Who was the best fighter a "prime" Ali fought?

Ali didnt fight many guys at their prime when he was at his prime....Frazier is the nearest i would guess

 

Some would say Ali was Prime in 65-67, or 64-67.

So Liston. Even if Liston's performance has a lot to be desired, he is still an ATG compared to Ali's other opponents.

If not, then Patterson.

 

Liston

 

Sonny Liston

 

Foreman

 

Liston....

 

Ruud Lubbers......

 

It's tough to include the Liston fights in his prime when he sort of stunk it up against Jones and Cooper leading up to that. It's also difficult to count the second Liston fight as anything legitimate considering Liston got up within the count and kept fighting before it got waived off. That leaves Patterson or Frazier (if he counts).

 

His prime for me was between 1966 to 1967 so maybe Ernie Terrell or George Chuvalo.

 

It is to his credit that his total outclassing of the great Sonny Liston is seen as pre-prime by some. He was young, a severe underdog, it was a huge occassion for him and he was half-blind in one round.

I actually agree he was better against Chuvalo and Terrel.

An absolute monster. Excellent feet, excellent timing, excellent reflexes and a good finisher.

I would say Liston, because he was already very good there and it was such an impressive performance.

Anyone that says post-exile is wrong, in my opinion. He got hit more often and couldn't keep moving for the duration of the match. I say this with confidence because Frazier, Norton and Foreman are not a class above the Sonny Liston he beat as a young twenty-something.

 

Agreed.

 

Ali never did outclass Liston. Liston quit with an injury in a fight that was close to even. I don't know what to call the rematch.

 

Ali's prime was summer-67-summer 70.

 

Ali never fought in his prime , the US government wouldn't allow him to.