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Old 12-03-2008, 05:58 AM   #159
djday45
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,502
Cassius Clay (An early career Ali)

As requested is an early carrer Ali. In the game currently I would advise if you know the fighter well enough to make a seperate rating for there less experianced version, It seems to me that the ratings changes at beginning and pre prime can be very harsh in their reductions and as they seem to be almost random in what they choose to effect I would use them very sparingly.

Now Ali is not your normal boxing novice as he had got a large amount of amateur experience (A gold medal for example) and his handlers seemed very, very confident in his abilities (agreeing to fight Miteff in only his 9th bout for example).

I would use this rating until he actually fights for the title against whoever that may be and on that night use his prime rating I gave before. He seemed to come of age that night and remember before he was still quite lightly regarded by most experts and not given much hope against Liston.

If I dont mention a ratig use the prime rating above.

STRATERGIES - Reduce them all down by one he was still learning the ropes tactically.

CLINCHING -67. Degraded two, Obviously he moved greatly in his early career but this represents him perfecting his style of stinging once he got to his championship reign.

DRAW POWER - 6. Degraded four. Ali only became the huge draw and superstar he was later, some would say much later, at the moment Clay is considered more a draw because many people hate him so much and want to see him beaten up lol. dont forget how unpopular he was in some parts at this time, it still generated box office but Ali went on a huge changing arc of perception with the public.

CONDITIONING -2. Improved one. He was more disciplined as Clay and you should improve the rating accordingly, Dont give him a one however there were still many distractions in that camp.

INTELLECT -8. Degraded two, This just represents he got better with seasoning and experience.

CONTROL VS BOXER AND SLUGGER -Degrade both by two. Again this shows his control of fights could be challenged at this age ala Jones and Cooper.

CHIN VS KNOCKDOWN -2. Degraded one, Slightly more vulnerable in this era as Cooper showed, not because of his chin but because he took more chances, and he was not quite as defensively sound as in his prime years, tuck that chin in Cassius!

ENDURANCE - 9. Degraded one, As with most young fighters they should take a small hit here until they learn to pace themselves at the higher number of rounds.

DEFENSE -4. Degraded one step, Im of the firm believer that Ali did almost everything wrong defensively if you look at traditional boxing defensive techniques. He ignored them, instead he did things that lesser athletes would have been crusified if they had tried, such as leaning away from punches and there hands dangling by their sides to name but two. Ali made this work because he had prob the best natural reactions in heavyweight history. At this stage of his career he takes a hit here because he was still perfecting the style and sometimes got caught.

FIGHT ON ROPES -1. Degraded one step, Clay had not yet perfected his rope a dope, he didnt need to.

HITTING POWER - 5. Degraded two steps, Clay had not fully learned to harness his power yet and set down on his punches so was still going ten rounds with guys like he shudnt. He will still take out the vast majority of guys especially as they will be weaker competition but hopefully one of two will surprise and go the distance.

COUNTERPUNCHING -42. Degraded one step, clay at this stage was quite a undisiplined counterer and this reflects this, he still releid just on his reflexes not experience.

PUNCHES MISSED -62. Degraded two steps. This reflects not lesser accuracy but that he tended to flick his punches in the early days especially the jab without any real intent.

OVERALL RATING -13. Down two, He wills till be far two much for nearly everyone in this era but hopefully every now and then a Jones result will occur and he will get a scare.
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