The 1966 Muhammad Ali vs.The 1971 Joe Frazier who wins?

Question

Think about this one folks before you answer. I'm certainly interested in reading your answers thanks.

Answer 1

Ali by a late rd KO, if not then Ali by an one-sided 15 rd unanimous decision.


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Answer 2

I think Ali wins with movement. But I think he gets floored at least twice on route to winning a close decision. Frazier was really good at cutting off the ring by the time he met Ali in 71.

Answer 3

1966 Ali not even close Joe Frazier has all ways followed in Ali foot steeps Ali on points

Answer 4

I still think Smokin Joe would have taken him. It would have been one hell of a battle, and, like in their usual style when they faced off, both fighters would have looked as they went through hell and back. Ali's sharp fast jabs would have scored points, but that crushing left hook of Frazier's would still have found the mark!

Quite frankly, I think Frazier won their second fight! And, when I was watching their classic "Thrlla in Manila" on ESPN Classic a few months ago, Gil Clancy (former trainer of George Foreman) actually had Frazier ahead on his card after the fourteenth round, when Smokin Joe's manager Eddie Futch stopped the fight because Frazier's eye had been closed from having taken too many of Ali's sharp right hands.

I will give Ali credit for being the toughest fighter I ever saw. I still cannot believe how fast he got up off the canvas after Frazier's classic left hook landed right on target in their first fight. That punch would have put the lights out of any other fighter, especially if they had taken the beating Ali had the prior fourteen rounds. But, I still think Frazier would have taken Ali at his prime!

Answer 5

I still believe this would have been Ali's most difficult fight Brent mainly because of the styles and Frazier's unrelenting pressure. Ali no doubt would have been able to avoid more punches in 66 than in 71. I say that Ali wins by a more comfortable decision in this one even though Joe still puts up one hell of a fight.

Answer 6

Ali by KO in 11.

1966 Ali was just too fast, too smooth, and too lucid. He would smoke Joe, pun intended :)

I think Ali would dance the 1st 3 rounds. Ali splatters Fraizer's face with jabs on the run, backing up, going forward, left, right, everywhere.

Ali gets serious in 4 thru 10 but cant drop Joe, who has a rock chin but is tiring badly by 10. The many missed punches are really getting to Joe.

As soon as the bell rings for Round 11, Ali swarms Fraizer with combinations. Fraizer misses 2 haymakers and Ali floors Fraizer with a stinging uppercut, after eating a 5 punch combination.

Ali by KO in 11.

Answer 7

1966 Ali vs. any heavyweight ever he wins. No one could match the foot and hand speed. Plus Ali did have power, not Frazier or Foreman power, but the man had 37 KOs. 1966 ali is truly the greatest of all time

Answer 8

Interesting question. ..that would have been a great fight!

I'll go with Frazier.

Ali in '66 was all about speed and movement, scoring points with his lightening fast jab and then getting out of the way quickly. But in '71, the young Frazier had that as well, in addition to his great strentgh and power, and I think that would be the important difference between them.

Answer 9

Ali

Answer 10

a most awesome and righteous inquiry, my man! you obviously picked two of the greatest heavyweights at the absolute peak of their careers. in 1971, smokin' joe would've knocked down, if not out, virtually anyone w/that awesome left hook of his. he was never better than when he beat ali in the fight of the century - he was greatness personified! in 1966, ali was at the peak of his God-given powers, and i don't think there is a fighter in the history of the sport who could've beaten him especially between 1965 and 1967! as such, joe was a great fighter, but ali was somethin' altogether different and surreal. one can't train or learn or absorb the inhuman skills and lightning fast reflexes he possesed but, rather, must be born w/it. i say ali wins this fight fairly easily, on the surface, but gets punished for it under the surface. no one else would've been able to push him and pressure him like smokin' joe. ali was able to dance, stick, and move for 15 straight rounds in those days and would be quite elusive. but, joe, as one pointed out earlier, was highly adept at cutting off the ring and you just know he'd connect sooner or later w/one of those classic hooks. if ali had one weakness throughout his career, it was a susceptibility to left hooks(frazier, cooper). methinks, ali would've thrown that jab in joe's face all night (w/a higher degree of success than he did in 1971 - his timing and accuracy was much better pre-exile) and swelled him up pretty good. his punches were snappier and he probably would've cut joe up. joe would've enlightened ali on exactly what pressure was and chased him for a full 15. i'll say, he might even have wobbled ali w/a hook, but not knocked him down(unless ali took him lightly, as he did cooper). in the end, i see ali probably w/a unanimous, but hard-fought decision, thx in no small part to his fleet feet - or, possibly, a fight stopped by the referee because of the damage he would have inflicted on frazier's face!

Answer 11

Ali would win in the 7th. Fight would be a TKO win. Frazier would get cut and they would stop the fight. Ali was the greatest fighter in history.