Quote Originally Posted by THE THIRD MAN
One thing is for sure Lewis wouldn't have beaten him! There appears to be a trend in this subject to question Ali's close decisions or gifts. Granted he had a close call with Jones but how old was he? 21! Heavyweights today don't even start until they are in their mid twenties and mature in their mid thirties!
Cooper knocked him down with a perfect left hook, so was big Henry a bum? No he wasn't, he was a bloody good fighter at HW for many years. Lewis would have lost a lopsided Ud against a prime 60's Ali.
Every champion has a close call or two, Lewis copped a bad one against Holyfield in their first fight but got a gift in their second.
Cooper was never top Heavyweight fighter he was good Domestic/European level he lost to all of the top boys in brutal fashion. And what makes it even worse is that Ali should of been DQ in the fight with Cooper

Lewis vs Holyfield 2 was a very close fight that i had Lewis edging but you can't compare that to flat out gift decisions that Ali got like, Norton vs Ali 3 a lot of people consider that a robbery so do i, Young vs Ali most ringside experts had Young winning so did i. He also got a gift against Shavers as well. And you mention Ali was only young when he fought Doug Jones but he won the title off Liston 1 year after that fight, so he wasn't far from his prime.

In fact Ali fought Jones, then Cooper, then Liston. So he was very close to his peak.