Pick the winners if all these fighters fought each other in their primes in fantasy fights, would size have been a factor in these fights? Oleksandr Usyk - 191 cm, 101 kg; George Foreman - 191cm, 98 kg; Muhammad Ali - 191 cm, 97 kg; Joe Louis - 188 cm, 93 kg; Joe Frazier - 182 cm, 94 kg. Mike Tyson - 178 cm, 99 kg; Rocky Marciano - 178 cm, 84 kg;
I'm kind of high on Usyk to be honest. The more I watch him the more I realise what a well-drilled machine he is.
Usyk is a fantastic fighter. A true ATG. That being said, i have always believed smaller skilled fighters who can match or exceed his speed would give him a much harder time than larger slower heavies who simply don't have the stamina to keep up with him. There is a reason why Breidis gave him a hard time at cruiser or Beterbiev gave him a hard time at the Olympics (and both Usyk and Beterbiev were basically pros at the Olympics since they both had over 200 amateur contests). He is great. He isn't unbeatable. Put him vs a small heavy who is quicker than him and all of a sudden it becomes a 50-50 fight.
Well, an out of prime Ali stopped Foreman. So, the battle for the #1 spot is between Usyk and Ali. Neither has faced a specimen like each other. 50/50. Gun to head, I lean towards Ali. He was durable, had decent power and more than likely, faster than Usyk. Not a dream fight I want to see. I like and respect both guys way too much to have to sit and watch o e of them loose.
George Foreman blew up to over 300lbs when he retired. He has naturallh much bigger than Usyk is right now. Usyk would probably shrink down once he stops training and lifting weights
Usyk is much better at his current form then Ali or Foreman were when they were at his current form imo
Ali was 215 lbs, while Foreman was a 228 lbs of sheer-muscles, when they fought. Foreman threw his entire body and arms behind each blow and was really dangerous at the weight while Ali looked slower than Usyk at 215 or higher.
Ali's legs were gone by that point and he got by with experience, toughness and lots of dirty tactics. Foreman was pretty much a 4 round fighter at best at that point and would struggle if he couldn't bully an opponent around.
Usyk would win, those guys haven't even seen, let alone sparred with or practiced against a Southpaw at anywhere near the level of Usyk. They would have to figure out how to fight him in the ring, and by the time they worked it out he would have a clear lead on the cards. This is compared to Usyk who has watched these guys fight for years, he would know way more about their games and how to handle them.