Prime Wlad Klitchsko vs best version of early 70s Ali?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by InMemoryofJakeLamotta, Aug 12, 2024.


Who wins and how

  1. Ali KO/TKO

    44.1%
  2. Wlad KO/TKO

    11.8%
  3. Ali Decision

    23.5%
  4. Wlad Decision

    20.6%
  5. Draw

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Who wins? Wlad would have been a monster in the early 1970s. Could see him stealing a decision here.
     
  2. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

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    The only man who liked to wrestle more than 70s Ali :sisi1
    I’ll take Wlad. Maybe the ref stops it after Ali takes one left hook too many or maybe Ali is able to hear the final bell. I don’t see him winning against a prime Wladimir Klitschko though. Wlad’s jab alone would give Ali fits and Wlad is too rangy and technical for Ali to outbox him. At any hint of danger Wlad would smother Ali and not allow him to get off his attacks. The best chance of beating Wlad is a puncher’s chance and Ali never had that one-punch KO power and Wlad’s engine was always pretty sturdy.
     
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  3. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Fury beat him by being awkward, but was also rangeir than him and of course it was past Wlad's prime.
     
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  4. GlaukosTheHammer

    GlaukosTheHammer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Ali, KO, not even close. Wlad uses an amateur style whose size can't save him from Ali's traps.
     
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  5. themaster458

    themaster458 Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    I honestly think Wlad would be an awful matchup for Ali. He's taller and has a bigger reach so that would be one big disadvantage that Ali is not used to dealing with. Unlike the bigger men Ali fought Wlad is pretty fast for his size and would be able to keep up with Ali. He also has a great jab and great left hook two things that Ali was always vulnerable to. Ali also doesn't have the power to really trouble Wlad. Overall it would be a pretty hard fight for Ali and I just don't see how he would win Wlad is pretty much designed to be one of the worse matchups Ali can fight.
     
  6. PRW94

    PRW94 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali at anything close to prime level would make either of the brothers look absolutely ridiculous. Neither of the big galoots, Wlad or Vitaly, would even find him in the ring and after they got tired and frustrated he absolutely had enough pop to take them out (as he did with Foreman in Zaire although he was swiveling George's head before he got tired).
     
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  7. Smoochie

    Smoochie Boxin' dreamer Full Member

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    Some nice answers but I can't see Alì losing to tha Klit bros, especially that version which was still fast as a phantom despite being outta prime
     
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  8. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

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    Aesthetically, Fury and Ali are very similar but Fury is much taller and longer and knows how to fight tall well. Against Ali, Wlad would have been roughly 5 inches taller and would have the longer arms. It looked to me like Wlad struggled to pull the trigger against Fury but maybe he was just a bad style for him. 70s Ali wasn’t as herky jerky as Fury either imo.
     
  9. themaster458

    themaster458 Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    I think part of it was he was out of his prime and a bit gunshy and part of it was he had trouble dealing with someone who was taller and had a larger reach then him but was also faster then him and he couldn't figure out Fury's style until maybe the last round where he had some success. But since Ali doesn't have the same physical advantages as Fury had I don't think its comparable.
     
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  10. Marvelous_Iron

    Marvelous_Iron Active Member Full Member

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    Amateur is a much more appropriate A word to mention in the same sentence as the Klitchkos than Ali

    Aesthetically Ali and Fury are nothing alike, Fury has never looked, moved, or fought as good as Ali, Fury has nothing remotely in the same universe as Ali dropping Foreman, that was something people have framed on their walls, an iconic scene that graced magazines
     
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  11. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    Yes, Wlad would ourperform Norton, Lyle, Shavers, and the indomitable Jimmy Young and get the W.
     
  12. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

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    Fury imitates Ali all the time what are you talking about? The showboating, the head movement, the jab, the frequent use of wrestling, shoe-shining, long guard-defence, and their footwork are all very similar.
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    Oh and having poor fundamentals and relying on your athleticism is more amateurish than being a well-rounded and polished boxer-puncher. Just saying.
     
  13. Totentanz.

    Totentanz. Gator Wrestler Extraordinaire banned Full Member

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    Hard fight. I think that the Klitschkos are hard matchups for most everybody who's ever competed at Heavyweight. I'll pick Ali if I have to, though- I think that he'd persevere and end up winning.
     
  14. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    "best version of early 70s Ali"
     
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  15. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    He started the early 70s looking beatable against Quarry, Bonavena, and Frazier, and ended the early 70s by losing to Norton. It’s worse than how he performed in the mid 70s.
     
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