If Muhammad Ali didn't have a 3.5 year ban how would his career have looked?

The Greatest...

 

I think he would have still fought longer than he needed tbh...

 

Muhammad Ali without exile (the topic I wanted to ask)...
In that case, there would definitely be an Ali Vs. Frazier fight under different circumstances...
It wouldn't be FOTC, and Frazier wouldn't have the most valuable victory of the 20th century.
That's an alternative HW boxing history.

Imo Post 1967 Ali would be peak Muhammad Ali; 1968, 1969, 1970...
Because I didn't notice that in 1966 and 1967 Muhammad Ali stagnated or regressed, but rather that he progressed.

 

Depends when he fights Frazier. If it's closer to 1970, then he probably has the additional cunning to beat him by clinching him to death like he did in fight 2. If it's 68, it's a tossup.

In general, there's a good chance that he goes through the late 60s and early 70s guys without a loss. History probably doesn't remember the 70s as a "Golden Era" of lots of ATG guys, but just a group of contenders Ali beat, like Louis.

Frazier likely never gets the crown, or at best becomes a one hit wonder like Ingo when Ali wins it back. Foreman never gets the title or the mystique he had. At best, he's a good puncher who held the #1 contender spot for a while, and may not even face Frazier. Just like in our timeline, he's never the best fighter in the world, but that fact is a lot clearer here. Ali eventually loses, but Foreman ain't the guy to dethrone him. Ali mulched big punchers.

Ali eventually deteriorates, like in our world, but probably sooner. Nobody counts his later performances against him. He may never even face Norton, since Norton's cachet comes from beating Ali when both were contenders. Or Norton may get Ali in a bum-of-the-month tour and pull a surprise upset. Or lose a close fight (since Ali usually got the benefit of judges; not sure whether Ali would do so in this timeline, tho, since he doesn't have the more lovable underdog status of losing to Frazier to make him easier for the public to like.)

Overall, Ali staying out of boxing for years artificially improved the standing of the guys he came back to fight. But on the other hand, it also took away his opportunity to get more prime title defenses. So on balance, Ali without an exile is ranked about the same, but the 70s return to a more down to earth status.

 

He still holds the title until 1970. Beats Quarry, Bonavena, Mathis or Martin, Ellis, Mac Foster, Spencer and maybe rematch with Chuvalo when in 1970 Frazier defeats him 8-7 (close fight). Then, he once again underestimates Norton and loses in 1973. He avenges both losses and defeats Foreman in Zaire before retiring. Essentially, it’s similar, except his second reign is shorter, and the first one is longer.

 

Letting all the mid 60's new babies grow into their own story might have help him build those iconic wins, but otherwise he might have enjoyed a more consistent, perhaps undefeated streak.

 

His career would have been better and longer. He would have faced Frazier in 68 or 69. A Frazier that took a ring rusty Ali to hell and back. A fresher sharper Ali beats Frazier and it's one and done. No rematches, much less wear on Ali. Does better against all subsequent opponents by facing them 3 years younger and fresher.

My old drunkle Bert might say “Had the whiz kid from Louisville retained his crown and cadence, there would be more chapters to the Book of Ali, and perhaps fewer epitaphs to be written. The world would’ve seen just how high that butterfly could soar—and maybe, just maybe, the sting would’ve lasted longer.”

 

Norton's stock goes up a lot in your timeline, as he's the one to take Ali's 0. I wonder if then Foreman comes and takes it from Norton, Ali takes it back from Foreman, and then the timeline resumes mostly as it was.

 

I think he loses the FOTC again, only in an even more intense fight. But he probably TKO's Frazier in the rematch and Manila most likely doesn't happen. All his wins are easier and he doesn't lose to Norton either. He might even beat Spinks considering he'd take much less damage in this timeline. It'd take Holmes to properly stop Ali.

 

It depends if he doesn't go complacent/ womanizer no training mode in this timeline too, because imo Norton could still easily defeat an untrained Alì in their first match

 

I can’t see how it would make him worse, that’s a bizarre statement.

 

In his first fight against Frazier, his feet and reflexes are about 10% of what they were vs Liston.

 

Of course he’d have had a better career.
I’m not sure Frazier beats him either, for a few reasons.
First, Ali had lost something in speed and reflexes during the layoff. Frazier was bang prime.

Second, FOTC was still a close fight, Ali won a lot of rounds, it wasn’t like say, Duran - Leonard 1 , where I thought Leonard barely won a round clearly.

Third, the dynamic between Frazier and Ali would have been a bit different, Ali would have still been champ, Frazier wouldn’t perhaps have quite the same burning hatred of Ali, wouldn’t be accused of being a false champ and all the rest