Rank the best fighters Ali beat.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Sonny's jab, Jul 21, 2007.


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  1. Sonny's jab

    Sonny's jab Guest

    I'd like to see some ordered lists (top 10s would be great) of opponents Muhammad Ali beat, taking into account how good they were when he beat them.

    Fighters he beat twice you can rate twice in you like, to illustrate their quality at the two different times. (eg. Patterson '65 and Patterson '72, or Chuvalo '66 and Chuvalo '72, etc. etc.). Of course, if you would rank two versions of the same opponent right next to one another it is unnecessary to bother ranking him twice.
    (Hopefully this is making sense.)
     
    Sonny's jab, Jul 21, 2007
    Sonny's jab, Jul 21, 2007
    #1
  2. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    1. Foreman
    2. Liston
    3. Frazier
    4. Lubbers (sorry, i'm dutch)
    5. Young
    6. Quarry
    7. Patterson
    8. Norton (1976, even if it was a questionable win)
    9. Lyle
    10. Bonevena


    Foreman and Liston are very close, but i gave Foreman the edge because he was 25 and at his peak, and most of all, he destroyed both men who beat Ali.
    I gave Frazier one spot because i don't think there's a whole lot between him in '74 and '75. In '71 he was much better but Ali didn't beat him then.

    I also put Patterson on because it's hard to judge when he was better. Back problems in their first fight and 37 years old in their second... yet did well.
    I put Quarry over him because he beat Patterson twice, although it's close.

    I also put Young despite the fact that it was a questionable win. I think he's a level above the rest. I hate the word since i've come to ESB, but he's somewhat underrated (especially by the jugdes, three times in his career).
     
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    #2
  3. Beebs

    Beebs Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    :lol: :lol: :patsch
     
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    #3
  4. Beebs

    Beebs Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    :lol: :lol: :patsch
     
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    #4
  5. Beebs

    Beebs Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Technique is only good for what it accomplishes, that is all that matters, results are the end all be all off "good technique" what works is good technique.
     
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    Beebs, Jul 21, 2007
    #5
  6. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    I bet Joe Frazier and Ken Norton also displayed better technique in the gym... guess what, they were annihilated.
     
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    #6
  7. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    Foreman should thank god he never had to fight you, you would've exposed him.
     
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    ChrisPontius, Jul 21, 2007
    #7
  8. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    :lol:

    What am I to do about the Liston fights in this thread? I consider both to have been fixed, i'd bet those two verions of Liston would have been #1 and #2.
     
    McGrain, Jul 21, 2007
    McGrain, Jul 21, 2007
    #8
  9. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    You think an underprepared and somewhat aging Liston (first fight) is better head to head than a peak Foreman ?
     
    ChrisPontius, Jul 22, 2007
    ChrisPontius, Jul 22, 2007
    #9
  10. young griffo

    young griffo Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Off the top of my head my list goes...
    1-Foreman
    2-Frazier(3)
    3-Liston(1)
    4-Patterson(1)
    5-Norton(2)
    6-Quarry(2)
    7-Terrell
    8-Lyle
    9-Ellis
    10-Bonaveva
    11-Chuvalo(1)
    12-Shavers
    13-Cooper(1)
    14-J.Young
    15-Quarry(1)
    I've probably missed someone really obvious but Ali beat so many good fighters it's hard to remember them all,but I'll stand by my picks.
    For now.
     
    young griffo, Jul 22, 2007
    young griffo, Jul 22, 2007
    #10
  11. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    1 - Frazier III
    2 - Foreman
    3 - Frazier II
    4 - Norton
    5 - Patterson II
    6 - Terrell
    7 - Earnie Shavers
    8 - George Chuvalo
    9 - Jefrry Quarry
    10-Oscar Bonavena

    I've left Liston off. In my opinion he wasn't there to fight and so the result was never in any doubt. Of all the fights Ali ever fought, Liston was the one where he the best chance of a result (close to 100%).

    Patterson I - his back was to bad to make this list.

    My list is soft as it gets closer to 10, 10-15 would be pretty interchangeable I think.
     
    McGrain, Jul 22, 2007
    McGrain, Jul 22, 2007
    #11
  12. Sonny's jab

    Sonny's jab Guest

    My own list :

    1. (tie) Frazier (2 or 3)
    1. (tie) Foreman
    3. Norton (2)
    4. Quarry
    5. Patterson (2)
    6. Ellis
    7. Liston (1 - *pathetic performance by Sonny)
    8. Young
    9. Lyle
    10. Bonavena
    11. Terrell
    12. Folley
    13. Shavers
    14. Chuvalo (1)
     
    Sonny's jab, Jul 22, 2007
    Sonny's jab, Jul 22, 2007
    #12
  13. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    Foreman
    Liston
    Frazier (74)
    Norton (76)
    Quarry (69)
     
    My dinner with Conteh, Jul 22, 2007
    My dinner with Conteh, Jul 22, 2007
    #13
  14. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Foreman...ripe, raw but undefeated
    Liston, first fight was on the $$$, 2nd was a dive by Liston
    Frazier..best Frazier beat him, less than best Frazier gave him hell but Ali won
    Quarry..he beat a prime Quarry TKO and made it look easy,put doubt in Jerry
    Patterson..Floyd gave him trouble 1st time the back second the age
    Norton...Ken had the style to trouble Ali and Ali's 2 wins were close,1st fight all Ken
    Bonavena...Oscar gave a great effort but fizzled in the end, Ali looked strong
    Young...can be counted as a loss..(I felt Young won
    Bugner..good win over a big guy
    Lyle..Lyle was already dominated by Quarry..Ron was overated as a puncher
     
    Bummy Davis, Jul 22, 2007
    Bummy Davis, Jul 22, 2007
    #14
  15. C. M. Clay II

    C. M. Clay II Manassah's finest! Full Member

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    1. Foreman
    2. Frazier II
    3. Liston II
    4. Liston I
    5. Frazier III
    6. Patterson I
    7. Norton II
    8. Norton III
    9. Ellis
    10. Quarry I

    :good
     
    C. M. Clay II, Jul 22, 2007
    C. M. Clay II, Jul 22, 2007
    #15
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