Fansided

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: Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images /

4. Three-time champion

Only one boxer has ever won three lineal heavyweight championships. That boxer? Muhammad Ali. No boxer was better in title fights than the man who floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. He defended the lineal title 10 consecutive times until his loss to Leon Spinks. Ali even beat him in a rematch to get his third and final lineal championship.

A boxer’s success is determined by his championships and his triumphs over the best of the best. If that is the case, virtually nobody can stand up to Ali, especially when one considers how Ali never ducked the best talent. As a champion, he would challenge anybody and anyone who wanted his championship. That makes him arguably the best and truest champion of all time.

Who knows how many championships he could have won or defended had the best years of his boxing career not been taken away from him? The fact that Ali was able to come back and take what was rightfully his by beating Jerry Quarry in 1970 shows how great he was when the stakes were the highest. That is the mark of a legendary champion — arguably the best champion of all time not just in boxing, but in any sport.

Next: 3. Float like a butterfly .. .

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