Who's the most over-rated fighter of all time ?

[The Lodger]

There may well be a rose-tinted philosophy regarding old-time boxers, and even sports stars in general. I certainly don't think there's any denying the toughness and heart the old-time fighters possessed, but theoretically everything always evolves. Some of the great fighters from the past may have invented certain techniques and regimes which have stood the test of time, but even with their raw toughness and ability, without the natural size, nutrition and benefit of an accumulation of information, I just don't see how some of these guys could beat some of the modern day guys. Like Marciano vs Lewis for example.

''Knowledge is power'', and with every generation there is more knowledge.

[omegamale]

Exactly! like i said in the other thead, srr wouldn't last with the fighters today. let alone pbf.

[mECHsLAVE]

I said Ali... you're going to write me off?

There was one guy who wrote this monologue about Ali being the most overrated because he's who 90% of the general public says is the "greatest." It was the one post where there was actually a genuine thought process behind listing Ali as the most overrated, but he was just as wrong as the rest of the posts, as well written and thought-out as his post was. Ali was the "greatest" fighter in history. Greatest does not mean that he would absolutely, beyond any shadow of a doubt beat any fighter p4p in the sport- it's an amalgamation of popularity, skill, success, level of competition and consistency. He was the greatest when you average those categories together, no questions asked, no way no how forevermore. His name is known in countries where they barely know what boxing is. All over the world, even now, his name is synonymous with boxing. That's no coincidence. He was probably the last true "world" champion. World champion means just that. Most fighters: Roy Jones, Mayweather, etc have no problem assuming they are the best. With Ali, you never had to assume or guess. You KNEW because he went there and fought them. "Joe Bugner is the best your country has to offer? Ok, let me go there and beat his ass in front of his countrymen! How's that?" (When since, most fighters are deathly afraid to leave his country for any reason whatsoever). Ali held to his convictions, his beliefs, won fights where absolutely 0% of anyone in the general public or the boxing press thought he had even a remote chance to win (Liston, Foreman, etc), and did it many times in that contender's own backyard- dangerous fighters, risky fights, it didn't matter. With the level of competition that he fought, where he fought them, how he won, and the length of time he stayed a top the sport, and the 3 solid years of his prime that he gave up to STILL have that record and level of success and competition is pretty much unparalleled in the modern era of the sport.

As I said earlier in the thread, if Roy Jones Jr had the career and the balls and determination of Ali, then he would've given Toney a rematch and won again, won the 3rd fight with Tarver, gotten a rematch with G. Johnson and won, traveled to Germany to stop Michalczewski, rematched Hopkins and won, fought Jirov and stopped him (instead of opting for Woods and less money), and yet people actually, seriously STILL will list Ali as the most overrated fighter in the history of boxing? It honestly baffles me to no end. Ok, so you think SRR was a better fighter? Fine, p4p maybe he was. But that simply makes SRR slightly underrated by the general public that should have him a little higher (the boxing world always has SRR as top 1, 2, or 3) yet does NOT in turn make Ali the most overrated boxer in the history of boxing. Anyone can make a case for Ali truly being the best fighter at his weight in the history of the sport. How can you possibly be overrated when you are arguably (by any logical, sensible arguments) the BEST during and later in your prime, fighting in a golden era of the sport at your weight? It's just simply an asinine opinion that I'll never agree with. I see no logic in it whatsoever. Sorry.

[squealpiggy]

The monologue was mine, and I appreciate you taking the time to explain your position. I still think that as great as Ali's achievements were, non-fans attribute to Ali some kind of superhuman status, when he was in fact all too human.

[HeartAttack]

I will have to say from a European standpoint it's clear, its Sven Ottke.

[Verstyle]

ali is the most overrated he was fast but not even in tyson league in speed and a chin. tyson was a level A and ali was a B+. u suckers really thought I meant it. ahaha

[HeartAttack]

ali is the most overrated he was fast but not even in tyson league in speed and a chin. tyson was a level A and ali was a B+. u suckers really thought I meant it. ahaha

I'm amazed you could type that **** while jerking off to your Tyson posters on your wall. Seriously, Tyson faster, maybe comparable, but not faster, and Tyson having a better chin, HA!!! Tell me who knocked out Ali? Ali survived a brutal right hand from the hardest puncher the heavyweights have ever seen in Ernie Shavers. Granted Ali doesn't remember any part of the fight after that moment, but that is impressive. Tyson was good and Ali was great, overrated Ali might be a bit, but not the most overrated of all-time.

[mECHsLAVE]

I will have to say from a European standpoint it's clear, its Sven Ottke.

Really do Euros really overrate him? Here I think most on the US boards actually UNDERrate him, believe it or not. "Ottke was ****" "Ottke ******" etc. Ottke wasn't **** and didn't suck, but he WAS babied and protected and got at least 2 gift decisions. But he was actually a pretty good fighter at his weight, which is normally overlooked by most US/UK fans, because of the ref and the judging in his fights with Reid and Mitchell. And of course he had no interest in fighting Calzaghe, either. I've never seen Ottke overrated, though. Like I said, most every time I see or hear his name mentioned, the word **** is after it. Hehe. But I don't live in Europe!

[HeartAttack]

ali is the most overrated he was fast but not even in tyson league in speed and a chin. tyson was a level A and ali was a B+. u suckers really thought I meant it. ahaha

Really do Euros really overrate him? Here I think most on the US boards actually UNDERrate him, believe it or not. "Ottke was ****" "Ottke ******" etc. Ottke wasn't **** and didn't suck, but he WAS babied and protected and got at least 2 gift decisions. But he was actually a pretty good fighter at his weight, which is normally overlooked by most US/UK fans, because of the ref and the judging in his fights with Reid and Mitchell. And of course he had no interest in fighting Calzaghe, either. I've never seen Ottke overrated, though. Like I said, most every time I see or hear his name mentioned, the word **** is after it. Hehe. But I don't live in Europe!

After some time the love affair with Ottke has subsided a bit, but it's still there. Ottke had two gift decisions but most believe he won what they consider close fights. Ottke only having 6KO's on his career received great respect for his starching of Mundine with one punch and his stoppage of Joe Gatti. Ottke avoided the biggest fights, primarily Calzaghe, but he had boxing skills no doubt. However, it is his retiring with an undefeated record that many hold so high, up there with Marciano. There is some truth to him being underrated in the states, but in Europe especially Germany, he is a deity.

[Verstyle]

I'm amazed you could type that **** while jerking off to your Tyson posters on your wall. Seriously, Tyson faster, maybe comparable, but not faster, and Tyson having a better chin, HA!!! Tell me who knocked out Ali? Ali survived a brutal right hand from the hardest puncher the heavyweights have ever seen in Ernie Shavers. Granted Ali doesn't remember any part of the fight after that moment, but that is impressive. Tyson was good and Ali was great, overrated Ali might be a bit, but not the most overrated of all-time.

hahahha.OWNED