Ali vs Stevenson 1976

[QueensburyRules]

--- The great Americano vs the great Cubano, Teofolio Stevenson proposed for the spring of 1976.

Stevenson with much size and youth over Ali, but Fidel nixed the fight, not trusting American officiating and not wanting to turn his biggest star into a political media lightning rod.

Ali instead looked like yesterday's warmed over poo against Jimmy Young that served notice he was never again to be Ali of yore.

Make your case yea or nay as you may.

[SinderellaMan]

Yeah, Ali was the sole cash cow & the greatest but, all things must conclude. They couldn’t let the true conclusion take place before the believing eyes of yesterday’s public audience.
Great post!

[JAB5239]

He would have gotten the Radamacher treatment.

[HOUDINI563]

Stevenson would have no chance. Zip. Noone who knows the sport would think otherwise. Fight would not go six rounds.

[Dempsey-Louis]

Stevenson would have been competitive for the early rounds; Ali would spar with him, moving laterally (without dancing) against the Cuban's classic stand-up style. After three rounds Ali would begin to land his right hand leads; multiple hard punches would put the Cuban on the defensive (along with fatigue) and he would start to look outclassed. Sometime mid-fight Ali would open up with repeated combinations, eventually one volley would cause the referee to step in and stop it. Ali TKO 8 -- no knockdowns -- Stevenson's face would looked banged up for the first time.

The fight would be a 15 round fight, correct?

I don't remember any such fight being in the offing in '76; what I remember was the Cuban challenging Ali but only under amateur rules and scoring (3 rounds) which of course Ali refused.

[Dempsey-Louis]

This is a quote from Igor Vysotsky's Wikipedia page. Vysotsky had knocked Stevenson out in March of '76. (Stevenson was down in all three rounds.) The quote suggests that the Cubans (Stevenson) would have ducked Vysotsky (in Montreal) had Vysotsky not been pulled at the last minute.

-- The statement seems sought of surreal --


Shortly before the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Vysotsky was badly cut in a sparring session, which prevented his participation in the Olympics (cuts were a problem for Vysotsky throughout his career). The Cubans didn't know about the injury and sent two heavyweights to Montreal, Stevenson and Milyano Romero. If Vysotsky had participated, Stevenson would have been an alternate.

[JAB5239]

This is a quote from Igor Vysotsky's Wikipedia page. Vysotsky had knocked Stevenson out in March of '76. (Stevenson was down in all three rounds.) The quote suggests that the Cubans (Stevenson) would have ducked Vysotsky (in Montreal) had Vysotsky not been pulled at the last minute.

-- The statement seems sought of surreal --


Shortly before the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Vysotsky was badly cut in a sparring session, which prevented his participation in the Olympics (cuts were a problem for Vysotsky throughout his career). The Cubans didn't know about the injury and sent two heavyweights to Montreal, Stevenson and Milyano Romero. If Vysotsky had participated, Stevenson would have been an alternate.

Never read that before, but very interesting.

The way I see it is Stevenson was a great am. But even at that point he still didn't do anything better than Ali as a fighter and had no experience against a world class pro. He would have looked good the first few rounds and than Ali would have taken over. It would have looked like Mayweather-mcgregor. Had he had been able to go pro after the Olympics? He probably would have racked up some wins and been a top ten fighter at some point. But I couldn't see him beating Holmes either. Lests just call it to little to late. The Cubans and Soviets we're pretty much up right stiffs at that point, at least at heavy. For Stevenson, who had great taken and ability, to actually challenge, I think he would have needed to defect much earlier than '76 and develop a more professional style.

[just the facts]

As Roberto Duran told Castro. Don’t be silly, Ali would kill him.

[The Old LefHook]

As usual, no one cares about your thread. My threads generate scores of responses, son. Do as I do, for best results. Follow my example and you will be fine.

[QueensburyRules]

--- yank all my toofs to gum my food?

Nyet!