Ali overated??? i dont think so...

[M26]

Muhammad Ali was incredible. At his prime, he was damn near unbeatable. When he came back, he was clearly fading, but still managed to become champion again in what was the best era in heavyweight history. If one is to rate the greatest heavyweight based on the quality of his foes, Ali would have to be the greatest.

However, I would rate Joe Louis as the greatest heavyweight of all time. He had the tools to defeat Ali in my book, and his twelve-year reign with 25 defences makes him my number one.

When it comes to Marciano, Ali would be a slight favorite. But Marciano would give Ali hell! UD.

Mike Tyson would get knocked out by Ali. He was fast and strong, but lacked heart. Ali would take Tysons best shots, tie him up and frustrate him. A tired Tyson sucks canvas inside of ten rounds.

My top five list of heavyweights: Louis, Ali, Marciano, Dempsey, Tunney.

[Mick Hucknall]

Ali is the greatest fighter of all time and yous who say Tyson and Marciana cold beat him are talking Bull****.

[jabberwalkin]

Ali overated??? on the greatest

The problem with any hypothetical discussion of any 'greatest' distinction, when it comes to Ali, is that it is not all about boxing per se. What seperates Ali from all worthy company is his trancendance of the ring. Ali was not merely a boxer, he was an icon - a culture unto himself.
Not even Ali's own heros - Jack Johnson, Sugar Ray Robinson - were able to do this. In an era charged with racial tension, Ali dared to avoid the pitfall of being every white man's favorite 'colored' fighter.
As deftly as he avoided Liston's haymakers, Ali slipped, jabbed, then crossed out any foolish notion that he would ever be saddled with the 'credit-to-his-racism' that was the the blue plate special fare for Black fighters of his generation. And, he did it with artistry. He milked white America's overall disdain for him into multi-million dollar purses - a thing that no boxer before, black or white, had ever done. He drew the world into boxing as no one else had done before - people who had never before watched a boxing match payed thousand to see Ali weave his magic.
These are only elements of what made Ali 'The Greatest.' In a world of intangibles, no one should ever dispute Ali's superlative abilitiy - a mix of grace, speed and lightening. But even in his decline he had the heart of a lion. Tyson, just as in the case of his archetype Listion, was really no more than a heartless thug... a schoolyard bully to be chastized.
Where Tyson was blessed with a line of knocked-out-by-hype falls guys, Ali faced down Liston, Quarry, Norton (four rounds with a broken jaw!), Shavers, Frazier, and Big George. Ali didn't need Cus D. to learn how to to fear into fire and ice.
Whether on or off his game Ali was 'The Greatest'. Neither offence nor apology given to the Marciano, Louis, ect. faithful... these are simply the facts.

[- Evil -]

Ali is the greatest fighter of all time and yous who say Tyson and Marciana cold beat him are talking Bull****.

I dont normally talk about the older fighters because there's no way of proving your right, there careers are done and thats the end of it.

But this time i'll make an exception because IMO Tyson and Marciano would have beaten on Ali.

[Mick Hucknall]

suppose were all entitled to our own opinions. But yours is a pretty ****ty opinion

[- Evil -]

suppose were all entitled to our own opinions. But yours is a pretty ****ty opinion

Your right Ali would beat Tyson and Marciano

[jabberwalkin]

Ali overated??? ...Tyson, Marciano beat up on him????

Let's assume the young Cassius Clay, whom Liston literaly could not touch, never existed. Start with the mature, oh yes slower, Ali who dealt with the likes of Kenny Norton, Joe Frazier and Big George Foreman. Tyson never had to deal with the likes of those warriors.
No one ever gave Ali a chance against Liston. No one ever gave him a chance against Foreman - not so much as a snowflake in hell. The plain fact is that Ali learned from defeat in the ring. He was never defeated in his heart or his mind. Tyson never revovered from being beaten the first time in Tokyo by a bum. That bum had heart and a stiff jab. Now that is a combination Tyson has never recovered from.
Frankly, while I insist Ali would have easily dispatched Tyson, I also say that Marciano would have spanked Mike with pure heart. And while I still believe Ali would have outpointed Marciano (not knock him out) I wouldn't give you 20-1 odds on it. Even money plus maybe a nickle. The reality is that Marciano, who never fought at more than 180 campaigned in the heavyweight division, was a freak of nature. I say that with the utmost of admiration for the man. I remember someone saying that it should have been physically impossible for a man of Tyson's stature to hit as hard as he did. How much truer this had to be about Marciano! A beautiful freak of nature totally lacking in the deficits of Tyson.
That said, and this is where we get back to Ali, 'The Greatest' would pick and choose where to trade with Marciano. Look at Ali's record book and name another fighter with a better chin.

[- Evil -]

Let's assume the young Cassius Clay, whom Liston literaly could not touch, never existed. Start with the mature, oh yes slower, Ali who dealt with the likes of Kenny Norton, Joe Frazier and Big George Foreman. Tyson never had to deal with the likes of those warriors.
No one ever gave Ali a chance against Liston. No one ever gave him a chance against Foreman - not so much as a snowflake in hell. The plain fact is that Ali learned from defeat in the ring. He was never defeated in his heart or his mind. Tyson never revovered from being beaten the first time in Tokyo by a bum. That bum had heart and a stiff jab. Now that is a combination Tyson has never recovered from.
Frankly, while I insist Ali would have easily dispatched Tyson, I also say that Marciano would have spanked Mike with pure heart. And while I still believe Ali would have outpointed Marciano (not knock him out) I wouldn't give you 20-1 odds on it. Even money plus maybe a nickle. The reality is that Marciano, who never fought at more than 180 campaigned in the heavyweight division, was a freak of nature. I say that with the utmost of admiration for the man. I remember someone saying that it should have been physically impossible for a man of Tyson's stature to hit as hard as he did. How much truer this had to be about Marciano! A beautiful freak of nature totally lacking in the deficits of Tyson.
That said, and this is where we get back to Ali, 'The Greatest' would pick and choose where to trade with Marciano. Look at Ali's record book and name another fighter with a better chin.

The problem we have with these debates is everyone's guessing who's era was better, IMO Tyson and Marciano would have beaten Ali.

Although you make some good point its me picking a fight on styles and physical ability, I may be wrong but there's just as much chance of you getting it wrong.

There's one thing i'm 100% certain on, Ali wasnt the greatest boxer of all time. I grew up being told by people he was the greatest, even by people who have never seen him fight but when i watch him i can only think one thing = overated!!

[Floydmayweather]

Ali is overrated. Ha, he beat Liston, Frasier, Ken Norton, Foreman, and leon spinks as an old man. Even in defeat he was in the fight. If you think he is overrated name one heavyweight figther in history who could take the punishment he took from Foreman and then still knock him out. Get real

[Floydmayweather]

and one more thing Marciano would get killed by Ali and Tyson that is a laugh. he could not Ko Ali if foreman could not he would lose gas and get koed.