Muhammad Ali was one helluva fighter

Good question ! This does n't get mentioned nearly as much as Ali's clinching.

 

Nobody has come close to having his combination of reflexes and speed for a heavyweight. He is one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Yes the man did receive some decisions that put a few dents in his legacy. Jimmy Young, Norton II & III, Frazier II, Sonny Banks, Doug Jones. Without bias or prejudice, these fights have the controversial tag attached because the Ali victories were not suggestively clear.

You could argue that Foreman never landed the same clean shot on Ali that he did to Frazier and Norton. Also the loose ropes gets tons of press and George years later is speaking louder on his claims of being drugged. Foreman II never happened and people like to stamp Leon Spinks' title reign as the least significant of the heavyweight champions. Ali fans will say he would have stopped Frazier in the 15th of Manilla and Frazier fans say Joe would have stopped Ali or got the victory because Ali quit on his stool before the bell. There's even controversy surrounding the round when he made the famous "cut these f**king things off" statement that was documented by his trainers and others in the crowd in his corner. There's controversy about the round when Ken Norton broke his jaw. From the 2nd to the 11th. In testament to his toughness Ali fans will say it broke in the 2nd while Norton fans will say it broke in the 11th round. Liston II wreaks of controversy.

I still think he's right on top with Johnson, Louis, Dempsey and Marciano. Mills Lane's top 5 and many don't disagree with him. I think Larry Holmes in some ways is a bigger, slower, somewhat more technically precise Ali without his reflexes. Larry perfected Ali's jab and really made it special in his attack.

Ali should have retired after Manilla, and maybe he would be in a little better shape right now. There was nothing really to prove after that but too many people relied on the cash cow that he was. Makes you wonder who and what Ali sacrificed his body for.

 

As if you didn't already know!

 

I'm glad you weren't his lawyer. If that is true then Ali should have went to prison.

He claimed to be a Conscientious Objector.

Under the law at the time, a Conscientious Objector had to oppose all wars, not just some wars.

BTW- Ali did not adhere to the Muslim faith. He embraced the Nation of Islam dogma. It had absolutely nothing to do with legitimate Islam and was renounced by Muslims.

 

Kill them,,,

Cassius Clay couldn't even find Vietnam on the globe.

 

I've studied hwt boxing since 1970 and watched in detail all the hwts from Jeffries on film for just as long. Although I was a huge Ali hater back in his day I in retrospect realize I was wrong. What's not appreciated was Ali's will to win, chin, courage, heart...he was plain and simple as tough as they come. This combined with his incredible speed, accuracy and technical ability made him the greatest hwt I ever saw. All his detractors during his day including myself kept looking for that fighter who would show Alis yellow streak..beat him down and knock him out. Never happened. As Frazier himself said after fight three...."I hit him with punches that would knocked down the walls of a city and he just stood there. Lordy he is great."