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1. The quality of opponents he faced, knocked out, beat on points, and/or avenged losses to.

   

      Ali beat Joe Frazier twice, the second victory by way of TKO. He beat Ken Norton twice. He knocked out and TKO'd power punchers George Foreman, Ernie Shavers, Ron Lyle, Sonny Liston, Oscar Bonavena, and Cleveland Williams (All opponents who boasted stronger punching power than Ali himself).  Ali defeated Terrell, Liston, Foreman, Frazier, Norton, Patterson, Ellis, Moore, and Spinks, all of whom had held the heavyweight/light heavyweight title during their careers. That's a total of 9 champions defeated by Muhammad Ali. He never ducked or dodged a fight with a legitimate contender.

 

2. Defense

     

     His defensive style of fighting is unmatched. His ability to detect and slip punches with fast head movements, footwork, and consistent movement bewildered heavier punchers and flat-footed boxers who would either tire themselves out by chasing him or by throwing their hardest punches and missing.

 

 

3. Accomplishments

     

      He won the title a record number of 3 times during his career. Once against Liston, 10 years later vs. Foreman, and again 4 years afterwards vs. Spinks. Unheard of in the realm of heavyweight boxing. He was also an Olympic gold medalist.

4. Speed
 
     Ali would punish opponents often hitting them with punches at a ratio of 5 to 1. Most of these punches connected with the opponent’s head as Ali seldom threw body punches.

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5. Superb Conditioning and Strong Chin

     

     Ali worked as hard as he boasted and was able to outlast bigger and stronger opponents until the latter rounds. Oftentimes, they would lose steam and he would  overwhelm them with a heavy dose of punishment to win the fight. He was knocked down by left hooks from Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper, Sonny Banks and Chuck Wepner; afterwards, of which he wasted no time lifting himself off the canvas and continuing to win all the above fights except the 1st vs. Frazier in Madison Square Garden. He could also endure severe punishment to his body. Ali was never knocked out to the count of ten.

 

 

6. Style, Influence, and Innovation

     

     He revolutionized the fight game with his brash personality, scientific approach, and unorthodox style that has been widely emulated by fighters of every generation since he retired.

 

7. Longevity 

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     Ali fought professionally from 1960 until he retired in 1981. 21 years in the ring is amazing. He held the title for the last time from 1974 at the age of 32 until retiring in 1980 at the age of 38. Even in his mid to late thirties, he still exhibited superior boxing ability and was able to outlast, out-maneuver, and out-class up and coming fighters.

 

8. Performance after Lay-off

   

      From 1967 until late 1970, Ali was inactive in professional boxing due to being stripped of his title and boxing license for refusing induction into the draft during the Vietnam War. He was off a total of 3 years and 7 months, yet he still beat the number one contender Jerry Quarry convincingly setting up a title bout with Frazier in his first fight back from his hiatus.

9. Psychological Warfare

     

     Ali was a master at out-smarting, out-maneuvering and tricking his opponents. He consistently forced other fighters into ill-advised punches where he would counter swiftly and accurately. He would tie his opponents up in the trenches and make them struggle to get loose which would wear many of them out physically. He would stand up between rounds while his opponents sat thereby injecting them with doubts that they could last through fifteen rounds. This would motivate them to try and take him out early- a feat which would frustrate and exhaust them more- as catching Ali with a solid punch was a very difficult undertaking given his hand speed, boxing knowledge, superior condition, and footwork.

 

 

10. His Stance for Black America and against Vietnam

     

      No athlete past or present has boasted charisma, courage, athletic superiority and social significance/influence like the Greatest himself. He transcended the game of boxing by willingly giving it up before betraying Black America or fighting and killing Vietnamese in what many called the most tragic, bloody, and unjust war in American history. His courage and nobility are unmatched in sports. Only Paul Robeson has come close.

-Ian Blake is Behavioral Science major, artist/activist, Chicago Hip Hop pioneer, and freelancer who writes web content, ad copy, poetry/prose, songs, and much more.