Top fighters' biggest technical flaws and physical limitations?

We're going in circles here. Ali had the skills to exploit Foreman's flaws as did Young. His size, strength and power meant that most didn't get the opportunity to exploit those flaws as much as they would have against less physically formidable opponents, but they were still flaws and they could be and was, at times, exploited. Sometimes enough so that Foreman lost.

It's right there on film how realtively easy he was to hit because of his lack of guard and head movement. Likewise how relatively telegraphed his punches were. And it's right there on film how that cost him against Ali and Young and almost against Lyle. Because they hit him and evaded many of his punches.

It's right there on film. I'll leave it at that.

 

Seems pretty clear to me!

 

And to me. ali tried similar tactics a year later against Frazier and nearly got himself killed (his words, not mine). He only won because he outlasted Joe who was a busted flush, physically, by this time. I see no evidence of genius IQ here, just a really tough man with great will to win.

If Foreman had picked his shots and thought about defence a bit, he wins going away. Ali would have had to change the tactics which would have seen him fall way behind. The rope a dope was great improvisation but, in all the times Ali tried it, it only ever really looked effective against George.

Why was that? Did Ali turn into Superman for that night only or did George have flaws (big telegraphed punches that could be ridden; a big, still, unprotected head that could be hit by straight lefts and rights when fighting off the ropes)? It could be a bit of both but I'm with Bokaj and McVey here and feel it was far more to do with the latter.

 

Hang on in there, brother. Every word you've said has made sense in this thread.

Not sure quite where Rez is going in this thread bur fear he will probably cut us a gif and explain how Foreman's big shots that Ali saw coming and propensity to block Ali's jabs with his nose are evidence of 'subtle, underrated skills', eh, rez?

 

"I tink I seez somesthing".....courtesy of Mr. Schmeling.

 

Hey fellas, someone should start a thread on who is the most well rounded fighter in history.

By that I mean someone who is really proficient at fighting going backwards against a swarmer or stalker yet also proficient in coming forward as an attacking fighter against a jabber-mover type and who can fight utilising both styles.

A couple of guys I rate in that area are Hagler ( he bulldozed Hearns yet gave Sibson and Hamsho boxing lessons using the jab, footwork and countering ) and Hopkins ( he mugged a guy like Keith Holmes and cleverly negated Tarver with a combination of staying out of range and then using the counter right to close the gap then clinch yet fought a great defensive style utilising movement, the jab and counter punching against Trinidad ).

Even guys as technically correct as Duran and Mayweather had flaws. Floyd ( like Ali ) looks a bit uncomfortable when he fights coming forward and Duran was no dancing master.

Cheers All.

 

Agreed.

This proves that Max Baer could compete in the 70s.

 

I really don't think bugger all heavyweights ever would have beaten George that night. Yes he had flaws but you had to somehow survive his strengths.

 

Look at that third clip. Watch the way George feints to the head with the huge left hook at the end. Ali totally falls for it and subsequently fails to block the left tap to the body. Subtle, underrated attack.

 

Ali and R.Jones were very flawed fundamentally. And when their extraordinary beyond human reflexes slowed they suffered for their lack of proper fundamentals. Unlike fighters like L.Holmes or B.Hopkins that were able to still fight competitively after their primes.

 

Yep. That's when you really see the worth of fundamentals. If you just keep your hands in position you get so much "free" protection, but it is really difficult, though. It takes disciplined practice to keep your hands in position and your chin tucked in when punches are flying, but it does pay off.

Never liked how low Hopkins went with his head, though. Kovalev made him pay for that, but he was positevely ancient by then, though.