In your opinion, what are Ali's five most brilliant performances?

cleveland williams
liston 1
foreman
frazier 3
folley

 

Terrell: For pure display of skill and athleticism against a worthy opponent, this is Ali's finest hour

Liston: Skill, speed, bravery, attitude - a somewhat still green Clay showed all that and more. This was his coming of age.

Foreman: May deserve to be higher. Even though this wasn't prime Ali, it sure was vintage. The old master pulls one out of his sleeve like never before. Incredible bravery and coolness. "That's all you got, George?"

Quarry II: For pure skill this may well be Ali's most impressive. Not quite as lightening fast as he was against Terrell, he still manages to pick apart a top contender like he was a junior sparring partner. Shows off his ability to fight on mid-range and even close range. Crisp, cute punching. Absolute sharpness. The cat playing with the mouse.

Folley: Still in his physical prime, he also shows how very mature he was with just 28 fights behind him. Very interesting tactical battle that gets finished off with a brilliant double right.

 

:goodi could have put terrell and quarry in as they are equally good.
cat and mouse indeed

 

I thoght the Folly fight was poor he got hit heaps with right hands and really struggled with an ancient folly

 

That's not how I saw it at all. Folley was a more difficult opponent than most, but I think Ali controlled that fight beautifully.

 

1. Muhammad Ali 3rd Rd TKO of Cleveland Williams Ali's most complete performance
2. A 22 year old Muhammad Ali makes 35-1 Sonny Liston quit after the 6th Rd
3. Muhammad Ali knocks out 40-0 George Foreman to regain the title
4. Muhammad Ali outlast Smokin Joe Frazier in the most brutal fight in boxing history
5. Muhammad Ali humilates and dominates Ernie Terrell for 15 Rds

 

I agree with all of the performances mentioned. I would also include Norton 2 and Frazier 2. There were spells in those fights when you could almost think you were watching his 1966/67 self.

 

Those two were among his very best perfomances post-exile. The fight against Ellis deserves a shout as well. I do wonder about the wisdom at coming in at 212, though. That was his prime weight in his 20's, but not necissarily in his 30's. He might have been better off at 215-217.

 

1)Foreman
2)Liston
3)Spinks 2
3)Frazier 2&3
5)Norton 2

I see a lot of people picking Cleveland Williams but Big Cat was really cannon fodder at that point as well as Foley, Ali fought some good fighters but also had a large share of beatable foes

 

You shouldn't mix Williams and Folley up. Yes, Folley was 34, but coming off the best run of his career. He was quite rightfully ranked nr. 1 of what was left. Williams hadn't beat anyone of note since taking an effing .357 in the gut and was still carrying around the slug.

Folley was also a smarter and more skillful boxer and therefore not as dependant on his athletic ability, which of course had started to wane.

 

Frankly, there's so many to choose from. Prime Ali was one of the most dominant fighters ever.

1. Cleveland Williams
2. Ernie Terrell
3. Jerry Quarry II
4. Sonny Liston I
5. Foreman

Any order you like. It was amazing how good Ali looked in his first fight back from exile. He looked razor.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5LeAU6t2lw[/ame]

 

I think he's given too much credit for Williams, a guy who was a little fragile and had just lost a great chunk of intestine and suffered nerve damage in his legs, both of which had to limit his mobility and fortitude. Ali looks spectacular, but he's punching a ghost.

Conversely, I don't think he's given enough credit for Liston I. Watching that fight, you see greatness born before your eyes. I don't think anyone, even Clay himself, knew he had that kind of stuff inside him. He was green and not near his peak, yet he beat a veritable monster. Great stuff.

 

Did Seamus just call Sonny Liston a veritable monster ? :shock: