For sure I had to learn to conserve my energy in Muay Thai. You want to be explosive and evasive and all that stuff until you reach round 3, realize its hot as fuck because you're in Thailand and your body is like you got the first 2 rounds let him have this one.
I actually cried :( Ali was the world 1st jedi! there isn't a boxer in history that could've beaten him the night he humiliated Cleveland Williams! (who by the way was a MONSTER puncher)
When I was a kid, my mum and dad would let me cut school so I could watch Ali fight. I am happy he had a fabulous life, left a fabulous legacy and I think he was a great hero for me as a young fellow growing up. His superlative courage in fighting for civil rights though is what lifted him head and shoulders over the hysteria of the time. He stood up against the neurotic war machine and was vindicated.
You mean by giving speeches at KKK rallies on the separation of the race for the NOI? Perhaps his Playboy interview where he stated if a black woman is seen with a white man. They should both be shot dead? If you doubt the validity of these statements feel free to look them up. There is video as well. I don't receive notifications. So enjoy talking to yourself.
James Mccorkle he was Muslim in a time where Malcom x was popular if you know anything about Malcom x you would know why Ali said these things, don’t play stupid.
James Mccorkle don’t be stupid. Ali didn’t believe that for most of his life. Only when he was young and brainwashed by the NOI. Even then, he was just responding to the extreme racism of the time. Like the other poster said, don’t pretend that you don’t know all of this. And later Ali left the NOI and became a loving Sufi Muslim who loved all colors and even saved the life of a White man who was about to commit suicide. Ali is one of my most treasured heroes.
Ali’s technique cannot be taught. As you rightly mentioned, it’s highly unconventional and unorthodox. He was a genius. Trying to copy a genius ends up in a gross caricature. Loved your musical example to Ali’s timing. Thank you for this video!
A lot of what Ali did was just plain wrong in a technical aspect, and that's probably why fighters before him didn't do those things, and fighters that came after Ali hadn't done them as well, because fighting like Ali will get you a pancaked face if you're not The Greatest himself. There's not replicating Ali. Off course, I understand the purpose of these videos is not to show how to replicate those fighters, but rather appreciate the genius of what they did (or do). Awesome videos, awesome channel.
I can't begin to imagine how many amateurs tried to replicate this. He had this so tight down it looks as he is careless yet you can't land on him! Of course that changed quite a bit on the second half of his career. "Liston era Ali" would have not lost to Fraiser. Too fast.
Yeah throughout his career, he has taken a lot of heavy blows to the body and to the head. Only reason he didnt go down easily is because of his heart. He is the peoples champ.
Absolutely correct. For any other fighter, it's damn near impossible to replicate Ali's style. But this is what makes it interesting to see how other fighters incorporate these patterns into their own style. Case in point is Dominick Cruz, in my view one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever. He has very successfully applied the shuffle, the head duck, and the arhythmic jab into his MMA game. Conventional wisdom would say he's a fool to do that. But hey, this is what great men do, defy the norm while the naysayers talk.
That's a lot of dancing around in the ring. That's not realistic for most heavyweights trying to take a 12 3min round fight in the ring. And Ali fought back when there were 15 fucking rounds.
@@jasontodd6779 Peak human. He was a lot like Bruce Lee in terms of stamina, but he was a heavyweight. At one point, he and Bruce even worked together and learned some techniques off each other to become better.
Good video, shows why Ali did not have the knockout ratio of a lot of the great fighters. He punished opponents, but was seldom grounded enough to generate the power needed to KO. His overhand right counter had power though.
DA S ...not really... He had a very healthy tko ratio...his tactic was not to brawl n punch into the head n skull brutishly...he snake licked...jabs...which went full on the flesh bits of the face...a few of those...n EVERY tko virtually...had fighters who had puffy eyes like squished tomatoes... N could not see...game over...
Ali never seeks KO , i always feel that he enjoys punishing his opponent , he enjoys dancing in the ring , i never felt that he wants to end the game .
Muhammad Ali is the reason I’m looking into Ballet and other dance classes too 👀 I didn’t believe it at first but now seeing how he flutters around the ring it all makes sense
Nearly all other boxers were taught conventional boxing techniques, but Muhammad Ali was not a conventional boxer! So, when confronted with his own unique style, other boxers did not know how to address it. Ali's style worked magnificently for Ali, and virtually no one else. When you combine speed, razor sharp jabs, and uniqueness of skill you have a wickedly successful winning strategy.
I love how apollo imitates him in the rocky movies. Rocky 3 is my absolute favorite. That scene when apollo is teaching rocky footwork...Ali's footwork..........priceless!
I use the same technique I probably picked up from him to set up a left hook as I put my weight on my lead left. creates maximum impact on the chin of the opponent. his unorthodox style is amazing but dangerous.
Yeah it got him in trouble when he got older and lost some mobility. A lot of his style relied on being faster than his opponent, so I hope you have a fast hook! haha He ended up becoming a master of the clinch and defensive infighting though, so even as he lost speed he overcame that with strategy.
What is amazing about Ali , is his will to not give up. Even when he got older , his metal strength would carry him to the end of the fight for the win. Ali would metaly break you down...figure out your style....use his footwork and timing to just wear you down. It was a thing of pure beauty ... it was an art work !
A young Ali was a thing of beauty floating around that ring. I know Heavyweights were a bit lighter back then but he moved like a welterweight/light middleweight...still blows me away...Peace.
Ali's jab was actually pretty intuitive and easy to replicate, essentially, if you relax, abandon concepts such as guard and form and just let your body throw out the left fist at a target as fast and as powerfully as you can without stepping forward, then you're doing exactly what Ali does most of the time. The trick is to tie that with everything else Ali brings, the movement etc. It's a long tall fighter's strategy, he can keep the range the way he wants it but has to be able to flurry offensively if his opponent tries to encroach upon that range. Ali struggles the most with fighters who crush the range of his jab.
Eddie Futch once said, "Ali doesn't do everything well, but he's fast, hard to catch, hard to hit, and his chin and heart are superb - underestimate those and you've put yourself in harm's way!"
I had the pleasure of meeting him twice on different times at the Miami airport. What a beautiful physic he had, and what an athletic body. He was off by himself so as not to be seen. He was very quiet and soft spoken. I managed to get his autograph the first time, quite a thrill for a 22 year old kid.
How can Ali not be the greatest boxer or at least the greatest HW boxer of all time??? This is Boxing not Rockem Sockem robots. Do you know how much practice it takes to do what Ali does, especially as a HW, how he's able to use his speed, defense, footwork. Being a heavyweight is not about just power, power can only bring you so far, i can name 10 HW's who has power on top of my head, but can you name 10 HW's who were actually technical as far as boxing goes?? Ali don't just go for the kill, he studies you, mentally break you, outlast you, start punishing you until you can't take it anymore. Ali was never a KO artist, but the precision and timing in his punches make up for his power.That's just his fighting style, i didn't even talk about the chin, heart, and toughness Ali had.
You are right on point sir. I will briefly add... Chin: before the suspension and having the title stripped from him it was hard for anyone to even land on him.. after the comeback he got up from Frasier trademark hook, fought with a broken jaw against Norton, and withstood Big George Foreman's best shots. Heart: He was all heart he never once looked like a quiting type in any situation in and out of the ring. Toughness: these where 15 round bouts with opponents with no weight limit and probably the hardest punchers on the planet and he surpassed them all in endurance and ring IQ it's hard to even compare him in toughness to other champions or any athlete/sportsperson for that matter.
Yes, Lee did box when he was young... however, I do think most of his fighting style as an adult was based on his studies of boxing greats like Ali, Robinson, and Dempsey.
You see, different people have different body structure. Muhammad Ali can do his dancing footwork, keep his hands down low and flicker jab from the waist level because at he's a tall guy (6'3") with long reach. Can you imagine a bulky Mike Tyson who stands 5'10" or 5'11" Rocky Marciano doing the same in a fight?
@@AbitCoD Ali wasn't super tall and Leonard was not short at all FOR HIS DIVISION either. In the end, you agree with the OP: a short or barely average guy would get killed using Ali's style.
My homework hero. Copied a lot of his footwork and incorporated it with my TKD when I competed and fought. It’s fantastic for setting up a lot of explosive kicks since you are always moving, bouncing to the left and throwing a job to bring up the hands opens up for the el gapo special ie liver kick.
I saw comments here that speak to Mr. Ali being "wrong" technically. And I saw comments that spoke to adapting and many people not having the physical tools to do what Mr. Ali did at an unparalleled level. But I even more so appreciate the fact that some people spoke to the combination of talent and practice it takes to be able to do such things seemingly effortlessly. My martial arts instructor used to talk about it all the time but he would compare the performance to Michael Jordan. Basically, one can train like Michael Jordan. One can practice like Michael Jordan. And one may find success in many ways doing so. But that doesn't mean that person will be anywhere close to as successful as Mr. Jordan himself. Please understand that Mr. Ali - like many all time greats - started boxing in his early teens. He worked at his craft for YEARS. One can get to a point where one understands the orthodox and moves outside of it. Buuuuuuuuuttttt, many people don't put in the work it takes to acquire the level of comprehension before doing so. Was Mr. Ali athletically gifted? ABSOLUTELY. But he was also incredibly technical, precise, and prepared. He knew his opponents front to back top to bottom. He trained to prepare for them meticulously. And he still found ways to use his style as he did so. That really speaks to a level of comprehension and adaptability that is hard to express fully. Adapting and evolving and taking things to another level are signs of a great competitor AND a great artist. Mr. Ali was both. I cannot write about him without also pointing out his tremendous courage and sacrifice. He inspired generations and fought for equality. He had his missteps and he made his mistakes. But wow, what a life well-lived.
Very well said. Ali knew boxing from top to bottom. He mastered all the styles. Knew all the orthoxies. Out of all that he created his singular style. There's no other way.
Excellent analysis! You got it right. down to the count on his moves! 😎 For sure it can be applied to the martial arts! Bruce used to study Ali,s footwork.
excellent work, thanks for the vid! RIP Ali Slow-mo would help breakdown his slip and inside slip - master at defense. Continuing with the musician's backbeat analogy; He seemed to posses 4-way independence. Like a jazz drummer who can do whatever he wants at any time with any of 4 limbs. Like rubbing your belly and patting your head- then switching seamlessly. Repeat at will without thinking, just muscle memory. Then add feet. ...Then do what you need to do while a guy wants to kill you, in a relaxed state able to react.
This video is the greatest breakdown on this technique. I have found it incredibly useful. I must have watched it about 30 times in the past 4 months. I am hanging onto the edge of my seat waiting for the next one(s) (The more the better) I absolutely beg of you to do more.
Appreciate your work. Very smart analysis. A philosopher once said a truly great person is someone who reminds us of no one else --that's Ali. Ali is compared to no other boxer, but boxers are compared to him. Ali is to boxing what dark matter is to the universe. Beautiful, but virtually impossible to comprehend. Ali from 64-67 was in another dimension and going even deeper until he was stripped. Most fighters were using Newtonian and Einsteinian physics principles and that was good. But Ali was using quantum mechanics and string theory principles. Ali's opponents were baffled. As we were too. Of course, unlike Ali's opponents we were mesmerized by the sheer genius and beauty of Ali's dance with the universe. Obviously, Ali's fighting style was singular, but it's amazing how the game changes when you get hit hard and your ass is on the ground. Ali went up against many bombers, but they could never find him, and usually looked foolish trying too. Ali made the best fighters in the world look ordinary. Things changed when Ali came back from exile. Gone were the reflexes and footwork from another world. He had to fight like any other fighter. He understood this. He no longer had the physical tools to "dance with the universe". He had to play by earth rules. He had to take massive punishment to accomplish his goals. In many ways, this Ali showed what he was made of. He was all heart and will.
OK, at 14 I like many fighters tried Ali's style, in practice I was brilliant, felt like my hero, in the ring is worked, moving and popping guys with jab and crossing, however once a guy reached me it was disasterous, I didn't possess Ali's ability to move my head, not as good anyways, and BAM, guys would nail me. They say Ali ruined a generation of boxers, very true, he did EVERYTHING WRONG, kept his hands low, moved away from punches instead of slipping, was a head hunter, but the fact that he did everything wrong freaked out his opponents who trained for traditional fighters, Ali is the same as Tyson in a way, Tyson would come in with great elusiveness, get inside an opponents long arms and they were all his, Ali disarmed his opponents by staying away. Eventually I moved to a more of a Larry Holmes, stand in front, guard up, heavy jab right cross. Angelo Dundee, right before the Doug Jones fight convinced Ali to put his guard up, and Ali almost lost that fight, as they say ONLY ALI COULD DO ALI MOVES, do not try it at home people it will be a DISASTER, Ali used that style from 12 years on with the greatest reflexes and speed ever witnessed.
Stamina, Ali had an insane amount of stamina to the point that he fought Joe Frazier for more than 12 rounds. And whilst doing this insane footwork, fast flurries and taking an insane amount of damage from fighters like Norton, Frazier and Foreman. The man is a damned beast, best of the best.
Thanks David! Enjoyed the video, earned my subscription! I particularly enjoyed the mix of showing him doing it himself, your demonstration, and the modern application, including kicks. Keep up the good work my friend! :D Happy training. :)
i was with Angelo in the 90s at Pembroke Pines.. another key ingredient not mentioned here, is that Ali's entire sequence works off the continuous momentum that carries through it.
He kept saying that , he was entertaining , he won some unexpected fights , he did good things outside the ring and people liked him.....and people also started saying him greatest....
Good job guys, I'm a ex boxer and one of those guys who can tell you any fighters record, who they fought, etc a real freak. I have to say you guys are pretty right and am enjoying your videos.
I find it amazing that he could generate speed and power over a 78" reach with only toes planted on the lead foot. If you stop the video at the point of impact, you can see his lead foot is barely planted, and a big no-no of any any boxing technique - he is leaning way far out. It is more like a flick than a real jab. And yet those flick did the damage. He may have conned his opponents into thinking that there is no real power in these so no point in slipping and trying to avoid it. Would be interesting to get an unbiased perspective of a boxer on the receiving end.
Faizulla Khan a small window of forward movement at the apex of the jab, which means the jab also hits with a straight arm right at the point of most forward momentum. It is so small of a movement that you’d think there is no power behind the punch. However a straight arm and 150+ lb of forward movement at apex can generate 2-3 times of impact of a non moving jab... get hit with this enough times and you’d be in trouble. Especially getting hit in the eye multiple times.
'Would be interesting to get an unbiased perspective of a boxer on the receiving end.' I forget his name but one of his opponents said: 'I thought to myself I can take a few of these jabs to get through. As the fight went on, I was getting dizzier and dizzier.'
God bless you and thank you David Christian for this excellent analysis of the “Ali Shuffle”. I’m a switch hitter boxer (southpaw and orthodox) with an excellent jab. I’m an outside fighter, and I am always in a state of learning as a boxer. I also bought your book, Aggressive Defense. Thank you for all your outstanding instruction my brother. 😎🔥 🥊🥊🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💖✝️
your point about the half step timing is exactly correct. The great Fred Astaire tapped in counter point to the song On the half beat. amazing how it works as art or combat
I'm obsessed wth this video and have been studying it whilst i'm injured. I can't wait to try it out and for you to upload more content on Ali's footwork and technique.
I've gotten so many requests for more Ali. I promise there will be more videos on him. I have a video on McGregor's left hand coming out this week, and after that I have 2 more videos planned. I'm thinking of doing a full breakdown on Ali right after those. It will be very thorough, covering how he threw the other punches from this circling pattern and how he fought at medium and close range. He didn't just stand there and get punched in the fight with Foreman, he used some really unique techniques to absorb and deflect punches that I plan on going into. I'm glad you enjoyed the video so much and I hope you get better soon!
His striking was also great , along with his slip defenses. He seemed to either come from out of the periphery, or or from straight on with absolutely no tell.
There was a mutual admiration between Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali that changed both men. Bruce intensely studied Ali's footwork, cadence and jab. Ali was rumored to have also admired Bruce's quickness combined with devastating power and off-time cadence Sugar Ray Leonard studied and borrowed much from both of these men. It was Marvin Hagler, however, that seemed to employ the most of Bruce Lee's theories with his effortless back-and-forth from righty to southpaw. If both had met in their prime, it would've been the fight of the decade - particularly after The War and ¡No Mas, as they both employed the best of Ali and Lee with their own approaches to similar concepts & techniques
ali used to practice tae kwon do. thats why his foot work was so dynamic. his jab looks alot like bruce lees jab and mcgregor who also does tkd training uses the ali shuffle step.
I'm 55, old fogey, been out of shape, my hips give me gip, loved Ali when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, took up taekwondo several weeks ago just to get fitter and more supple, get my creaking joints into shape. Good to know Ali practised taekwondo. There's hope for me yet :)
Rusiru Munasingha no ali trained with jhoon ree look it up. theres an interveiw where ali talks about tkd training before a fight here on youtube. would you like me to postvtge link?
when i watch this all im thinking is ali was just a master at being himself. he was accustomed to perfecting HIS craft! like he was doing things only HE can do.
