Can ANYBODY in history defeat 1967 Ali?

[Gandalf]

Lennox may have the size and skill to overpower Ali, Tyson had the speed and power to trouble Ali, Holmes had the jab and chin but they are not greater than him.

Greater doesn't always win though does it? We can look back on any number of fights where the overwhelming favorite got beat and in hypothetical matchups sometimes that is lost or dismissed.

Ali took punches from some big boppers in Foreman and Frazier and Shavers, but who is to say what would happen if someone was able to keep Ali at arm's length and force Ali to get on the inside? Never happened. Ali DID struggle with guys with good jabs, but that's later in his career.


Some people feel better putting Ali on a pedestal and saying he's The Goat and he'd never get beaten the same way others do it about Tyson or I've done it about Louis and Marciano, but those are just personal preferences at the end of the day. There's something to like about the swagger, the style, the grit, the heart, the performances put on by those incredible athletes and hell it's something that is across all sport. People love to elevate those they truly enjoyed to godlike status....some of them made their skills seem divine Ali was certainly one of them.








......but he's no Joe Louis

A contest between Ali and Vitali Klitschko would be fascinating. Ali of 1967 was lightning, but could he deal with the size? Vitali had chin, output, and could bang. Wlad is less interesting for me as I can just see him getting buzzed and folding. I have always liked Vitali more as a fighter.

[powerpuncher]

Lennox may have the size and skill to overpower Ali, Tyson had the speed and power to trouble Ali, Holmes had the jab and chin but they are not greater than him.

Greater doesn't always win though does it? We can look back on any number of fights where the overwhelming favorite got beat and in hypothetical matchups sometimes that is lost or dismissed.

Ali took punches from some big boppers in Foreman and Frazier and Shavers, but who is to say what would happen if someone was able to keep Ali at arm's length and force Ali to get on the inside? Never happened. Ali DID struggle with guys with good jabs, but that's later in his career.


Some people feel better putting Ali on a pedestal and saying he's The Goat and he'd never get beaten the same way others do it about Tyson or I've done it about Louis and Marciano, but those are just personal preferences at the end of the day. There's something to like about the swagger, the style, the grit, the heart, the performances put on by those incredible athletes and hell it's something that is across all sport. People love to elevate those they truly enjoyed to godlike status....some of them made their skills seem divine Ali was certainly one of them.








......but he's no Joe Louis

A contest between Ali and Vitali Klitschko would be fascinating. Ali of 1967 was lightning, but could he deal with the size? Vitali had chin, output, and could bang. Wlad is less interesting for me as I can just see him getting buzzed and folding. I have always liked Vitali more as a fighter.

Vitali is good but he is way too open to get countered. Ali would cut him up badly. I see stylistically Wlad giving Ali some trouble, but his chin is too weak to really survive I think.