What is considered the absolute prime /peak Ali performance

Expect Ken Nortons entire existence.

 

People often cite the Williams performance, but I have argued against this, owing to Williams condition.

The Terrell fight might reinforce the same point, in a way that is harder to argue against.

Perhaps in reality, the Ali of the Folley fight was the best that we ever saw.

 

Expect it was well known he got work in as often as he could and drove around with his equipment in his car- going gym to gym during his travels. How else did he spar Ken Norton for example?

It’s overstated how much he declined- he had two tune ups against guys as good as anyone he faced in the 60s that’s why he looked bad before Frazier- he was in peak shape for Frazier as good as he could’ve been on the back of three more years of experience in the gym and coming off a 15 rounder and two top contenders.

 

Cassius Clay vs Sonny Liston (according to George Chuvalo!)

 

No one beats the Williams-demo'ing Ali...







Except FOTC Frazier.

 

No one beats Rumble Ali. He took hellacious punishment to get back the title that was stolen from him. Sure he deflected many of George's shots but was still hit with some bombs that dropped George's previoua victims including Ken Norton and Joe Frazier. That fight defined the measure of the man and cemented his legacy as a global icon.

 

I don’t know. Upon close inspection Ali does a number of things he doesn’t do before or since such as going to the body.

 

Then he would not have forgotten how to do it, by the Terrell or Foley fights.

 

Rumble Ali is the best. He had, say, seventy percent of the attributes that made him great, but he showed cunning, guile, and courage in that fight. The right leads, the grappling, the rope fighting, hitting George with his forearms, the hollering at him, the slight push when rhe round ended to show his disdain. Every time I watch that fight I learn something else Iile the winking of the ring girl at the beginning of a round.

 

Best performance and best version are two different things tho.

 

I understand you and the question but I'm a huge fan of twilight Ali, specifically the Rumble, the Lyle fight, and Manila. That's when we saw the measure of the man.

 

I think it’s impossible to take one performance as the best ever. Different opponents, different demands or lack thereof. A sampling of fights involving a greater range of variants is best, imo.

I would say that there is little difference between the Ali we saw vs Williams as compared to the Ali of the Terrell fight. In fact, we had Ali doing his thing for a whole 15 rounds against an awkward opponent who clammed up to survive. Very impressive.

But no question, as much as the opponent and his style allowed for it, Ali’s performance against Williams reflected Ali in the most stunning light - allowing him to show off all his wares.

 

I was watching the Ellis fight and Terrell was at ringside. I didn't realize he was a potential Ali comeback opponent. He would have got another whuppin and perhaps wouldn't have made up a story about Ali intentionally blinding him.

 

Nice info, I didn’t know that. Thanks. As things rolled along for both Ali and Ernie, that fight was never going to happen.

 

212.5 lbs., but you are otherwise right on the money!