Bro how can say that he was self-proclaimed are you okay dude .He wasn't the greatest boxer but the Greatest Athlete in the world after all .R.I.P Legend,The Best &The Greatest.Dude stop messing with the wrong person. Float like a butterfly 🦋 Sting like a bee 🐝. R.I.P once again Mohammed Ali Clay .🥊🥇
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Thanks for the words. I found it very interesting. I saw him train for an hour in '65 for the Liston fight in Lewiston. You clearly know your stuff. Glad you are on my side !!
Im loving your analysis you have it broken down into such a science , I think the best fighters are the ones who can figure out it can watch footage with a person like you to figure out the best technique to beat each fighter and to improve themselves. maybe some of the people who take losses that used to be a very top notch champ needs to have a person like yourself who can analyze things and come up with a brush solution,i guess a lot can't do that after a certain point and maybe they just can't change their style enough once someone has the combination
As a Kentuckian I'm super proud to call him a family member...it's a somewhat distant relation but I'll hold it dear...the entire family are amazing people and he is an unbelievable athlete...but who he was outside the ring is what makes him the giant he is and always will be
Nicoll Mc no it’s advanced techniques that may work for you..And not to be ignored. There’s the bread and butter then there’s your own recipe added and changed everyday in all combat sports. You know better than your coach does at some stage when something consistently works for you ✌🏽
Kal AH true I'm boxing 2 years already, and when I start to learned the basic,after couple of months I start to feel not correct when I'm sparring because just following the steps that you learn it don't helps you any more and don't makes any sense! After 4 months I guess I start to put my hands down little not always but most of the time and I discover that my head movement was insane and at the same time fun to make ppl get frustrating..after couple of training this way my coach says stop doing what you are doing I say thanks for the basics you guys learned me but from here and gonna just mastering on my way..because at the end you are the only one gonna fight or sparring and not your coach..learn the basic end MAKE something from it this what I learned from boxing..
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE IS SUCH MY HERO(mind u, I wasn't old enough to see him "live"), BUT watching him dance then dart n w/that jab is the prettiest fighting I've ever seen. Supposedly such a brutal sport, but I could watch an ALI sequence in slo-mo ALL DAY!!
Here's the crazy thing about Ali's footwork. and I could be wrong but what I see is Ali just jump roping around the ring without a jump rope. A beautiful master and He sho was great wasn't he??? RIP to THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!
I don't think people realize that he had to be in tremendous shape to keep moving around the ring like that for 15 rounds while throwing punches.
Your statement should have 1 million likes. Most UNDERRATED statement on RUclips.
For sure I had to learn to conserve my energy in Muay Thai. You want to be explosive and evasive and all that stuff until you reach round 3, realize its hot as fuck because you're in Thailand and your body is like you got the first 2 rounds let him have this one.
And as a heavyweight.. amazing
@@kevinsargent all sports needed energy
@@kenjieabellana4867 combat sports are a different beast dude.
I can't believe he's gone. RIP The Greatest of All Time.
ali just pass aways can u do a series on him as tribute please
Please do what Ryaan Asif said
please do one
May Allah bless him.
I actually cried :( Ali was the world 1st jedi! there isn't a boxer in history that could've beaten him the night he humiliated Cleveland Williams! (who by the way was a MONSTER puncher)
Float like a butterfly sting like a bee, his hands cant hit what his eyes cant see-RIP Muhammad Ali The Greatest of All Times!!!!!!!!
Yup i love that. Hearing that alot from my coach when we worked on non telegraphed punches
Rumble Young Man, Rumble! Aaaah!
❤absolutely CORRECT Rest in Peace Muhammad Ali you are GONE but not FORGOTTEN.
When I was a kid, my mum and dad would let me cut school so I could watch Ali fight. I am happy he had a fabulous life, left a fabulous legacy and I think he was a great hero for me as a young fellow growing up.
His superlative courage in fighting for civil rights though is what lifted him head and shoulders over the hysteria of the time. He stood up against the neurotic war machine and was vindicated.
You mean by giving speeches at KKK rallies on the separation of the race for the NOI? Perhaps his Playboy interview where he stated if a black woman is seen with a white man. They should both be shot dead? If you doubt the validity of these statements feel free to look them up. There is video as well. I don't receive notifications. So enjoy talking to yourself.
James Mccorkle he was Muslim in a time where Malcom x was popular if you know anything about Malcom x you would know why Ali said these things, don’t play stupid.
