Ali vs Wilt

[Ray Corso]

Cus D'Amato is the correct spelling elroy, show some respect to your favorite trainer, next to me.

It's pretty funny that a topic concerning a basketball player vs a World Champion boxer in a boxing match has pages dedicated to it.
People think that boxing is so easy, well the ones that never tried it.
I'll bet that Ali was a better basketball player than Wilt would have been a boxer.

ok have fun the fishing is great 10 miles out and dolphins are running, great on the grille.

..........hey can you picture Wilt skipping rope?

Wonder why Ty Fields wasn't champion, he was really tall. hahaha......

Ray

[juggernaut666]

If you read up on it, Cus entertained the idea that Wilt MIGHT have been a good boxer, if he had focused on it. This is very different from spotting a young monstrous street fighting thug such as Mike Tyson and declaring him a champ in the making. Cus categorically liked the idea of basketball players becoming boxers due to their agility and fitness.

Wilt was able to compete at the top level in every sport he attempted. But this is a far cry from defeating Ali. To be champ, you have to be focused on that goal; Wilt wasn't.

And it was Wilt who backed out of the Ali fight. Puncher's chance? Sure. But I wouldnt have put my money on Wilt.

I think you need to go look at who Wilt would actually be fighting in that time frame ! And as elroy has pointed out sometimes a bigger guy with less skill is simply harder of an opponent ask Foreman when he fought Lyle as oppossed to Frazier , Bowe defeating Holyfield twice , even Holmes at 43 gave Holyfield fits because of reach..... take a 7'1 athletic guy vs the 6'0 slow fighters of the 60's ,and its not hard to see why Wilt wouldn't exceed. A guy who is 6'3 250 will generally be harder to box than a more skilled 6'0 190 pound guy. I dont see anyone under 6'2 having anything easy with him .

[billeau2]

Nope. But if you post the link, I'll watch it. I did see the guy who claimed to be a chi master and fought some karate or kickboxer guy and got his butt TKO'd. And before this, there was a demonstration of his supposed skill with his students where he doesn't even touch any of them. Kind of reminded me of Hermes Franca fighting that dude who claimed to have this high rank at some martial arts and all these titles, so fought and beat him for a dollar to shut him up haha.

Thats the one!

[juggernaut666]

cus was also suppose to guide mulitime world handball champ Jim Jacobs to a fight with Archie Moore and nothing became of that

Jacobs wasnt over 7'0 tall a track star like Wilt and out lifting Arnold Shwarteneggar.

Archie Moore was tough and most likley better than anyone Ali faced in ythe late 60's in his prime however being so short was less of a threat ,Jacobs wasnt a giant ,Wilt would have had an easier time with Folley or Mildenberger than Jacobs with Moore . For one i think Wilt wins those fights,buts its only speculation ,i would still bet Wilt as a more challenging opponent for Ali based on real life physical stats and a pro athletic guy known to excell at all athletics..

[Joe Beamish]

Ok sure..

But what about this one... Joe Frazier!

With just basic training, focussed on Frazier, could he have beaten Frazier do you think? I would say yes!

I guess I haven't made my point clearly, my bad.

According to everyone Wilt played against in basketball, he was far stronger and more agile than any other player -- and any other athlete in any team sport. He was also a track star in college. He was competitive in everything he did, even chess. He was probably the greatest athlete in history. I'm sure this is why Cus D'Amato wanted to train him into a champion. Hell yes Wilt could learn to jump rope, hit a bag, throw a punch, slip, roll, whatever he wanted. He was quick and graceful with his hands and feet. He could dunk a ball so hard that it would bounce back off the floor and injure people. Look it up.

But he didn't have the killing desire that a fighter needs in the ring. He wasn't interested in hurting people.

Ali would probably have to learn how to hit to the body, though, in order to beat Wilt.

[juggernaut666]

Cus D'Amato is the correct spelling elroy, show some respect to your favorite trainer, next to me.

It's pretty funny that a topic concerning a basketball player vs a World Champion boxer in a boxing match has pages dedicated to it.
People think that boxing is so easy, well the ones that never tried it.
I'll bet that Ali was a better basketball player than Wilt would have been a boxer.

ok have fun the fishing is great 10 miles out and dolphins are running, great on the grille.

..........hey can you picture Wilt skipping rope?

Wonder why Ty Fields wasn't champion, he was really tall. hahaha......

Ray

Only in your fantasy land can a former track star not jump rope ...

[juggernaut666]

I guess I haven't made my point clearly, my bad.

According to everyone Wilt played against in basketball, he was far stronger and more agile than any other player -- and any other athlete in any team sport. He was also a track star in college. He was competitive in everything he did, even chess. He was probably the greatest athlete in history. I'm sure this is why Cus D'Amato wanted to train him into a champion. Hell yes Wilt could learn to jump rope, hit a bag, throw a punch, slip, roll, whatever he wanted. He was quick and graceful with his hands and feet. He could dunk a ball so hard that it would bounce back off the floor and injure people. Look it up.

But he didn't have the killing desire that a fighter needs in the ring. He wasn't interested in hurting people.

Ali would probably have to learn how to hit to the body, though, in order to beat Wilt.

You dont excell in boxing being tough outside the ring ,you do that with athletics ,the drive to win is what counts not how many people fear you or fights you avoid!

[Joe Beamish]

You dont excell in boxing being tough outside the ring ,you do that with athletics ,the drive to win is what counts not how many people fear you or fights you avoid!

Not buying this. Great boxers of all styles are into "the hurt game." And I have no problem with that.

Put Roberto's Duran's brain into Wilt's body and train him under Cus D'Amato and hell no, Ali would have no prayer.

[rightsideup]

Not buying this. Great boxers of all styles are into "the hurt game." And I have no problem with that.

Put Roberto's Duran's brain into Wilt's body and train him under Cus D'Amato and hell no, Ali would have no prayer.

duran grew up in the streets fighting bigger people first idolizing wrestlers then getting into amateur boxing as well turning pro he has had some of the best trainers the sport has every seen as well except maybe for cus. But plomo,brown , arcel, are nothing to snicker about.

[billeau2]

The thing is if you look at some of the great Cuban olympic teams one can see great coaching as well. In boxing one needs mobility, its a sport, it is not a street fight. Mobility can be deceptive. Can a guy step swiftly and have his punch land with the foot at full extension? Can a guy make a semicircle and flick a jab without setting? can a guy transfer weight front to back in a balanced fashion? These are not easy movements.

You see this in martial arts. Any idiot can pick up a weapon and swing it...can someone step while swinging the weapon? can they change directions? etc etc.

Its not just doing these movements its doing them in an organized fashion where power can transfer and where the person can control the body. Sugar Ray Robinson could fight going backwards, that takes a lot of movement skill.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG4jg14nUK8

De La Hoya versus Shac...does this tell us anything?