Was Ali the greatest heavyweight of all time?

It's a generational thing. Old time heavies' popularity and regard goes in an arc. That tends to peak as the generation that grew up watching them ages, then goes down as they die off....partly because the fighter simply gets more ignored as they fade from the public's memory, and partly because their biggest supporters who've seen them first and aren't alive to stop that from happening.

People don't think it will, but in 30 years, the same thing will happen with Ali that's happened with Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey, and Louis.

 

No man in history or future beats a focused healthy motivated ali more than once in a trilogy.

I think ali is the exception.

He is the michael jordan of heavyweight boxing. And agree with him or not, he was highly respected outside the ring as an activist and just all around charismatic, smart, funny guy.

Unless US history somehow gets erased or altered, Ali's legacy aint going nowhere. He IS boxing. Its like saying the words "video game" and trying to NOT picture Super Mario or "super hero" and NOT picture Superman. Its virtually impossible.

 

I never questioned Louis' legacy. I only pointed out that Ali's losses came after he lost his prime to inactivity and still had a better career post prime than arguably any other fighter.

 

I think it's already happening with Ali.
There's a whole generation who think Tyson and Ali is a close comparison. They overrate Tyson maybe, but it's also a question of Ali becoming less revered.
Tyson's standing is probably peaking around now, 30 years after his prime. In another 20 or 30 years he'll plummet too.

 

Quick . How many ATG's Louis defeated? In their prime? The answer is none. Not one opponent Louis faced would be considered "Great". Hell, not one would be considered very good outside of Walcott, maybe Conn. Beating A Galento with his big left hook doesn't trump beating Frazier and his left hook.... Sorry. A few of Ali's opponents would beat J.Louis in my opinion. The myth is a lot bigger than his accomplishments.

 

Who says Ali beat any ATGs? There are people who don't see Foreman, Frazier as ATG

 

If there are people that don't see any ATG's among Foreman, Frazier and Liston any form of boxing conversation with them is best avoided. Probably any conversation tbf.

 

I would say Foreman and Frazier are definitely ATGs but you do touch on a good point.
A lot of these arguments use circular logic.
Often people will say: "Ali has to be number 1 because he beat X amount of top 15 or top 10 heavyweights". Which doesn't really make sense, because if someone is so certain who they have in their top 10 already they've clearly already decided their list and their number 1.
In fact, honestly, I think most people decide their number or their top 3 or 4 way before they do anything else.

 

Go away.

 

You're not nearly clever enough to justify your trolling. You're just busking with a cheap kazoo right in the restaurant doorway. Ignored.

 

He didn't defeat Charles or Marciano.

 

25 consecutive title defences of the heavyweight championships? That's the biggest accomplishment the divisions history! Ali fought one ATG in their prime which was Foreman and I will not entertain the idea that Liston or Frazier weren't already on the slide.

 

Ali was on the slide by the first Frazier fight too let it be said.