Is Ali the HW GOAT?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by AdamT, May 25, 2025 at 4:49 AM.


Is Ali the HW goat?

  1. Yes

    77.5%
  2. No

    22.5%
  1. AdamT

    AdamT Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    With the influx of fans on here saying Usyk is the GOAT, It will be interesting to see an updated poll

    Is Ali's reign in 60s and 70s overrated? Has he really done enough?

    I obviously think he's the hw greatest, followed by Louis, but I'm trying to understand the rationale of different opinions. So let's have a discussion
     
  2. MrPook

    MrPook Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Ali is The Greatest. Maybe a case to be made for Louis.

    Usyk isn’t Top 10. Hardly Top 20.
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM
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  3. TNSNO1878

    TNSNO1878 Member Full Member

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    Yeah, Ali is still the GOAT. I think that people will calm down once Usyk has retired for a few years and the dust settles. He's a phenomenon and a legend, but I don't see any argument that convinces me he's anywhere near the GOAT discussion, especially at HW. Cruiserweight is a different story though.
     
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  4. Ryeece

    Ryeece Member Full Member

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    In my opinion you can only be the best of your era so it's difficult to call anyone the GOAT.

    To me there is no way of proving Ali was better or worse than Uysk or Mayweather was better or worse than Sugar Ray Robinson and so on so forth I could give hundreds for examples of this. That's pretty much my basic stance on the discussion of the GOAT.
     
  5. AdamT

    AdamT Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    I get that, but the question isn't whos the best head to head, but rather who has the greatest accomplishments

    I think Ali, but there's definitely a case for Louis
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2025 at 6:01 AM
  6. Ryeece

    Ryeece Member Full Member

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    Cool I hear you. But many of these debates go well beyond achievements and numbers. That's were a lean back to my position.
     
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  7. The Cryptkeeper

    The Cryptkeeper Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali is the GOAT.

    Ali might just be the most important athlete in history.
     
  8. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I voted Yes for this poll but a case can be made for Joe Louis.

    However I do find it understandable the younger generation is slowly moving away from Ali. It’s bound to happen as yesterday’s greats fade further and further into history. I mean honestly Ali’s last win in boxing was 47 years ago. That’s a long time. Ali benefits from modern media and having all his significant fights on film. Had he fought in say the era of Sullivan many names may have surpassed him by now.
     
  9. ad4m88

    ad4m88 Active Member Full Member

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    Hard to mess with the names on his resume tbf Liston,Patterson,Norton, Frazier,foreman,spinks to name a few
     
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  10. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think that is fair. The only heavy with comparable accomplishments is Joe Louis.

    Usyk's legacy is always going to be controversial and hard to define, because he is a two-weight champ, but would have been a fairly huge or at least decent sized heavy by any historical standards. His heavyweight opponents are massive, and even most of his cruiser opponents would have been fairly big heavies in most eras, because of the 200 pound cruiser limit and re-hydration.

    Also, as of now, he is undefeated. So on the balance, it is very hard not to be impressed by this generational talent.

    But Ali's legacy is almost unique at heavy, outside of Louis, both is quality and quantity of wins:

    https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/muhammad-ali-top-ten-victories-name-em.732074/

    Both uber-elite fighters, and they share the same height, reach, birthday, and "dragon energy," as Kanye termed it.
     
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  11. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

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    Ali is 100% the HW GOAT for me. The fact he reigned for pretty much two decades, beat a who's who of top competition, faced all challengers, reinvented his style as he aged - not to mention the fact he didn't even fight during his prime years.
    He is the benchmark for all others to follow - and I'm surprised sometimes at how easily greatness is bestowed on modern fighters who haven't achieved a fraction of what Ali did (e.g. when the Tyson Fury hype train was at its peak). I think Usyk is an ATG fighter but I don't think he has the longevity at HW to crack the ATG top ten.
     
  12. ellerbe

    ellerbe Loyal Member Full Member

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    Cmon Pook. Not even top 10?
     
  13. ellerbe

    ellerbe Loyal Member Full Member

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    Usyk is the goat but idk if he’s the goat HW hasn’t had enough fights.
     
  14. Noel857

    Noel857 I Am Duran Full Member

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    No heavyweight has a deeper resume than Ali so yes he is the goat :campeon:
     
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  15. MrPook

    MrPook Boxing Addict Full Member

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    No. Usyk has 23 fights and 14 KO’s. What would you consider the absolute minimum to be to declare someone GOAT?

    Let’s for the sake of argument say Usyk is the GOAT. Then do you consider it possible for the next guy that comes along with 10 fights and 5 KO’s to be the GOAT?
     
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