Was Muhammed Ali actually the Greatest Heavyweight Boxer of All Time?

[JOE]

Recently deceased American boxer Muhammed Ali aka Cassius Clay constantly bragged that he was 'The Greatest' Heavyweight Boxer who ever lived and of all time. No doubt he was a talented pugilist, but was he really the best who ever lived?



What do you think? Compared with others you have seen or read about, was Ali the Greatest? Or were there others even better than him?



Discuss.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

Of course not.

[JOE]

Of course not.

Well, who then would you describe as a better HEAVYWEIGHT boxer from any decade or century who is or was better than Muhammed Ali?



There's No right or wrong answer, but just wanted you to be more specific, that's all.

[JOE]

Y'know, one criticism of Ali was that he wasn't much of a knockout fighter who couldn't really finish the job. He'd more often 'decision' a fighter on points as opposed to knocking them down or out. And that's why he ended up barely winning many of his crucial battles/matches. Some say in some bouts, that he didn't even win at all. Not even a draw in some cases but possibly lost the match. This was the case with his rival Ken Norton. Norton not only broke Ali's jaw in one match, in their re-match, many had thought Norton actually won. But because of Ali's popular appeal & backers who put their money on him, they gave him the decision instead of Norton. So was norton the greatest? And if not, then at least Ali's equal?



Ali's claim to being the greatest seems somewhat dubious at best.



Just my three pence

[Anonymous]

Of course not.

Who was in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

Muhammad Ali is the most famous heavyweight boxer of all time.

[JOE]

Muhammad Ali is the most famous heavyweight boxer of all time.

One fighter whom many thought was as good as Ali was Cuban Teofilo Stevenson. But because he was part of the Communist Bloc, the two never had a chance to meet as fighters in the ring. But he did capture 3 Olympic gold medals. As Cassius Clay, Ali also won the gold medal in 1960:







Stevenson had a punch so lethal, that he could knock a man down with a single blow. The speed of Ali, the power of George Foreman, Stevenson would've been a difficult opponent to defeat.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

Why of course it would be Manny Pacquiao for me.



http://www.etravelpilipinas.com/philippine_news/images/Manny-Pacquiao-Knocked-Out-Ricky-Hatton.jpg">



I don't enjoy boxing and watch two people punch each other until they have battered faces and eyes too swollen they are shut. Dreadful. However, I followed Pacquiao because he was making my fellowmen and women proud when he was defeating his opponents abroad.



I vaguely recall Muhammad Ali but remember the time he got my Dad excited during his fight in the Philippines which was called "The Thrilla in Manila." I never followed him though and was not a fan really but I respected the fact he made a change from Cassius Marcellus Clay (named after the abolitionist with the very same name) to Muhammad Ali. I never understood it at the time but thought the man was entitled to pursue his heart's desire.



May he rest in peace.

[Anonymous]

Why of course it would be Manny Pacquiao for me.



http://www.etravelpilipinas.com/philippine_news/images/Manny-Pacquiao-Knocked-Out-Ricky-Hatton.jpg">



I don't enjoy boxing and watch two people punch each other until they have battered faces and eyes too swollen they are shut. Dreadful. However, I followed Pacquiao because he was making my fellowmen and women proud when he was defeating his opponents abroad.



I vaguely recall Muhammad Ali but remember the time he got my Dad excited during his fight in the Philippines which was called "The Thrilla in Manila." I never followed him though and was not a fan really but I respected the fact he made a change from Cassius Marcellus Clay (named after the abolitionist with the very same name) to Muhammad Ali. I never understood it at the time but thought the man was entitled to pursue his heart's desire.



May he rest in peace.

Manny Pacquiao is not a heavyweight though.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

I'm not considering what weight they are because to me they are all boxers and since I don't follow boxing, I have no idea what their categories are. It's all the same to me.

[JOE]

Manny isn't a heavyweight, so he can't really be compared with Muhammed Ali.



However, in his last fight with American Floyd Mayweather, I felt that the judging was heavilly biased against Pacquiao in favor of the hometown boy. The result should have declared invalid because Mayweather constantly avoided his opponent by running away from him. Mayweather copied Ali's movies by trying to replicate his footwork and dancing moves. But one thing Ali never did, was actually run away from his opponents. When it came down to slugging it out, at least Ali would engage them.



Mayweather's performance was an exhibition in cowardice. And its demonstrated why the rules of boxing need a drastic overhaul. How about limiting a boxer's 'step back' to just one step. Enough to get away from/dodge the opponent but not to run away. -1 point for every extra step taken back. Call it 'running' like they call 'travelling' in basketball for too many steps taken while holding the ball. I watched fight and noticed that Mayweather took as many as 4 quick steps to avoid Pacquiao's punches. He didn't 'dance'. He ran away from him. What a joke.



If that fight was judged solely on pure boxing skills, Pacquiao should've won. Btw, I'm no fan of his, never really liked him much, however as a detached unbiased observer, thought that fight was a sham. Mayweather is a disgrace to professional boxing and if the promoters really wanna save the sport, they should change the rules so it would force the boxers to box, rather than run away from their opponents.

Why of course it would be Manny Pacquiao for me.



http://www.etravelpilipinas.com/philippine_news/images/Manny-Pacquiao-Knocked-Out-Ricky-Hatton.jpg">



I don't enjoy boxing and watch two people punch each other until they have battered faces and eyes too swollen they are shut. Dreadful. However, I followed Pacquiao because he was making my fellowmen and women proud when he was defeating his opponents abroad.



I vaguely recall Muhammad Ali but remember the time he got my Dad excited during his fight in the Philippines which was called "The Thrilla in Manila." I never followed him though and was not a fan really but I respected the fact he made a change from Cassius Marcellus Clay (named after the abolitionist with the very same name) to Muhammad Ali. I never understood it at the time but thought the man was entitled to pursue his heart's desire.



May he rest in peace.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

I don't care. To me they are all just boxers.

[JOE]

I don't care. To me they are all just boxers.

Pacquiao should've won the last fight, and at one point was pummelling the American Mayweather into the ropes. But mayweather successfully deployed his 'run/duck/hide' method, and the homeboys gave the decesion to him.



I remember those other great boxers in Pacquaio's weight class. Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. They would've whupped Mayweathers ass and put 'em in his place as the great big phony he really is.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

I agree with that. He's phony and anyone who saw that match knew who really won.

[JOE]

I agree with that. He's phony and anyone who saw that match knew who really won.

In this video compilation, Mayweather appears to run 3 or 4 steps away to avoid Pacquaio's jabs: