Sparring is different, meng. Still, it's a tough fight for Ali....I just think his handspeed wins over the judges in a close one.
Sparring is obviously different but then again it wasn't yet the prime Holmes who was pasting Ali. I pick Holmes too, Ali couldn't get through him with his mind games, Holmes was smarter than Foreman and wouldn't be drawn in rope-a-dope and his jab would win the day as Ali no more had the footwork to overcome it
It's possible. Holmes,however, did barely scrap past an old Norton, a Norton that had already been beaten up by Foreman five years prior. What I see in an Ali - Holmes fight is lots of jabbing with some right crosses thrown in...and it's a tactical boxing match with spurts of aggression and remains close for 15 rounds. In a fight like that it depends on what the judges like better.
The same Norton who wasn't far off from giving Ali fits. I think Holmes style gives Ali trouble at any point in his career. I think it would have been incredibly interesting to see what kind of chess match these two would put on with both close to their primes. Both of those guys complemented each other though. Imagine Holmes getting to spar and learn from Ali's experience on a regular basis, and in turn I'd say Holmes helped Ali stay relevant and prepared for his opponents during the 70's by being such a competent sparring mate.
Of Course Sparring's Different, but Holmes Getting the Best of a Deteriorated Ali WASN'T a 1-Off Deal...This WASN'T Spadafora Getting the Best of an Inactive Floyd 1nce, in Sparring... Ali's Legs were GONE by the Foreman Fight, Hence the Rope-a-Dope...Holmes was Never the Mover a PRIME Ali was, but he had More Mobility than the Version of Ali we're Speaking Of...If Ali had a Handspeed Advantage, it was BARELY & There's No Doubt Holmes' Jab was SUPERIOR, @ This Stage... Holmes 9-6 Over 15 Rounds....7-5 Over 12... REED:hammert:
Agreed...but (and you have missed the point just like Nobleart before you), that was a much younger Norton than the one Holmes fought. So...to make it clear before anyone else tries the same thing...Holmes fought a much older norton than the one Ali fought the first two times (pre-Foreman version of Norton) and had a very close fight with him....secondly...Ali was a better fighter pre-Manila.
yeah, but you missed the point that this wasn't a prime HOlmes. As Reed said, Zaire Ali no longer had the legs and handspeed, to get past prime Holmes jab.
A guy going in his first title fight is not prime. Maybe he was physically, but tactically and psychologically, he was far from prime.
So....Tyson wasn't prime when he fought Berbick? Louis wasn't prime when he fought Braddock? Bowe wasn't prime when he fought Holyfield? Foreman wasn't prime when he fought Frazier the first time? What manner of doctrine is this?
Probably not. And it probably would have shown if they had fought a stiffer test (like Holmes did with Norton), or went in the later rounds ( Bowe is the obvious exception here). Not too mention that most of these guys had lenghty amateur career or longer pro-carrer, while Holmes did not.
