What was the best possible outcome for an Ali 1980 comeback

Nobody knew at the time of horrible Holmes Ali fight that Larry Holmes was in anyones book an all time top 5 heavyweight. If they had perhaps a different opponent would have been found for Ali.

Who do you think would have been an opponent that version of Ali could have won against to retire on a high?

Apologies for the oddly morbid question, no doubt Ali’s Parkinson’s was unavoidable at that stage anyway, still I can’t help but want him go out on a win.

 

I don't think the Ali who fought Holmes could've beaten any noteworthy Heavyweight, he was taking thyroid drug and had absolutely nothing in Holmes fight.

The Ali that fought Berbick however atleast showed something in their fight, and actually put up a competitive fight vs Berbick and won some rounds.

Looking at top 10 rankings for 1981 Weaver, Cooney, Dokes, Page, Coetzee, Spinks, Tillis, Cobb, Snipes, I don't see him beating anyone in top 10, maybe he could've won some rounds off of Snipes ?

Frazier comeback in 81 vs Cummings, maybe they could of had a 4th fight in 81 although that would've been a sad fight to watch.

 

The Ali who fought Spinks in the rematch while clearly greatly diminished could have beat some 80s alphabet champions however there was no incentive for him to get in that shape again and he was deteriorating rapidly.

 

If he didn't take those pills to lose weight he probably would've been a lot more successful against whoever he faced.

 

The Ali of the Spinks rematch loses a wide decision but frustrates Holmes along the way.

 

I know we’re just talking hypotheticals which is the point of this place, but I’m glad he didn’t try to end it with a W because he could’ve ended up in even worse shape. The W wouldn’t have been worth it, IMO. Ali went out like he was destined to go out.

 

The only guy I see him beating is Leon in a third fight.
And even that could be close.

 

I started a similar thread a while back. As stated above , the Ali of the Holmes fight was beating nobody but against Berbick, whilst damaged goods, He could have conceivably have held his own against the likes of John L Gardner (that fight was mooted at one point) and Dino Dennis.
Hell, he probably could have had a reasonably successful run in Europe against the likes of Bernd August, Jose Urtain, Rudi Gauwe etc but it would have seemed like a poor exhibition tour........

 

He falls down the steps and breaks his legs after leaving his dressing room?

 

I'm sure that he could have found some random bum to look good against

 

I don't revisit the Spinks rematch often, but I had the same takeaway. Ali looked okay but it was, after all, relative to an apparently poorly prepared and conditioned Leon.

During the second Spinks fight, Ali's balance appeared precarious, and he looked a lot weaker than he used to be. On occasion, a simple shove from Leon appeared to have Ali teetering a bit.

Initially, I thought Berbick did take it a bit easy on Ali and perhaps I still do to some extent - though I respect and appreciate those who feel Berbick was trying his best and that what we saw was simply the limitations of Berbick's own abilities.

To hear Ali speak prior to that bout was frightening. To fight anyone even lower down in the order of things might've still been wrought with its own dangers and undesirable outcomes, perhaps even more sad than losing to a Berbick in his last fight.

 

Going on how Muhammad was competitive against Berbick,he would have had just about enough left to decision the likes of John L. It would n't have been pretty though. Thank God there was no more after the Berbick bout.

 

wonder if a matchup with Cooney the most hyped heavy of the time was ever mentioned?

 

Bad match up for Ali at any time past the Shavers fight.

 

I have to watch the fight again. He was clearly diminished but I thought he fought a smart cautious fight. He moved, albeit in an abbreviated way, for fifteen rounds.