Quote Originally Posted by SlimTrae View Post
Quote Originally Posted by greynotsoold View Post
Some people think Ali was skilled. He was not. He was fast and, since he fought "big", "slow", "dumb" guys he seemed skilled. This showed when he got slow; even then he got away with it because he was smarter than foreman, etc... Foreman retired and got smarter than the other big dummies he had to fight. watch moorer fight and you'll see and big dumb slow mofo in action.

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IMO: excellent Analysis.

Ali had so much mouth, his persona transcended the sport. He could've been the worlds greatest used car salesman. Sell you a 1970 Pinto & make you think you drove off the lot with a Cadillac..and swore you stole from the car salesman!

What a shame, Dundee couldn't or wouldn't discipline a young clay. Force him to understand fundamentals. Teach him that there would come a time when youth dissipates like smoke in the wind.
Reflexes wither with father time.

Learn fundamentals, gain skill and don't rely on freak-like reflexes and God given talent-alone.

Serious who else in the history of boxing--won a title without having a single highlight reel of them doing (some) (any) body work?

Ali that's who.

What a shame--in my bold assessment Ray Leonard & Roy Jones followed that same path.

Depending so much on talent, they felt no need to do what Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore and yes Bernard Hopkins did: learn the craft & master the art of pugilism.

Great post.

I think there is a fine line. For some athletes the teaching could interfere with the natural gifts they are born with. In many ways, the lack of formality is what made them stand out. Its like the talent almost transcends the sport. I think of Barry Sanders, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordon, Roy Jones and Ali as athletes in that genre. Its like they had a third eye. You don't want to stymy that by telling them how to plant their feet using a boxing 101 handbook.

Roy had a dynamite jab but rarely showed it or used it outside the Paz fight. That's just how good he was. And you cant teach those double/triple feints in the gym. Part ways a little with you on Leonard. Out of those mentioned and other gifted fighters I'd say that Ray was one of the best boxers fundamentally including Robinson. Or lets say he was the one that applied boxing fundamentals the most.