Muhammad Ali- Was he the greatest heavyweight?

[Heckler]

Wow

you give me a link to peoples opinions, thats one sports writer, when i have read other sports writers stating SHAVERS is the most powerful, others saying FOREMAN. The point still stands, Ali had the greatest Chin of any heavyweight, the most condition of any heavyweight, if he can take shots to the head from shavers and foreman Marciano isn't going to drop him... if he can take 8 rounds of foreman pummeling the body, marciano isn't going to drop him. Its not going to be like rumble and the jungle when Ali lost his ability to move fluidly in the ring, marciano having slower footwork would not be able to CUT OFF ali... and when he did Ali would absorb his punishment and simply tie him up. Marciano may have been powerful but he didn't have the handspeed of say frazier, and like foreman going from body to head will be in VAIN. Ali will Tie him up, move around the periphery and pick him off... im not saying Ali was invincible, he could be beaten, never 3/5 times in his prime, but marciano is not the type of fighter that would beat Ali. Ali fought well against agressors in his prime, they would move forward and he would control the range and counter punch... someone like Louis would give a Prime Ali trouble.

[Brockton Lip]

like i said Foreman and Marciano are very close but Marciano still hits harder

Yep. The power of Marciano's punch is amazing.

[TuPrincipe]

you give me a link to peoples opinions, thats one sports writer, when i have read other sports writers stating SHAVERS is the most powerful, others saying FOREMAN. The point still stands, Ali had the greatest Chin of any heavyweight, the most condition of any heavyweight, if he can take shots to the head from shavers and foreman Marciano isn't going to drop him... if he can take 8 rounds of foreman pummeling the body, marciano isn't going to drop him. Its not going to be like rumble and the jungle when Ali lost his ability to move fluidly in the ring, marciano having slower footwork would not be able to CUT OFF ali... and when he did Ali would absorb his punishment and simply tie him up. Marciano may have been powerful but he didn't have the handspeed of say frazier, and like foreman going from body to head will be in VAIN. Ali will Tie him up, move around the periphery and pick him off... im not saying Ali was invincible, he could be beaten, never 3/5 times in his prime, but marciano is not the type of fighter that would beat Ali. Ali fought well against agressors in his prime, they would move forward and he would control the range and counter punch... someone like Louis would give a Prime Ali trouble.

Foreman lost his punch at 5 rounds. Since he didn't train for 12 rounders, He lost his strength and his punch usually at 5. According to all of the boxers He faced, Marciano could bruise them and create large welts on there arms, shoulders, and stomach with one single shot. He could knock guys down with arm punches.

On top of that, he fought at a MIDDLEWEIGHT's pace, thus He would be able to stop Ali.

[butterfly1964]

I read, i watch his videos... and thus i know he was the greatest, Cleveland williams was at his peak he beat LYLE CLEARLY and he beat norton twice... He never fought cooper in his prime, he fought cooper as the young, naieve CASSIUS clay.. he was at his prime in 1967... chuck wepner dropped him, he got back up and won did he not? you are referring to CASSIUS CLAY in most of your response. No boxer would ever beat a prime 1967 Ali 3/5 times, and majority of the sports writers and rankings by KNOWLEDGEABLE, reputable boxing experts agree.

yep, i was about to say the same thing!

[Boxclever]

Only one answer to this. YES

[Truth]

I have recently read several books on some of Muhammad Ali's

fights and have discovered that he won alot of controversial

decisions over fighters like Ken Norton, Jimmy Young, Ernie

Shavers that could have easily gone in their favor. Ali rose

to occasion to beat great fighters like Foreman, Frazier, Liston.

But he wasn't always consistent, so was he the greatest

heavyweight of all time or was it the hype the he built up?

It was not hype man...

[Kimmy]

Foreman lost his punch at 5 rounds. Since he didn't train for 12 rounders, He lost his strength and his punch usually at 5. According to all of the boxers He faced, Marciano could bruise them and create large welts on there arms, shoulders, and stomach with one single shot. He could knock guys down with arm punches.

On top of that, he fought at a MIDDLEWEIGHT's pace, thus He would be able to stop Ali.

No, a prime Ali fought at a welterweight pace. The Rock's punch wasn't the punch of a Foreman. Ali i feel would hve made Rocky carry his jock strap!

[butterfly1964]

No, a prime Ali fought at a welterweight pace. The Rock's punch wasn't the punch of a Foreman. Ali i feel would hve made Rocky carry his jock strap!

actually, a prime ali had the speed of a lightweight!

[Kimmy]

actually, a prime ali had the speed of a lightweight!

Exactly!! So Rocky's middlweight pace wouldn't have been a big deal!

[butterfly1964]

Exactly!! So Rocky's middlweight pace wouldn't have been a big deal!

i know, i was just pointing out the fact that ali is faster than some people think he is, 'cause they only remember him for fighting foreman and frazier and norton, after his prime.