Would Joe Louis be too small to be successful at heavyweight today ?

[Master]

Luckily boxing isn't soley based on statistics and you partly make the case for me why Muhammid Ali is the best heavyweight of all time. He was not the youngest, oldest, longest champion but still considered the best by the majority of people. His competition was great Joe Frazier, Liston and Foreman could have been champions longer if they lived in another period.

It is well known why Ali did not make consecutive defences

Ali was all business in the ring and did not always have that popularity that you claim he rode.

There is no federal case or attack just look with your eyes and appreciate his boxing qualities.

Notice I did not criticise Louis or Rocky.

You said Ali was ahead of Joe Louis I said otherwise. I then provided examples as to why Joe Louis was better. I know that you're misunderstanding what I'm saying because you're assuming a different tone than I wrote my post in. Ali was a great boxer and unique in that he was the champion but also a celebrity at the same time. I don't want to feel forced to bow before an Ali statue every time I mention his name. He's a great great great boxer that I don't think is the greatest of all time despite what he said about himself but don't expect me to kiss his ass. He gets the respect he gets from me what can I tell you?

I’m with you on this, people have this beautiful ideal of Ali. As a Boxer, Fighter, call it what you like, he wasn’t the greatest. As a sporting icon , we’ll thats clearly a different story.
I have to say, if he hadn’t of lost the peak 3 years of his career , it would be a very different conversation , I’m certain of that. But it is what it is and it’s not gonna change.
I know what you mean about how we’re not allowed to even very slightly criticise Ali. When Floyd pointed out about him losing his Title to a 7 fight novice when he was 34 years old , people wouldn’t see it for what it’s meant. You can’t argue against the point unfortunately.

You can argue all you want but you are intelligent enough to know that Ali was old in terms of ring years. He was at the tail end of a hard and distinguished career and still avenged the loss.

firstly you’ve got to understand that this is no “Bill Paxtom” style witch hunt. Ali was amazing and I love him.
But you have to be honest. When you say Old in terms of ring years, well some of that was his own doing and choice.
1. The way he chose to fight against monsters like Foreman and Shavers. I’m not saying he was wrong, it was incredible, but getting hit a lot will take its toll.
2. Fighting in places that will drain the life out of you like Manila and Zaire. But that’s where the money was.
But on the spin side , he also had 3 years rest as well, so that should balance it out a bit.

If life was that simple where you can pick and choose who and the locations you fight you would be just another heavyweight. Those are the fights that make him the best heavyweight ever. The 3 years out hurt the momentum he was on and made him a less mobile fighter which meant he had to show his resilience and courage. I amsure Ali would have preferred to have danced his way to victory and use his boxing skills.

I know you are and El Kabong are not hating but I am pointing out holes in the critique of him.