Lewis V Ali In Zaire?

This is a very hard fight for Ali.
A prime in the zone Lewis was a formidable prospect for anyone.
One things for certain Lewis wouldn’t waste energy banking on an early stoppage like Foreman did.
He would be much more measured looking to establish the jab.
If he established the jab he could conceivably win a decision, though even with his power he’s not knocking Ali out.
I suspect however that even though he was no longer the dancing master, Ali would still be able to show Lewis enough movement and angles to befuddle Lewis and eke out a close UD.
It’s certainly no given though.

 

I agree with what you are saying to an extent because Ali was landing fantastic rear jabs really quick in the first round v Foreman and Lewis always had problems evading jabs because of his lack of head movement which is why Bruno and Mercer landed so many jabs on Lewis, however Ali said he stopped moving like that because of the blistering heat in Zaire which is why he changed to the rope a dope, I still think Ali would have beaten Lewis though, maybe on points or maybe stopping him, it`s just that I don`t think he`d be throwing that many more punches than he threw at George, and because of the heat would again revert to counter punch mode, Lewis got hit with a lot of counters during his career, Ali was just a better fighter, even though Lewis`s reach would bother him a lot.

 

Lewis was more clumsy than Ali from the Zaire fight, he didn`t have much rhythm when he fought, Ali would have outboxed or outfoxed him.

 

Lewis beats by close decision 70s static Ali. 67 Ali would school lewis

 

Lewis was an excellent fighter at his best and so was was Zair version of Ali (still).

Lewis would hold advantages in size, strength and power, while Ali would hold advantages in speed (still), chin, stamina and boxing IQ (Lewis himself had great one, but Ali's was exceptional). Lewis always had big problems with good jabbers and Ali was a great jabber. Ali, on the other hand, felt pretty comfortable when he faced taller and stronger opponents, but he never faced somebody with a combination of Lewis' size and skills.

I'd say a fight between Zair version of Ali and prime version of Lennox Lewis would end by close decision for either of them. But I woudn't exclude a late TKO win for Ali

 

I think that’s fair comment.

 

I'm thinking a close Ali decision. He was still very formidable in Zaire even if well short of pre-exile. This is how great he was.

 

Ali by close decision. This is the last version of Ali that I would pick over Lewis.

 

Lewis jab would bother Muhammed , but Ali's jab would do the same to him. Over the course of the fight Ali will be hitting Lewis with straight right hands countering him. As the rounds progress Lewis can't seriously hurt Ali's iron chin ,and in the stifling heat Lennox starts wilting like lettuce and this is a 15 rounder . Ali stops Lewis in the 14th.

 

Lennox Lewis was stopped by Hassim Rahman and Oliver McCall. You are correct, and 15 rounds is a long time.

 

The key too this is Ali's jab, and his Lead hand. Lewis didn't see many if any fighters that could hit him with lead rights. Very few fighters had the hands and foot speed to do it consistently. Lewis also had the habit of dropping his jab or hands after he punched.
That would be asking Ali to hit him with counters. Of course he would. Meanwhile Lewis main weapon, his overhand right Ali could see coming from yesterday. Lewis didn't have Ali's kryptonite, a devastating left hook, for whatever reason, Ali had problems with.
I see Ali peppering Lewis, tenderizing him, being smart enough to know their in 100 degree heat and humidity, Dundee surely would know it. He would tell Ali pace himself, move when he could. Make the big muscle man move his feet, let the heat and humidity do its thing. Get a totally spent Lewis out of their 10-12 rds, that's if Lewis has Steward in his corner. If Steward wasn't in his corner, very possible Ali gets him out of their even earlier.

 

I don't reckon any Fighter could have beaten Ali that night.