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5 reasons Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer of all time

By Dave Stevenson

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Sarah Foster, 21, looks at a signed 'Float like a butterfly sting like a bee' robe worn by Ali's cornerman Bundini Brown at the 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight - at the preview of the 'I Am The Greatest' Muhammad Ali exhibition on March 3, 2016 in London, England. The exhibition showcases the life and career of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali and features over more than 100 artefacts including personal memorabilia, unseen footage and photographs. It is open to the public from Friday March 4, 2016 at the O2 in London. (Photo by Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Sarah Foster, 21, looks at a signed 'Float like a butterfly sting like a bee' robe worn by Ali's cornerman Bundini Brown at the 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight - at the preview of the 'I Am The Greatest' Muhammad Ali exhibition on March 3, 2016 in London, England. The exhibition showcases the life and career of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali and features over more than 100 artefacts including personal memorabilia, unseen footage and photographs. It is open to the public from Friday March 4, 2016 at the O2 in London. (Photo by Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images /

5. His dominance

Ali wasn’t the destroyer and tank that Tyson was at his best, but in his own unique way, Ali was extremely dominant. He was the absolute best at what he did — and he knew it. Ali could slug with the powerhouses. He could dance circles around anybody. Perhaps nobody could take as much punishment as he could and no heavyweight could dodge punches like The Great One.

Muhammad Ali finished with a professional record of 56-5, including 39 knockouts. He also won a gold medal during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Three of his five losses came during his final four bouts. Outside of his last three fights, the only two boxers who beat him were Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, two of the greatest boxers ever. He still retired with two wins against Norton and two wins against Frazier. No one else can say that.

Ali was a rare combination of speed, strength and intelligence. Factoring in that he even lost some of his best years in the ring because of his refusal to participate in the Vietnam War, Ali was arguably the most dominant boxer of all time. His 56 wins are impressive for a boxer with such great competition. Even Marciano never got to 56 wins. That’s saying something considering how amazing Marciano was.

Next: 4. Three-time champion

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