James Mccorkle don’t be stupid. Ali didn’t believe that for most of his life. Only when he was young and brainwashed by the NOI. Even then, he was just responding to the extreme racism of the time. Like the other poster said, don’t pretend that you don’t know all of this. And later Ali left the NOI and became a loving Sufi Muslim who loved all colors and even saved the life of a White man who was about to commit suicide. Ali is one of my most treasured heroes.
Your parents are coooool
Yeah, you had dope parents bro. that is so cool.
I hope you tell them how much you appreciate them, life is short.
Alright, take care brother!
That flurry at 0:11 is simply beautiful.
So many beautiful punches and faints at the same time
who is the opponent?
R.I.P Champ
Did Yujiro train him
@Everything you sure? The opponent got knocked down in that exact clip
Greatest foot work of all time.
Christopher Zertuche Emanuel Augustus is way better u don’t know boxing
Naaah Fam t qui ?
D'Mario 3rdEye 2000 t qui ?
SFIFA Agree but disagree. Ali and Loma are 1a and 1b. Two totally different Styles!
Manny Augustus was very underrated
Ali’s technique cannot be taught. As you rightly mentioned, it’s highly unconventional and unorthodox. He was a genius. Trying to copy a genius ends up in a gross caricature. Loved your musical example to Ali’s timing. Thank you for this video!
I'm not completely sure about this tho
@@jestfullgremblim8002 it’s extremely hard to reimagine how he fought fr cuz of his intelligence
@@TheRealTaolf what do you mean by reimagine? Did you mean to say "recreate"?
True, it cannot be taught, its embedded within...
Why not? Sugar ray Leonard in my opinion took Ali’s style and perfected it as we saw against duran
The worst thing about this channel, is there isn't enough videos! Great videos please keep them coming, subbed from me.
Hey I have a new Ali vid up, I'm letting everyone who requested one know! Check it out and LMK what you think.
when is ur future?
Quality over quantity
Watching Muhammad Ali fight is just so beautiful... He still remains my favorite boxer of all time.. I just don't think anyone can fight like him.
That's what jack said
It's nothing like mordern boxing, What Ali did on the ring fealt like dancing and fighting at the same time
A lot of what Ali did was just plain wrong in a technical aspect, and that's probably why fighters before him didn't do those things, and fighters that came after Ali hadn't done them as well, because fighting like Ali will get you a pancaked face if you're not The Greatest himself. There's not replicating Ali.
Off course, I understand the purpose of these videos is not to show how to replicate those fighters, but rather appreciate the genius of what they did (or do).
Awesome videos, awesome channel.
I agree with you. Ali had his own style and special talents to use it.
Anybody can do what Ali did that's what people don't get. It's just his level of understanding his style and boxing in general.
I can't begin to imagine how many amateurs tried to replicate this. He had this so tight down it looks as he is careless yet you can't land on him! Of course that changed quite a bit on the second half of his career. "Liston era Ali" would have not lost to Fraiser. Too fast.
Yeah throughout his career, he has taken a lot of heavy blows to the body and to the head. Only reason he didnt go down easily is because of his heart. He is the peoples champ.
Absolutely correct. For any other fighter, it's damn near impossible to replicate Ali's style. But this is what makes it interesting to see how other fighters incorporate these patterns into their own style. Case in point is Dominick Cruz, in my view one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever. He has very successfully applied the shuffle, the head duck, and the arhythmic jab into his MMA game. Conventional wisdom would say he's a fool to do that. But hey, this is what great men do, defy the norm while the naysayers talk.
That's a lot of dancing around in the ring. That's not realistic for most heavyweights trying to take a 12 3min round fight in the ring. And Ali fought back when there were 15 fucking rounds.
So he was a superhuman 😮
@@jasontodd6779
♥♥♥♥♥
I mean lesser weight boxes are pretty done by 8 or 9 rounds now. Ali's stamina would've been insane.
@@jasontodd6779 Peak human. He was a lot like Bruce Lee in terms of stamina, but he was a heavyweight. At one point, he and Bruce even worked together and learned some techniques off each other to become better.
Ali wouldn't dance the entire time.
Good video, shows why Ali did not have the knockout ratio of a lot of the great fighters. He punished opponents, but was seldom grounded enough to generate the power needed to KO. His overhand right counter had power though.
plus Ali don't always go for the KO even when he obviousiy could have easily done so in a few of his fights that went the distance.
