Would a 60s Ali be able to dance around the ring all night against a prime Foreman?

Liston did actually land some hard shots, and Ali pulled himself together very well after being out on his feet against Cooper. To have survived difficult moments like those were good experiences to have.

 

No. 60s Ali would get the ring cut off from him, with Foreman getting close & doing damage. If this happened in the states, with Ali not having his 70s knowledge & physical strength - then he could end up losing or winning in a hard fought victory.

 

Yes.

 

Muhammad Ali of let's say 1965 could have danced rings around a ponderous 1970's George Foreman. Ali did this to Sonny Liston in Feb 1964, tiring out a similar style Liston who George Foreman modeled himself after. In 1974, Ali no longer had the legs to dance 15 rounds, he was 32. Ali in 1965 was 23, and extremely fast with loads of stamina, the Rope A Dope had not been invented yet nor needed. Sure George could try to cut off the ring but do not compare 1965 Ali with the fighter who used the ropes a lot against Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Foreman in the 1970's. By round 6, Ali would have had that version of Foreman stumbling, completely out of gas as Ali would connect at a very high volume. George did not have the stamina to keep up with Ali, who also had cat like reflexes not allowing Foreman to tag him cleanly. They would be playing over the loud speaker that tune from 1979, Come Stumbling In.

 

George would have been overwhelmed.

 

The ring in Zaire was only sixteen feet. That made it easier to cut off the ring. I think the ring in Ireland when he fought Al "Blue" Lewis was sixteen feet but that was little more than an exhibition.

 

I know that the ring in Zaire was smaller but George had zero stamina if he was going to chase around an opponent with incredible stamina and speed. If Jimmy Young could do it in 1977, Ali could have too. I know the obsession with the 1963 bout against Henry Cooper will always surface but an Ali of 1965 was not going to play or stand still.

 

Especially in a 20, 21,or 24 foot ring.

 

Agreed.

 

Ali was surprised by how fast Foreman was.
And it was a small, soft ring.
Ali saw he would take 2 steps for every one of expert ring cutter Foreman & adjusted his strategy accordingly=which had several fairly brilliant aspects to it.

I agree that Ali had the stylistic advantage, but would it be enough to compensate for the significant advantages in ring size & how lively it was?
And would it be enough if Ali could not get away with a lot of illegal holding & pulling down his head?

I do not know.