What is considered the absolute prime /peak Ali performance

He was soft just when filing against Marciano, & he tired against Frazier.

I had not heard about him getting work in often; I would savor such links.
But he was better 1972-74, yet never as good as before his exile.

Like other say that is to be expected.
He had to whip himself back into shape when the exile ended-if he was that active, he could have remained as fit, even if rusty in fighting due to less top sparring partners.

 

He spent a week as Ellis's sparring partner in late 1969. When he was interviewed about it he says that it's basically the only work he's done since being banned. You can see that interview in a version of his second fight with Cooper with extra interviews on Youtube.

 

Thanks very much Bokaj!
So as expected, Ali did not stay active in boxing during his exile. That is why I never heard otherwise.

 

He probably popped into a gym now and then - there is a story when a very green Norton frustrated him in sparring - but nothing consistent. A full time pro should have something like some roadwork and a gym session every day five days a week even when he's not in camp, so popping into the gym at times won't get you anywhere.

In his autobiography he talks about going up against one of Dundee's young pros shortly before getting his license back, just to see if he has anything left after being out for so long. A doctor has told him that his reflexes will never be the same and he wants to find out if it's true. He describes himself as rusty and overweight, but still manages to get the better of the other guy. But someone here once wrote that the fighter in question said that he actually dominated Ali.

Whatever the case, Ali has consistently said that he was inactive during his lay-off. This is also backed up by Cus D'Amato noting a clear decline in his footwork when he's sparring for the first Quarry fight.

Journeyman92 has in his short time here proven himself to just be a troll, so nothing he says should be taken seriously. Ali was just ****, according to him, and all of Ali's opponents were bums. He loves Louis (which I fully understand) but has that curious inferiority complex toward Ali which also some Tyson fans have, that makes him compelled to denigrate everything about him and his opp. Funny that it's so hard to just say "Ali was great but I like Louis/Tyson more".

 

Thanks very much for the information!!

I could understand if Ali did not train full time due to his career being sabotaged.
That could demotivate anyone.
But at least exercising & informally training twice a week would have helped a lot.
Ali said he hated to train, so others who liked it or did not mind have a much easier time.

I thought Journeyman was just cranky-but then recently he viciously attacked me, making disparaging, laughable assumptions about who I am in everyday life, when I was not even talking to him.
This & the behavior you are describing seems based on some puzzling insecurity.

He often acts decently; hopefully he is one of the few folks with issues who has the Courage & Discipline to examine & repair his need to Hate & attack others.