Frazier 3. I find the first one not as great as the buildup and hype suggests it was. Frazier controlled most of the action. Good fight for sure, but not the epic gut check the third one was.
My own favourite was the Foreman bout. Not only because Muhammad won but that he did it in the most unexpected way. Silver medal goes to any of the following - Liston I Williams Quarry II Norton II Frazier II
Quarry 2. That was Ali at his 70s best. Believe it or not Jerry Quarry was a tough guy to beat. He had quickness, above average power, chin and he was a crafty counterpuncher. Ali made him look like a bum.
I agree,ETM. That fight plus Norton II,Frazier II and the Foreman one definitely display Muhammad's best post-exile form.
I always ask anyone unfamiliar with the speed, poise and grace of Ali to watch the Cleveland Williams fight. Incredible boxing. Sad to say his other most skillfull exhibitions were in the taunting and surgical beatings of Terrel and Patrerson. I'm sure they both knew his name after those fights....
Depends what you’re looking for, I suppose. It’s a different fight for each criteria. For me I’d pick based solely on entertainment value, & that is definitely the Fight of the Century. Unlike the Thrilla in Manila, this was both guys at & near their best. In Manila, you can see both are overweight & their skills were visibly diminished. Four years earlier, the pace is faster, the punches cleaner & combinations a lot crisper, work rates are up, & the fight is even closer on the scorecards. Definitely Ali’s most exciting fight.
Good post as far as comparing Superfights 1 and 3 your right that they were younger both moved better. Reflexes were sharper in 1971 but overall the pace in Manila was faster than any other heavyweight title fight before or since. The most punches landed as well. Ironically Ali was the one who set that furious pace. He thought he could spark Joe out if he catches him cold. He would have stopped almost anybody else the way he was punching inside 5 rounds.
He went hard, didn’t he. Knew Frazier wouldn’t be expecting it. He just never had the punch, honestly. Perhaps the recent results against Foreman & Lyle had given him the delusion he did.