Imagine Ali-Frazier II takes place in 1972

IMO if Ali had not been so head-stubborn and fought Joe in the summer of 71, instead of March, boxing history may well have been changed. He was barely 90 days removed from his Bonavena war for pete's sake!

 

ALI was red hot in 1972 about the time of the second Quarry fight but all in all he had too many fights that year. It was a bit like Ezzard Charles after he lost his title, he was still good but he just fought everybody too often and was a bit over stretched. Giving Ali a title fight to focus on in 1972 would have ment he would have skipped the Al blue Lewis fight, the patterson fight, the Bob foster fight and he might never have fought Ken Norton or Bugner in 1973. ALI fought six times in 1972. Some of those fights were three weeks apart.

 

my money would be on Ali

 

I'm not sure why one would think the outcome different then their rematch? Joe was a little more solid by the time they met compared to his other post FOC bouts and Ali had found his legs again, and earlier rematch over 15 likely would have seen a wider victory for Ali that's all.

 

Ali stops Frazier late.

 

Ali wins.
Frazier was all washed up after the 1971 fight.

 

Ali always wins the rematch so in 1972 he becomes champion two years earlier. Without facing Ken Norton before winning the title Ali never gets to fight Norton until Ken beats Quarry. With Ali as champ he beats George Foreman in a title defence in 1973. I can't see Foreman ever getting the title until Ali is out of the championship picture. Perhaps Ali loses to Norton in 1975 allowing George to win the title off of him but I don't see George beating Ali for the title. Just don't.

 

Even to overcome the Rusty Ali, Joe had to borrow physical resources from tomorrow to win that day, his own exertions, and walking through Ali's who was hitting solidly at this time, Ali really opened up on Joe for a spell in that 9th round, but Joe's Will was making appointments his body had no right in keeping ...at that unbowed pace... I still tend to think that if Joe had not of caught Ali with that big Damaging left hook in the eleventh, a punch which took a lot out of Ali, Then Joe would of had to of faced Ali's customary strong Finish, Perhaps Joe would of been in no condition to launch that big Last round left hook...

The fight was if nothing else, when he recovered, a rust shedder in the extreme, for Joe it was an Over-reaching, Apart from the Quarry Rematch he never looked the same again, Ali of course bided his time with his Roadshow Tour

In 1972 Ali would of been looking for severe revenge, Joe i feel would of been brave as hell, but Like most i feel Ali would of been too much

 

In 1972 it could have been different. The Foreman KO in 1973 took something out of Frazier. Who's the ref in this fantasy fight ?! I'm serious. Ali adapted and used clinching tactics and holding Frazier behind his head to smother his left hook.

Ali, much to the chagrin of Eddie Futch, had clinched repeatedly and the referee failed to deduct points.

Can anyone post their score card of Ali vs Frazier in 1974?

Also, suppose Frazier won in 1972. All time rankings become wild.

 

I think the Stander fight showed that Fraziers prowess had reduced from 1971 and that came before the Foreman fight. You watch that fight and it is apparent that Joe isn't punching until he has walked all the way in. where as before he could catch a faster taller Ali at long range. I can't decide if was eyesight, timing or coordination that he lost but a part of Fraziers game was gone. Joe had lost a range that he could fight at before and it never came back.

The beating he took winning against Ali hurt joe more than Ali did losing. The Foreman fight could not have helped Frazier much either but he was not the same fighter anyway. Foreman could draw a line on the floor and know he could reach Joe whilst he could not reach him. Target practice. Compared to the 1971 version of Frazier, Joe was a sitting duck for a puncher with longer arms.