MODERN DAY SUPER HEAVY S THAT DEFEAT ALI OF 66?

It would have been interesting to see how the 205 pound Ali would have operated against the sheer physicality of a prime Lennox Lewis or Wlad Klitschko. You'd have to make him a substantial favourite against all of them.

 

Taking my rose tinted glasses off and looking at it with a sense of objectivity and lack of mythical hyperbole towards 60s Ali, I would give the following a good chance of beating Ali.

Lennox Lewis
Wlad Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Riddick Bowe
Anthony Joshua

All the above would also have easily crushed the empty shell of Cleveland Williams that Ali is given so much credit for beating in 66.

 

Ali was just too well skilled and too quick. Ali was not a 205 pound hwt champion. His average weight for all his first title reign defenses was around 212. Ali's low weight for the second Liston bout had to do with his hernia operation prior to so as such an anomaly.

 

In 1966 Ali weighed 201 pounds for his rematch with Henry Cooper, 204 pounds for the Karl Mildenburger fight and 209 pounds vs Brian London. He did come in heavier for his other fights that year though.

 

Joshua doesn't have the stamina to box with Ali for more than a handful of rounds. You think the guy that was outboxed by past prime Tony Tubbs would beat peak Ali?

 

I think the guy who outboxed, out fought and outlasted a prime unbeaten Evander Holyfield would have a great chance of beating a guy that twice needed cuts to beat a small one trick pony like Henry Cooper.

As for Joshua, he's not going to be looking to box Ali so stamina is not going to be a problem but if Ali, fights like he did against Williams, hands down, dancing and showboating, then he gonna get the shock of his life. A ton of smelling salts won't help him.

 

JACK..... one think for very certain if you go into any bout with prime Ali thinking he is going to be koed you are going to be greatly disappointed. Not going to happen.

 

I think the past prime Tubbs himself would beat Ali.

Tubbs was the full realization of Ali's aspirations but in a better physical package.

 

I don't think any of those guys threw enough punches to outbox the 1966 version of Ali. Ali decisions all of them. He might even tko a couple of them late.

 

Lol. Tubbs could not fight a lick as compared to Ali. A contender whose name is already lost to time.

 

Most of them COULD beat Ali. But he wins over 50% of the time vs any of them. Thats your answer. COULD is a big question.

 

Gut-shot Williams was crippled with an atrophied left leg going into the fight. It wasn't until Ali got to Joe Frazier FOTC, that the physical attributes of the fighters were fairly equal. (Liston, Patterson, Folley, Willams, Cooper, were 50's prime fighters, and Terrell went 15 rds with Ali)

 

Liston had just obliterated Patterson and was considered invincible. Who do you think he should have been fighting instead of who he did? He carried Terrell for well known reasons.