What if Frazier and Ali fought in the 60s?

But chuvalo fought a post TFOTC Ali. Frazier still beat a better Ali than chuvalo fought in 1972, and with the title at stake. Muhammad was fighting to prove something more than just beating chuvalo on the road. against Frazier Ali wanted to prove he still had it and that Joe was an impostor. It was the biggest fight. ALI was driven for that fight. He just did not realise to get past prime Frazier he needed to box safe like he did in their second fight.
Trouble was he needed the first fight to realise this.

 

Ali fought prime or very near prime Frazier. Joe never fought prime or anywhere close to prime Ali.

In fight two it was Alis strategy going into the fight to out punch Frazier...not out box him. He wanted Joe to think he was going to run but that never was his intent. This is why Ali, although in fantastic condition, chose to come in at a heavy weight. He thought the extra pounds with make it tougher for Frazier to out muscle him inside. Indeed it was.

 

Sorry...that's fight three not fight two.

 

Yes, fight two was the one where Ali could not afford to lose so he boxed at a sprint and shoe shined his way home without engaging with Frazier. He did not take any chances in that "cross roads" meeting.

Where as fight one and three Ali put it all on the line both times. Came short first time because Frazier was too hot, it was Ali's first war, the last time they met ALi just had a bit more miles on the clock. Fraziers eyes closed up too.

If the serries proved anything it was that the only sure way for Ali to beat Frazier first time around was by adopting fight two tactics. Regardless of being in the 1960s or 70s that's what it would have taken. And Ali would not have learned that without fighting Joe a first time. Fight three tactics would not have worked first time around because Frazier had difficulty landing on the way in post 71. Pre 71 Joe could land on the way in where as later he would fire only once he was in range not on the way because his eyes were bad.

 

Same result. Frazier of the late '60s was already a helluva fighter, probably better than the FOTC one.

 

I see Ali winning the first in around 68-69 and Frazier winning a rematch in 70-71.

 

Disagree. Ali had the reflexes, endurance and boxing ability to outbox Frazier prime to prime. Again...ali fought prime Joe..not visa versa.

 

HOUDINI: "Ali KO1Zeus, King Kong, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and Jesus on the same night"!!!!

Hahahhaa

You've crossee the threshold for ridiculousness in your c ockhuggery. Dismount that ***** at once!

 

So Ali was way past it and Frazier was smack in the middle of his peak?

According to Houdini, it may as well have been Ali from the Spinks fights while Frazier was never better...

 

Deveryone is very young and unknowing. Ali was 6 months shy of a 4 year layoff so of course he was past his peak. Everyone understands this. Frazier was 26 years old and an active fighter when he fought Ali. 26 is a prime age for a hwt.

 

Silly...Ali did not fight for four years! Then over a 6 month period had two bouts. Is prime years were oast. Frazier was prime. You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

stop trying to re invent history...its an obsession on here...Frazier still wins.

 

Ali's prime was 1966-67. He was not going to get better. He had not been in a war and his reactions were such that he could coast and take rounds off, stay out of range against the 1960s crop.

Sure chuvalo was right when he fought ALi the first time it was harder to nail Ali because he could hit you from a range you could not reach him at. But Frazier was a man who drew fighters into his fight unless you were going to play it safe and stay away. Prime ALi still took rounds off and his ego never would have prevented him from playing safe had they met in the 1960s.

Let's not forget ALi fought chuvalo in a much smaller ring in the second fight.

Nobody Ali beat in the 1960s set Fraziers tempo for a start. Liston? Patterson, chuvalo, Williams? Terrell? Cooper set some pace but couldn't shrug Ali out of his vice like grip the way Frazier could. All in all I think ALi would always have too much ego not to want to meet fire with fire first time around.

 

Problem is...once again....Frazier never fought prime Ali. The Ali he did fight was a different fighter...still great but not prime. Ali did fight prime or close to prime Frazier.