How far do Styles Make Fights?

[Panthershock]

Which is why Sonny was such a heavy (8-1) favourite. Ali had an uncanny, yet onorthodox ability to lean away from punches that served him well. In Zaire, he was able absorb most of Foreman's haymakers against his arms while leaning on the ropes, in large part because of George's arching shots. A few more well-placed uppercuts up the middle might have made a difference.

odds definitely favor power punchers in general, but Ali being such a large underdog in the 1st Liston and Foreman fight had a lot to do with present context at the time.

before Liston, Ali had a close decision win over Doug Jones and was floored by Henry Cooper, not particularly impressive. Meanwhile Liston just demolished Patterson 2x in the 1st round

Ali won a close decision over Frazier and split a pair of very close fights with Norton before the Foreman fight. George of course demolished both of these guys

[Ben Bolt]

Ali being such a large underdog in the 1st Liston and Foreman fight had a lot to do with present context at the time.

Listening to the fight live on radio, I remember my only reflection was in which round Foreman would win.

Once, Ali gave this version of how close things were in Zaire.
Somewhere into the fight, he saw ‘crocodiles flying in the air’. He was in the land between consciousness and unconsciousness, and was thinking “I’ve been in this land before and got out of it, I can get out of it again”.

[Panamaniac]

...Once, Ali gave this version of how close things were in Zaire.
Somewhere into the fight, he saw ‘crocodiles flying in the air’. He was in the land between consciousness and unconsciousness, and was thinking “I’ve been in this land before and got out of it, I can get out of it again”.

In the first Liston fight, Ali visited 'that land' when some foreign substance from Sonny's glove got in to his eye, thereby impairing his vision. He seemed resigned to losing when Angelo (Dundee) shoved him off his stool into the center of the ring and said "run!" Ali kept Liston at bay with a pawing left hand as Sonny flailed away at an elusive target. Soon after, Ali regained his visual acuity and the rest - as they say - is history...

[rightsideup]

In the first Liston fight, Ali visited 'that land' when some foreign substance from Sonny's glove got in to his eye, thereby impairing his vision. He seemed resigned to losing when Angelo (Dundee) shoved him off his stool into the center of the ring and said "run!" Ali kept Liston at bay with a pawing left hand as Sonny flailed away at an elusive target. Soon after, Ali regained his visual acuity and the rest - as they say - is history...

Imagine how boxing history would have changed if Sonny took advantage of the situation and ko'd Ali.

[Panamaniac]

Imagine how boxing history would have changed if Sonny took advantage of the situation and ko'd Ali.

What gives me even more pause is how different boxing history might have been had Angelo not shoved Cassius of the stool to face his tormentor...

[Anthony342]

That reminds me, didn't Bobby Czyz also complain about blurred vision and his eyes burning in his fight with Holyfield?