Superfight 1 .. Ali's Bravest Fight

Well he subsequently went on to confirm his toughness.

 

Curiously, probably the Thriller in Manila.

He went to the absolute limit to win that fight, and perhaps still considers himself lucky to have won it!

 

The thing that stood out for me in superfight 1 was Ali fighting through being on ***** street in (if my memory is right?) the 11th round. The Ali from his early career wouldn't have survived here I beleave.

 

Yes indeed. This was the fight that won Ali respect from all but the most bigoted of his detractors. He proved that he could suck it up just as well as any fighter in history on that historic night.

 

It was a big shame that after the fight Ali didn't really accept the loss though, that left a bitter taste. But I agree, he showed unbelievable courage to fight on the way he did after that knock down. There were also a couple of ridiculous shots he was hurt by earlier in the fight and he just refused to show he was effected.

Ali was one of a kind as a fighter like him or not, the more time goes on the more celebrated he will be as the likelihood of another heavyweight great like he was is very unlikely, at least in this lifetime.

 

Ali by his own account, said after he retired that his hardest most brutal fight, was the 3rd Frazier fight in 1975, he said that he felt like he was close to death..

 

That famous image of Ali pulling right back from Frazier's incoming hook was taken in the 11th round, I believe.


And Ali-Frazier was happening regardless of whether he stopped Bonavena or not.

 

Too much money to bad made for it not to happen, plus both mens claim to the HW title made it the fight the public were demanding.

I agree with the OP, another thing to consider is the fact that it was the first time he was facing a man equal to himself in the ring, aswell as all the pressure heaped on him after his comeback

 

Also,let's think about what Ali went on to achieve after the FOTC. That took tremendous fortitude,especially coming back from the Ken Norton loss enroute.

 

wrong, his toughest fight was against the us goverment right? That was not the real ali from the 60s was it?

 

Correct.

The 60's Ali was so good he didn't need to show his courage under fire. He was almost untouchable.

 

IMHO two fighters well past prime, tho I won't say it wasn't a great scrap.
Doesn't compare to the TOTC.

 

foxy, at last someone with knowledge. How much could he off improved in those 3 years? he was just 25!!

 

My opinion here. How about an Ali from the summer of 67 to the summer of 70? We'll never know how many he may have mowed down, including Frazier in a good scrap.
While a good fight, in retrospect, the Thrilla in Manilla, can't be considered a classic in the truest sense because they were both past prime. I'm not saying it wasn't a fight for the ages; just consider they were aging fighters when they fought.
I've heard that, after the Quarry-Bonevena fights, his handlers wanted him to take a few months to prepare more for Frazier, but headstrong Muhammad steps in with Joe, what, about 70 days later. I've always thought what an early summer 71 Ali-Frazier scrap would have turned out had he listened to his people. Might have changed HW history at that point in time.