even with Foreman, Dempsey, and Johnson. Those 4 change order every time I make a list. If Frazier had beaten Ali that 3rd time, that would mean he won the series with Ali and that would put him above those 3 into the top 5 of all time.
Frazier would have had two victories over the greatest. He would be rated much higher than he is now. He would still have been totally shot after that fight and probably lost to someone like Lyle, Foreman or Norton. Even guys like Bugner or Jimmy Young would have had a shot if they could have gotten Joe after that war. Earnie Shavers, Holmes, Roy 'Tiger' Williams. They would all be lining up. I think he would have fought Ali a fourth time though if Ali had lost the Thrilla in Manila.
It depends on the manner of the win (for Frazier). Ali (and Frazier) demonstrated a certain courage and charisma in that third fight that some (like Tyson) never demonstrated. If Ali loses that fight it shouldnt affect his rankings. He never looked good after that fight. His prime was 63'-67.
If Frazier wins that fight, regaining the title and claiming a second win over Ali, he arguably earns passage into the top three of all time. Ali slips down to where he and Frazier are on pretty much even footing in terms of greatness. I think another interesting thought here is the question of what the ratings would look like if Frazier had won the second fight, since in fact Frazier arguably did win it, and if he didn't, he arguably could have without the favorable refereeing Ali received.
Ali being undefeated in the 60s would still make him rank pretty high. He only lost after the exile when most knew he wasn't as good. He relied more on his ability to take good shots in the 70s. He won the title in the 60s by the style of hitting and not being hit and won it again in the 70s by being able to take good shots.
