But the difference is, boxing is WAAAAY down on the list of athletes choices in the US, behind baseball, basketball, football, and MMA. In 1971 when Ali fought Frazier, they made $2million each, Joe Namath, Wilt Chamberlin, Reggie Jackson and guys like that were making $100,000 a year. A talented American giving up the cheerleaders, ass kissers, free education medical care, coaching free clothes, love of your community, etc., to work with an old guy in a sweaty gym is a damn fool. Even a guy like James Toney played football first. he was a 5'10 all-state QB in H.S. and Michigan State offered him a scholarship, he beat Deon Sanders up at a football camp.
Athletes are bigger and stronger now, but the boxers who are better are from Russia because they don't have a national sport that makes heros out of big-strong guys like football, so they stay in the amateurs for 300-500 fights and learn their craft.
Only Americans think Ali got a chance. Wlad simply to big for Ali. Ali got the same size as most cruisers today. These super-heavyweight are simply to heavy and tall for him.
6,6 and closer to 6,7 than 6,5. Don't think he has weighed 240 for close to ten years on fight night.
Wlad is 6'6, and Haye and Cunningham, who are both 6'3 and 215 lbs, but wich MUCH better bodies and much more muscles than fatty Ali, are ALWAYS called dwarfs, cruisers, "too small", etc. Actually, Steve Cunnigham, while being as tall and as big as Ali, even has a significant reach advantage over him: 82'' to Ali's 78'' :deal
Boxing isnt a power lifting or sprinting contest. Thats why football guys always fail at it. Boxing is about styles. Its hard to look at Wlad's resume and find anyone who had any boxing skill or was even in good condition. I wouldnt rule out Wlad giving Ali trouble but Ali would have to be the big favorite. Ali wasnt only the most athletic and fastest heavyweight but was also as mentally tough as it gets. One man is known for enduring and conquering intense 15 round pace whereas the other is known to mentally and physically fall apart of any kind of tough fight. I'm sorry but its hard to not have Ali as a big favorite over Wlad
Is Wladimir allowed to hop on HGH/Testo like he does every training camp today? Is Wladimir allowed to grab and intentionally put his 245lbs on top of Muhammad Ali's neck/back? If not, then Ali would make the robot look lost.
Haha, that's EXACTLY what Ali did in all his fights, and in way worse fashion than Wlad.... Ali did **** like jumping toward his opponent and grabbing his head with BOTH his gloves, pulling it toward him, and then putting his entire weight over the opponent's neck. He even candidly admitted that he did this **** to stiffen the opponent's neck, to worsen his punch resistance.
Ali could never lean on Wladimir, as Wladimir is huge and physically much stronger. The question is still a legitimate one, it's not one to discredit Wladimir at all. Everyone has their tricks, be it leaning on opponents or other illegal maneuvers to gain advantages over their opponents. Wladimir is much too robotic for the younger, more fluid Muhammad Ali, Muhammad had a field day with taller, slower opponents.
Wlad has very swift movements for a HW. Ali would be faster of course, but not comfortable faster. Stylewise, logic says Wlad should have the advantage, but Ali is Ali, so you never know.
Wladimir is 6'5 he said it himself twice and if he's 6.5 then Pulev isn't anywhere near 6'4.5 and Haye is closer to 6'1 then 6'3 Wlad admits he 6'5 in this videos BBC@3.24min: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsGtKjVU_NI Conan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZv60Bbutkw