Quote Originally Posted by Hulk
If the "Real Deal" and "The Greatest" would have rumbled in their primes, in a 12 round bout, who would have come out on top? Could Holy's talent, heart, and dedication have overcome the speed, stamina, and iron will of Ali?
There's not one single part of boxing that Ali didn't do better than Holyfield. That's not a knock on Holyfield, it's just true. Prime Ali wins a UD over Holyfield. Prime Ali beats every heavyweight in history.

Quote Originally Posted by Samson3000
I think this is actually a very good hypothetical matchup, and a nightmare matchup stylistically for Ali. He had his greatest struggles with fighters who put pressure on him, and none was more relentless than a prime Evander, who would simply never go backwards. Evander had as good a chin as Ali, and I think he would pull off an upset similar to Frazier in the first fight by outworking Ali to win a hardfought battle on points(I actually view Holyfield as better than Frazier, and capable of going to war with the Ali who reigned before being stripped of his title, and not just the Ali who lost three prime years).
The Ali who fought Frazier wasn't the prime Ali. Even the post-exile Ali beats Holyfield. Pre-exile Ali wins easily.