Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest boxers ever stepping into a ring. Ali is part of any discussion on who the most outstanding fighter should have been. His impact on the fight game has been unquestionable.
Ali's charming personality, lightning-fast hands and belief in the righteous changed our perception of the sport. Many people ask Ali about his legacy, which is so timeless. They also wonder how Ali would do against modern-day Heavyweight champions.
This could include a match against Mike Tyson, British Heavyweight Anthony Joshua, current Heavyweight champions Tyson Fury, and Oleksandr Usyk. It isn't easy to find objective measures that can compare these fighters. It isn't easy to find objective criteria to compare these fighters. The best approach is to focus on a boxer's three most essential aspects: speed, power and Stamina.
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Muhammad Ali Vs. Tyson Fury
One of the most critical questions is what Ali will do against the reigning heavyweight champion. Fury is the current holder of one of the belts and has been retiring for the past period (referring to 2022). Fury is undoubtedly the most famous boxer in boxing, thanks to his stellar career and fantastic story.
Speed
Fury is known for being a man who can move exceptionally well for his size. This is probably a comparison of 2 of the most potent heavyweights ever to boxing. He is a big man but can move his head and feet well.
However, just because you can move well doesn't mean you can keep up with Ali. Although it may still seem pretty even in head movement and strength, Ali was lighter on his feet when he fought the backfoot.
How do they compare regarding hand speed, head movement and footwork? Ali is the winner of this one. Ali had a lightning-fast straight and a blistering jab. The one-two was a flush hit before any opponent even considered blocking it.
Fury's reach advantage would be lost if Ali used his speed to Fury's advantage. Fury is a class apart when it comes to hand speed. Ali deserves credit. He uses his jab well and has an incredible pace. He uses his hands for the confusion... feint, feint and boom, the quickfire jab hits.
It would have been great to see the two of them match up. Fury wouldn't be used to Ali's speed, having never fought someone with similar hand speed. Fury would have to bully Ali just like Wilder in their final bout. Ali cannot frankly say that Fury has ever fought him.
Fury had more power than Foreman, but Foreman was still a weakling. Liston is the same. Both fighters would be able to step into uncharted territory at the very least. Ali wins the speed battle by looking at footwork and hand speed.
Power
Power is an entirely different game. None of these fighters were primarily known for their power. Fury is a skilled boxer who can beat opponents. Ali, the charming boxer, was similar in this regard. He showed us that boxing could be more art than we thought. A look at the statistics can be helpful when considering power.
Fury has entered the ring 33 times as a professional. Fury won 32 of 33 of his fights, while he only drew one. He won 32 contests and was victorious on 23 occasions. This gave him a 72% KO percentage. Ali, however, managed 56 wins and five losses. Ali won 37 fights via KO, which gave him a 66% KO percentage.
Ok, so the stats didn't help much. The percentages are not significantly different; Ali fought nearly 30 more fights than Fury. Power will not be an advantage for either fighter. Consider the difference in size. Ali was 220 lbs throughout his entire life.
Fury, who was 265 pounds heavier than Fury for his last bout against Dillian Whyte, now seems like a cruiserweight. Fury could make use of his weight, as I mentioned before. This is a common strategy for prominent fighters. They lean on their opponents and often clinch to try to pin them down. This reduces the size of the fighter and is where the heavier guy takes advantage.
Both Ali and Fury are not known for their solid or weak chins. One question is: how do both fighters take power when they are so evenly matched in strength? Fury has suffered a few losses early in his career. He was knocked down four times in his fight against the Bronzebomber later in his career. Fury won every battle and could get up for each of the four.
On the other hand, Ali was never knocked out throughout his career. Ali was knocked out on four occasions. The most notable is his defeat against Joe Frazier in "The fight of the century!" Fury should win the title, even though he has a slight power advantage. He is the physicality champion, even though he may have a slight edge in size.
Stamina
Another problematic comparison is Stamina. A fury is a big man with a strong frame, but he has never been fatigued or lost in fights. He boxed 12 rounds against Klitschko and Wilder and never stopped. Is it possible that he has ever had to deal with Ali's pace? The answer is obvious.
Ali was a fast fighter, and it is hard to imagine that any heavyweight today could keep up with him. Ali was not only a fast fighter but also threw quick hands. After taking several heavy shots, Ali slowed down his fights with Frazier. Frazier began to chase Ali as he floated like a butterfly and was stinging like bees as soon as the second breath hit.
Ali's 15-round fight experience is what ultimately gives him the stamina battle. Modern boxing allows for fights to last no more than 12 rounds. Ali was able to fight for a maximum of 12 games. Ali needed to be more fit for 15-round fights and training for them.
Speed and Stamina go for Ali, but the power goes to Fury. In a close split decision, .... was declared the winner. Ali!
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