What fighter in history gives prime Ali the most trouble?

With all due respect, I have to disagree.


1- Lennox's chin is vastly under rated.

He fought a surreal line of massive punchers and managed to beat them all.

The only two times he was chin checked was when he was totally unprepared and unmotivated and both times he got pole axed by punches that would have floored a grown elephant. You don't go through

99% KO Master Gary Mason as a young kid, Razer Ruddock,Frank Bruno, Prime Briggs, Tommy Morrison, Prime Golota, Tyson,Tua, Grant,Vitali with a 'weak chin'.

That is a myth.


2- Ali was never a one punch KO Artist, he build up via accumulations and speed. Lewis will NOT be pole axed by Ali, the only way Ali can win is to out box Lewis. Lewis was a great boxer, a puncher-mover-jabber. Magnificent upper cut and during his prime days he threw combinations with conviction. He had one of the greatest right hands in the history of boxing and was freakishly well coordinated for such a big fighter. Good foot speed and amazing counter punching abilities. Wonderful ring generalship and an acute awareness of his surroundings.
He will push Ali to the limits, if not beat Ali.

Lennox is massively underrated. A GREAT Champion.

 

1. Lennox
2. Wlad

Both guys are excellent when facing boxers and have big size advantages as well as being skilled and fast.

 

there are 2 versions of ali

1960-1967

and

1970- 1981

most people on here look at his fights vs ken norton, and joe frazier as some kind of gage.

1967 he was unbeatable barley being touched in the ring

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the 1970s he was still better than most but by the time he fought frazier a second time and norton ect he had been a pro for 13, 14 years...so alot of people could have troubled him at that point

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Louis, Frazier, Norton, Holmes, Tyson, Lennox, Wlad, Vitali.

Ali would not win all of those fights.

 

Many like over 20 easily if foreman, frazier or conney gave him so much trouble.

 

Oh ya.. what the above poster said.

Most people do make a mistake by looking at the 70's Ali as some sort of gauge.

64-67 Ali was almost untouchable.

A combination of reflexes, speed and boxing abilities.

I still think Prime LL would have pushed him, but I don't think Lewis would have out right beat him.
Lose maybe a close fight. (I will still give Lennox a 49% Chance)
Prime Tyson would lose a 8-4 (12 rounds)

During Ali's 'legend building' reign (the foreman-frazier) etc fights, he was much more vulnerable and I will pick a Prime LL to beat that version.

 

Cooper almost knocked out the young version. And really, the young version didn't fight the stiffest competition. I don't buy that Ali was ever unbeatable.

 

Not one of them fought a Prime Ali.

 

Ali isn't troubled by no man.. not from this planet anyhow.

 

umm yea he was not untouchable Henry Cooper knocked him on his ass

 

Yes, Lewis faced some punchers in his day - but none of them had anything near Ali's hand speed. Fact is, if you knew how to box and had some decent hand speed - you could get to Lewis' chin. See the Bruno and Mercer fights. Sure, Ali was no George Foreman BUT he would find Lewis' chin with some consistency and Lennox' chin isn't exactly made out of granite. Add Lewis' WELL documented timidity into the equation and I *really* don't like his chances in this matchup...

No, it isn't.

None of the guys you named, except for Tyson, were known for their exceptional hand speed. And Bruno had Lennox on ***** street on a few occasions in their matchup before Lewis landed a left hook out of nowhere to end matters. If Bruno could handle a near prime Lewis as easily as he did, what would a prime Ali do?

I'm not in any way denying Lewis' greatness or impressive physical attributes. It's just that he's too SLOW to pose a threat to Ali. in this matchup, Ali finds Lewis' chin with consistency over the course of the fight and, at some point, Lewis' chin will crack...

 

Ya Good post. I made the mistake (like many posters did) of taking the older Ali from early to mid 70's ...

64-67 Ali was pretty unbeatable.

I still think you are under estimating Lewis's chin a bit, and also let's not forget Lennox was a great boxer as well.

 

he was toying with cooper in that first fight, because he was beating him so easily...got caught, got up and finished him...and in fight 2 cooper didnt win a round... he had just turned 22 years old when he fought cooper the first time, and thats what everyone points too, because there is nothing else to point to from the 1960s...he was knocked down by cooper and sonny banks....but got up to ko both of them
lets just say he was unbeatable after he won the title until they took it away..... 1964-1967

 

ok, point to the one punch landed....
"untouchable" as in a way to describe the DECADE as a whole you dumb ****
the entire 1960s (1960-1967) he was undefeated with 10 title fights and you point out he was dropped by cooper when he was 21 years old in his 18th fight. man, youre so brilliant its scary :-(

 

He was unbeatable against the guys he fought pre-layoff. And that wasn't the best line-up, which is I don't really buy it. I don't get why his layoff should've been the main cause of his decline when tougher competition post-layoff is also staring you in the face. He didn't really fight a Norton or Frazier equivalent before the layoff.