Pre Exile Ali could not defeat '74 Foreman

Ali himself said (on a TV-show that's somewhere here on Youtube), shortly after beating Foreman, that the pre-exile Ali would win with more ease, as he just would be too fast. Wouldn't need a rope-a-dope.

 

Not gimmicks but tactics contributed to Muhammad beating George in Kinshasa.

The Ali of 1964-67 would also have beaten Foreman albeit with different strategy.

 

Very true.

 

A non-biased source would have been nice.

 

Gimmickry.

Ali's win over Foreman began the gimmick strategy of the ropeadope. You saw it from this fight onward. Ali's second defense against Lyle he announced the introduction of "something new". The "Mirage" was Ali's idea to ropeadope mid ring rather than (or in addition to) on the ropes. Watching Ali cover up as an opponent wailed away on him was not great boxing technically or exciting to watch.

Could anyone but Ali get away with this gimmicky strategy and pull off wins as he did? I don't think so it was not great boxing especially to watch.

 

It's a perfect match up for Ali. Foreman had terrible footwork. Not like Ali hadn't fought heavy hitters before. UD win for Ali and he makes it look EASY.

 

Ali would never have employed the rope a dope tactics when he was 25.

Those specifics tactics in Zaire was because of the heat and because he could no longer dance for 15 rounds. He was heavier and he no longer possessed the stamina.

In the mid 60's, Ali could have stayed on his toes all night long.

It would have been a very hard fight, but George would still have been young and impatient, and Ali could have frustrated him for a decision win.

 

I rate Ali as the greatest. Certainly the laying on the ropes idea was an innovative way to beat the unbeatable Foreman. However he then made this strategy his key strategy in nearly every bout afterwards.

 

Ali would have beaten any Foreman however in that ring that night with the heavily padded canvas Ali would have had major difficulties moving 15 rounds.

 

Why should he be biased against himself as he was when he said it? Saying he used to be better when still active isn't the best way to promote himself.

I can't remember a still active fighter saying he used to be better than he is at the moment he says it, except for perhaps making an excuse for a loss (can't even remember that tbh).

 

Agreed.:good

 

I also agree. He'd be pretty mobile most of the 15 rounds and would take whatever he got caught with, which would be a lot less. George would get extremely tired and lose some serious starch in his punches.

 

"Rope-a-dope" was a gimmick AFTER the Foreman fight, and it wasn't effective. It was just an old man taking a breather on the ropes, usually getting pummelled, or losing rounds.

What he did against Foreman was good fighting, good boxing, great counterpunching. Yes, he took some punishment on the ropes, especially to his arms, but he did what he needed to do, countered with HARD punches, and scored a KO in 8 rounds.
The fact that the media lapped up the idea of "Rope-A-Dope" after this famous and stunning victory just gave Ali and his cheerleaders an excuse to spin his subsequent poor performances as some sort of magic, and it continued all the way up to him getting slaughtered by Holmes while stuck to the ropes.