There's obviously an argument that his best years could have actually been when he was stripped of his license. But what fights \ era do you consider to be the peak version of Muhammad Ali?
The Cleveland Williams fight is the cliche answer here, but it's easy to tell why. He didn't let Williams allign himself to set up punches, he baited and countered flawlessly, feinted well, confused Williams going up and down with the jab, showcased excellent movement and elusiveness, as well as excellent speed and shot selection in his combinations. You could really tell how much more explosive Ali was at his best in this fight when compared to his 70's self. Other fights that showcase Ali at his best are also the Ernie Terrell and Brian London fight. Not quite as perfect as the Williams fight, but they were excellent performances. He practically beat Terrell while only at first gear, I rewatched it recently and it felt like Ali was barely even trying, he only really took it up a notch in the 12th.
1965 to 1967 Liston 2, Terrell, Folley, London, Patterson 1, Williams, those fights show Ali at his absolute peak. In Ali's comeback in the 70s I think he looked his best during the 2nd Norton fight, that's one of the few fights in the 70s where Ali looked like the 60s version of himself.
I would say the best we ever saw of Muhammad Ali in the ring was 1964-1967, a ten fight stretch. Ali went 10-0, with 8 knockouts during that run.
Absolute peak, I'd say the three last fights before he was stripped. He was still improving, I think, and if he wasn't exiled we'd probably talk about something like 67-70 as his very peak. If he didn't start to slack off in training that is, but there were no signs of that.
Not sure - knowledge is power so somewhere in the 70s. It is a very obvious inverted U curve though, I’m sure little as it might’ve been Ali against Berbick would’ve known more than Ali in 74.
Really up to his last fight s before his ban. That's when he had total dominance over anyone he fought.
I'd add Patterson to that list. I think that fight and the one against Terrell were the fights after Liston in which he really was laser focussed. He wanted to make them pay for their pre fight talk. Terrell had earned his status as nr 1 contender and Ali, as you say, outclassed him without putting in top gear. That's a very rare thing to do to your top contender.
I'd wade in with post-exile; not FOTC, but maybe Frazier II and Norton II (1973-74) when he had some ring time to get rid of the rust. Pre-exile, he was a physical phenomenon, so much more gifted than other HWs he utterly dominated and never had a true challenge. He was great, but I don't think he was as tough as he was after he'd lost a step or two and discovered he had to use guts to supplement his talent. By Foreman, he was kind of at the cusp between youth and experience - only a little less quick, but able to absorb punishment that young Clay/Ali might have wilted under, then fight back against the adversity of a younger, stronger opponent. Just my .02 ...
The Cleveland Williams fight, Ali was incredibly fluid, fast, confident, and powerful. Imo that version of him would have beaten Frazier in their first fight, Foreman, and Norton. He was never quite as good after prison.
I concur. Ali had matured physically as well - He was five pounds lighter for the second Liston fight than he was for the first yet looked broader in the chest and shoulders. His seventies best was circa 1972-74.
