Manila Ali vs 92’ Bowe

He still had more size and better defense than Coetzer, and while that was a protracted slaughter, Ali had sthe strength and guile to rough up big Bowe when his headmovement and legs failed him.

And why would Ali fight Boe like he fought Frazier!?

 

Yeah, I think Ali is stronger than Bowe. I would pick Bowe to get banned for life from most all-you-can-eat Chine buffets first, but in terms of strength, I like Ali. In any event, I don't see a distance where this fight favors Bowe. He'll hurt Ali - bad at times. But Ali will adjust while Bowe will concede his fate.

 

Maybe you are right. I think a lot of why Ali won in Manilla was because Frazier was too small and too ringworn - he should have been long-retired. It's the same reason people don't put too much gravity in Armstrong-Robinson. It's seen as a passing of the torch by many. Not a real fight of consequence on either man's ledger.

Manilla is not seen that way because it was a war.

Maybe Ali had lost his reflexes and defense. But he showed tremendous heart and punch out put. He was still bigger and stronger than Holyfield (who, admittedly, competed with Bowe through attrition). And I really believe he had the strength to handle Bowe in the center of the ring - where he had already beaten Foreman before heading for the ropes.

 

Thank you Smokin Bert for brining some sanity to this thread

 

Because that's how he fought in Manila. As I've outlined, Ali's options were becoming worse and worse as the 70's rolled along. He no longer had the legs to stick and move, and his reflexes had gotten much worse so he couldn't stand there using fancy head movement and counters anymore.

Bowe had the style to beat Ali, at least this version of him. Ali always struggled with non stop pressure guys like Frazier and Bonavena. Bowe is like a giant version of those two with more power.

 

I'm not counting Ali out, he could possibly win through sheer guts, experience, and his high punch output. Plus he still had flashes of his old hand speed.

I just think this would be a bad matchup. He literally said he felt like he was on the verge of death and this was against a diminished past his prime Frazier who had eye problems.

 

Yes again Bowe could well win.
However if it becomes tying up & wrestling, it is quite possible Ali wins because he prevents Bowe from infighting effectively like he usually did so effectively.
Bowe is a better slugger. Ali better overall with his talents & wiles. Of course that doe snot guarantee that an Ali reduced to the precise degree he was in manilla wins.

Which might assume Ali can extricate from infighting after tying him up & score enough points or wear him down...This is unknown because Bowe was an unusually good large infighter.
Ali did neglect the other punches, although the question also is would he adjust as he was so great in general, at & throw them when useful. He did go to the body sometimes against Williams, but of course took him out early.

The question of this match up is worth a separate thread.

 

Bowe, by TKO or UD in a brutal fight.

 

Gotta go with Bowe surely..

 

Bowe would win by UD, I don't like it but he would lol. Bowe went 12 with Holyfield. Ali could gas him if there were no time or round limit, but within 12 or 15 rounds, I think Ali won't be able to tire Bowe enough to produce a KO or knockdown, he certainly cannot win enough rounds to get the decision this late into his career against Bowe. If Ali trained diligently and I mean like Norton 2 type conditioning, I would bet that this fight goes to split decision but still in Bowe's favor I imagine.

Despite this, Ali's weird ability to win many fights which should have been at the least highly improbable. Opposite to that, numerous of his losses came from men he should've easily defeated considering the pedigree his resume followed the majority of his career. Many of the men who knocked him down or took him the distance were lesser fighters. He put Foreman away in 8 but Wepner took all 15?! Context matters and there is a reason but the point stands that Ali was weird as hell and one of the most hot and cold champions ever. But even a cold Ali is still a master boxer.

 

Definitely,Fergy.

 

Ali would lose a UD but give Bowe some embarassing moments throughout.

 

I amend "clear decision" to narrow one. Maybe even a split one. Ali of '75 still had just about enough left to decision Bowe.

 

As much as I like Bowe and dislike Ali I can't give it to Bowe. Manila Ali had enough to beat Bowe. Ali UD