The Ali that fought Holmes - Could he have beaten ANY Heavyweight champs that night?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Ken Ashcroft, Nov 19, 2014.


  1. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Watching Ali's performance that night, he looked totally shot but then he was going up against, in Holmes, a fellow ATG, who was at that time more or less in his prime so maybe bearing that in mind, Ali wasn't quite as shot as he was made to look?

    So the question is would the Ali that showed up that night have had beaten any other Heavyweight champ in history that night? You can include any Heavyweight that has laid claim to being a title holder whether it be undisputed, just WBC, WBA, IBF, etc. The only criterea is that these title holders have to be considered to being in their primes and in their best fighting condition.

    So which, if any, would that Ali have beaten?
     
  2. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    It is debatable which lineal heavyweight champion was the best, but it is pretty clear cut that Leon spinks was the worst.

    Once you are splitting a series with Spinks, there won't be too many champions that you can beat.
     
  3. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    :good
     
  4. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Tommy Burns would have beat him pretty badly
     
  5. tommytheduke

    tommytheduke Active Member Full Member

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  6. BillB

    BillB Well-Known Member Full Member

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    It depends on how easy it would be for Ali to pay-off the judges.
    I think most of his 1975-76 on fights were based on that.
     
  7. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    The Ali that fought Berbick would have beaten Burns, Jeffries, Corbett...
     
  8. timmers612

    timmers612 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Ali didn't belong in the ring against anyone that night. He wasn't well, wasn't able, and had absolutely nothing. Whether the med's he'd been taking for weight loss were responsible or not he physically wasn't even in a place to be sparring in a gym.
     
  9. timmers612

    timmers612 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Are you claiming then that Arthur Mercante was on the take?
     
  10. LittleRed

    LittleRed Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Dempsey?
     
  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Possibly. Ali was in good form that night.
     
  12. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ali was poisoned by overdosing on a medicine, Thyrolar, that he shouldn't have been prescribed in the first place. Tommy Burns, and anyone else, would have beaten him handily that night. So the answer is no.
     
  13. 88Chris05

    88Chris05 Active Member Full Member

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    Ali wasn't just a shot fighter by 1980 - he was an ill man already visibly ailing. I don't think he'd have been able to beat any heavyweight titlist, personally. Thankfully Holmes was content to just do what was necessary to win without totally obliterating Ali, which he could have done easily.
     
  14. Entaowed

    Entaowed Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Absolutely. Ill, drugged/shot yp by his Dr., well into Parkinson's Disease.
    No human being can bear that combination of problems & still remain a world class fighter capable of beating a champion.

    He was the ghost of the shell of the corpse of Ali.
     
  15. turpinr

    turpinr Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    That version of Ali was dreadful but I'd still pick him over 10 to beat Sullivan, Corbett, fitzsimmons, Jeffries, Burns and maybe Willard.