Muhammad Ali's top 5 toughest opponents

I don;t think so. Chuvalo maintained he should have won the second fight, and he was competitive in that fight for a little while, but he was taking a pasting by the end of it. 8-4 or 9-3 decision.

I think you could make the case that George could be given a couple of the close rounds in the title fight, but anything less than 10-5 would be pretty absurd....An even that is kind of stretching it to be honest.

 

Frazier in the FTC, just upgraded what Chuvalo did to Ali.

If Ali goes back to the ropes and starts playing...just beat the **** out of him.

Marciano probably would have broken Ali in half.

 

Chuvalo was a tough cookie, and fought with great heart.


But I don't think he gave Ali the slightest bit of trouble in either meeting.

 

thoughts? You're a stupid ****ing idiot. You don't have a clue as to how Holmes would have fought a 67' Ali. The only time Holmes fought a like legend in their prime he go his ass knocked out.

Ali's five toughest opponents based on him having something in his tank?

1) Norton.
Norton's style ****ed a well schooled Ali up, because Norton threw unconventional looping shots. Same way an Iran Barkley can hit a well schooled Tommy Hearns.
Norton only really lost the second fight, and even that one was controversial.
A 67' Ali mght have handled Norton well, but this is about Ali's toughest fights

2) Frazier
Ali had Fraziers number, even if he held alot in the second fight.
That said, no one battered Ali more than Joe Frazier.

Now after this...is the controversy.

hardest to beat skillwise/strategy or toughness?

I am taking into account Ali's age and experience.

3) Oscar Bonevena
A rusty Ali had to win this fight to save face and he barely did it. He went thru Hell.

4) George Foreman
An invinciple monster. Ali again went thru Hell to deliver his blows in a storm.

5) Doug Jones
Clay was not used to being the aggressor and the smaller Jones a was a very good defensive fighter with good hand speed. Total style clash with Clay.



I base these choices on not only toughness and hardship, but pivital and important times in Clay/Ali's life that would define him later.

 

hononorable mention......

6) Chuvalo

7) Liston



After that the aging Ali

8) Young

9) Shavers

make no mistake, im not saying Doug jones was better than Sonny Liston, Im saying when jones fought Ali/Clay, he caused Ali more problems.

 

Ken Norton was the toughest for Ali. He had the right skill set, an awkward combination of talents, that befuddled Ali and beat him, in my opinion, three times.

 

1. Holmes *
2. frazier
3. norton
4. jones
5. foreman

 

Leon Stinks, lol.

 

To answer the question....

Frazier
Norton
Holmes
Shavers
Bonavena

 

although mr bill's listing of Spinks is sort of Silly....i guess at my age of 48 if I fought Wlad that would be my toughest fight.

Holmes punished Ali....but that was not one of his toughest fights. Unless you just want to say taking a beating defensless is tough which i will grant you that. i guess.

 

You got that right.
Will give Ali credit that after 67', was never prime. he was slower...less endurance.

 

Good call on Bonavena..... Oscar B. was indeed a tuff cookie for Ali in '70....

MR.BILL:bbb

 

I was laughing at the last name "Stinks", not at the actual choice.

btw, hope Leon Spinks is doing well.

 

Leon was not a good fighter by any means but, considering he was expected to be mere fodder for the ill prepared 224 pound Ali in 1978, I gotta give L.S. his due credit since he turned the heat on and had Ali desperate in the final rds of the shocking 15 rounder... The fans and national TV viewers got a lot more than they expected on that night...

NOW! An in-shape 221 pound Ali had an easy time with Leon Stinks in Sept. 1978 down in New Orleans....

Two different nights and two very different fights....bbb:hi:

SR.BILL:hat