Muhammad Ali's top 5 toughest opponents

Shot Ali wasn't in much better shape for Spinks II, it was more so that Neon Leon went OTT with his drug taking.

 

Sorry, i've only seen the fight in very poor quality, so i couldn't really tell what shape Shot Ali was in.

He sure was slow like a zombie still. :verysad

 

frazier
norton
shavers
foreman
lyle

 

His body and brain were just as damaged, but for the first time since Foreman, Ali really, truly trained like a champion. Did his running, actually sparred, instead of covering up while he got whaled on, and had to be thrown out of the gym after hours. No way he'd have been in the condition to dance and jab for 15 rounds if he didnt. And thats all he did, while Spinks looked confused, lol. You are missing anything in the quality of the copy you saw, **** fight.

He was still zombie Ali, but he was a zombie Ali who did his roadwork that night.

 

Your 5 are very good choices. Might have put Foreman higher in the order. But Norton was very unlucky not to be 2/1 for the better against Ali so he has to rate highly. As nobody ever beat Ali twice, a little luck could have had history remember Norton quite differently.

 

Chuvalo says so, im not sure if its actually credible. But if he did, it was because Ali grabbed Chuvalo, and then dared him and let him hit him in the body 12 straight times, to one kidney I believe...Ali pretty much gave chuvalo a beating in both fights(which was no picnic) but the damage Chuvalo did to Ali in the first fight was mainly because Ali let him hit to the body...which was kinda stupid but Ali will be Ali! Anyway Chuvalo didn't give Ali tough enough fights to be ranked within top 5.

If we talk about the toughest fights against a fighter that Ali ended up beating then:

1 - Frazier (Manila)
2 - Liston I
3 - Foreman
4 - Norton II & III
5 - Shavers

Honorable mention, Lyle. Many people forget Ali was loosing on points against Lyle before Ali was able to stop him in the 11th. In 10 rounds I had it 7-3 Lyle....how did you guys have it? I know Ali was not being aggressive enough and so it was costing him but he sure made a come from behind attack and earned an underrated win in his career...