Why wasn't Ali stopped earlier against Holmes.

Actually Ernie Terrell called him "Clay" by mistake, as a matter of habit, he'd known him since about 1960, they had been room mates even.

He called him Clay and Ali went absolutely ballistic like his former name was the worst insult in the world. Ali's reaction and response was to call Terrell all sorts of names, derogatory insinuations, Uncle Tom etc. Not the reaction of a rational man, really.
The reaction of a spoilt child, or a nut-case.

So Terrell was like "to hell with it" and continued to call him Clay.

 

But, yeah, I have no problem with what happened inside the ring. Clowning and taunting are a bit distasteful and amateurish, I suppose, but nothing to get upset about. Ali wasn't the first or the last.
If a man can't defend himself in the ring he shouldn't be in there. If the torture was so bad they should have stopped the fight.

I thought Ali was excellent that night. Peak performance.