I'm talking about the Ali fight against Lyle. He looked bad in there and behind on points I believe, till he caught up with Ron and kod him. Let's chuck Ray Mercer of the Lewis fight in, how does he fare? Up for the fight and ready to go. 15 rounds.
Mercer wins, no way could Ali stop him at that stage, Ali was showing signs of parkinson`s in an interview just before the Lyle, he was there to be taken and Lewis would have knocke Lyle out, Mercer would control Ali with his jab.
No way, he was doing nothing v Lyle and then rallied to turn it around, he had nothing left, he was finished, the Lewis of the Mercer fight would have destroyed Ali by this stage.
Ali wasn't that far past it. He was playing with Ron Lyle. He would play with Mercer too. Have you seen the Holmes/Mercer fight? It would be more one sided. Ray is too slow.
@mark ant Mercer was so hot and cold even at his best that there´s not much room to argue. The absolute very best of Ray Mercer (which might be the young Mercer before Morrison) has a case for a close decision win.
Ray wasn`t as slow when he gave Lewis a tough fight, his jab was much faster and more consistent by then.
It's hard to say. Ali in the late 70's just didn't have the passion for the sport anymore and was frequently out of shape. He'd clown around, let entire rounds go doing little more than covering up, clinching, throwing light jabs or pitter patter flurries, etc. If that version Ali shows up, Mercer easily wins a decision. He wouldn't be able to bail himself out with a late round stoppage because Mercer was just too durable. However, as others pointed out Mercer was pretty inconsistent too. He could "find a way to lose" so to speak, especially if he has the misfortune of running into an in shape and motivated Ali. Or if he manages to make him angry like the Chuck Wepner fight.
He was lucky against Lyle, if it had been a 12 rounds fight then Ali would probably have lost his title. Against a tough, in your face, jabbing Mercer, who Ali can't hurt? I've got Ray getting a close decision win. Now in a rematch.. God knows!
Lewis had a rough time with Mercer because he brawled with him rather than boxed. Ray was losing or struggling with worse fighters than the 1975 Ali was at that time. I still pick Ali to squeak out a decision
Sure. That's a big IF tho since Mercer could be just as inconsistent as Ali. The Mercer who went toe to toe with Morrison, Cooper, and Lewis wasn't always there. Sometimes he didn't show up and was absent minded and lethargic.
Well yeah if you’re talking about Evangelista, Spinks, Wepner and people like that. But this doesn’t say much.
