If Muhammad Ali is the greatest

Well, I personally think he's the greatest ever at heavyweight, but ranking him first overall is a tougher argument to make.

I don't know how you can really compare to other sports though. Wayne Gretky was ridiculously dominant at hockey. Michael Jordan was an amazing basketball player. But those are team sports, and boxing is just one-on-one (besides the cornermen during the breaks) and you can't get a rest because your ankle is sore or whatever.

I've always found decathalon competitors to be amazing athletes.

 

One thing I don't agree with is when people take in social impact or popularity in assessing who is the greatest athlete. Like Jordan being a global icon, or Ali's stance during Vietnam.

I just focus on what the athletes do during competition in their sports.

 

Don't have time to elaborate too much but IMO Ali is the greatest boxer and greatest ahtlete. Reinvinting himeslf after a 3+ year exile, then beating Foreman the way he did for his second title is a remarkable achievement for any sport, and heavyweight boxing is IMO tougher than all the other mainstream sports.

Jordan didnn't win enough to be my top choice in basketball. Bill Russell is my pick here, with 11 titles in 13 years in the era of Wilt Chamberlin. More importantly, lets just say that Russell and Jordan never played. How many championships would the other great players of their eras have won. Chamberlin had 2 allready, if Russell wasn't there it's not unrealistic that he'd have 5 or 6 titles. Jerry West and Baylor could have had 4 or 5 in a non-Russell era. Who in Jordans era would approach that? The Pistons may have 1 more, the Lakers 1 max, Utah 2 max, etc..........

Ali's my #1

 

:nono The Lakers are here to stay bro...

 

Jordan is more of an American fasination while Ali is and was a World wide superstar.

When comparing great athletes you have to take into account achievment obviosly, but also that persons impact on not only the sport but te surroundings aswel. Ali was champ when the most recognizable face in sport was the Heavyweight Champion. And even 40 odd years after his prime if you ask an 20yr old fella name the top 3 sporting heroes of all time, he would definatly name Ali. Maybe that is fame more than achievment but it is still a testament to what impact Muhammad Ali had.

 

This is not a fair comparison on your part about Jordan and Russell.

Russell played in an era when the NBA had 8-14 teams and only 6-8 teams made the playoffs. (Majority of the Celtic's titles were won when the NBA only featured 8-9 teams) They only played 2-3 rounds in the playoffs (the Celtics often got a "bye" to the Eastern Division finals meaning they only played 2 rounds) There was no free agency.

Jordan played in an era where there was 27-29 teams and 16 teams made the playoffs. They played 4 rounds to win a title and there of course was free agency.

How can you penalize Jordan for having less titles when in fact it was much harder to win a title in his time than in Russell's time? Nothing away from Russell at all...but the criteria set here isn't fair and equal.

 

Don Bradman is an incredible sportsman. You'll go a long way to find such a huge difference between one man and his fellow athletes. Has to be right up there...

 

Carl Lewis Or Sergi Bubka

 

I think I just illustrated that comparison across era's is nearly impossible in many sports.

On top of this, when comparing them against contemporaries, you have to consider the sport and it's level of competition. Soccer for instance has more athletes playing it that any other, so the highest level of competition is bound to be higher than many other sports.

 

He is top 5 without a doubt. Babe Ruth deserves a mention for sure, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali among others. I would even say top 3 for the impact he had on so many people.