DA S I
DA S ...not really... He had a very healthy tko ratio...his tactic was not to brawl n punch into the head n skull brutishly...he snake licked...jabs...which went full on the flesh bits of the face...a few of those...n EVERY tko virtually...had fighters who had puffy eyes like squished tomatoes... N could not see...game over...
Ali never seeks KO , i always feel that he enjoys punishing his opponent , he enjoys dancing in the ring , i never felt that he wants to end the game .
He was a distance runner not a 100m
Muhammad Ali is the reason I’m looking into Ballet and other dance classes too 👀 I didn’t believe it at first but now seeing how he flutters around the ring it all makes sense
HE IS NOT SELFPROCLAIM HE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!! End of story
Ali said sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest pound for pound of all time
Bak because he is. ALI is 2nd greatest imo. He was a terrific human being too
Bak at the time his country didn't care about him
MrNorgeva legend
MrNorgeva no I am
Nearly all other boxers were taught conventional boxing techniques, but Muhammad Ali was not a conventional boxer! So, when confronted with his own unique style, other boxers did not know how to address it. Ali's style worked magnificently for Ali, and virtually no one else. When you combine speed, razor sharp jabs, and uniqueness of skill you have a wickedly successful winning strategy.
To fight like that you have to have tremendous cardio
I love how apollo imitates him in the rocky movies. Rocky 3 is my absolute favorite. That scene when apollo is teaching rocky footwork...Ali's footwork..........priceless!
He was beautiful to watch i swear! Truly the greatest of all time! There will never ever be another Muhammad Ali...RIP Champ😢
I use the same technique I probably picked up from him to set up a left hook as I put my weight on my lead left. creates maximum impact on the chin of the opponent. his unorthodox style is amazing but dangerous.
Yeah it got him in trouble when he got older and lost some mobility. A lot of his style relied on being faster than his opponent, so I hope you have a fast hook! haha He ended up becoming a master of the clinch and defensive infighting though, so even as he lost speed he overcame that with strategy.
What is amazing about Ali , is his will to not give up. Even when he got older , his metal strength would carry him to the end of the fight for the win. Ali would metaly break you down...figure out your style....use his footwork and timing to just wear you down. It was a thing of pure beauty ... it was an art work !
A young Ali was a thing of beauty floating around that ring. I know Heavyweights were a bit lighter back then but he moved like a welterweight/light middleweight...still blows me away...Peace.
Most emotional line of 21 century "the greatest is gone" 😭😭
Ali's jab was actually pretty intuitive and easy to replicate, essentially, if you relax, abandon concepts such as guard and form and just let your body throw out the left fist at a target as fast and as powerfully as you can without stepping forward, then you're doing exactly what Ali does most of the time. The trick is to tie that with everything else Ali brings, the movement etc. It's a long tall fighter's strategy, he can keep the range the way he wants it but has to be able to flurry offensively if his opponent tries to encroach upon that range. Ali struggles the most with fighters who crush the range of his jab.
Eddie Futch once said, "Ali doesn't do everything well, but he's fast, hard to catch, hard to hit, and his chin and heart are superb - underestimate those and you've put yourself in harm's way!"
Every born child will love Ali as we all love the greatest THE GrEatesT machine ever AliIs4EvEr
12 yo idolizing ali here
Ali was a master at showing how to use momentum from your feet to get off punches. Fast feet, fast hands.
And remember, Ali in the 60's could and did MOVE FOR 15 ROUNDS, HOW DO YOU BEAT THAT??
I had the pleasure of meeting him twice on different times at the Miami airport. What a beautiful physic he had, and what an athletic body.
He was off by himself so as not to be seen. He was very quiet and soft spoken. I managed to get his autograph the first time, quite a thrill for a 22 year old kid.
Simply the GOAT my boxing idol Float like butterfly sting like a 🐝😎
Aayushman Awasthi j I amigo
could you do the same for George foreman please, I seem to be in the minority who reckons he was actually deceptively good and very sneaky technically
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How can Ali not be the greatest boxer or at least the greatest HW boxer of all time??? This is Boxing not Rockem Sockem robots. Do you know how much practice it takes to do what Ali does, especially as a HW, how he's able to use his speed, defense, footwork. Being a heavyweight is not about just power, power can only bring you so far, i can name 10 HW's who has power on top of my head, but can you name 10 HW's who were actually technical as far as boxing goes?? Ali don't just go for the kill, he studies you, mentally break you, outlast you, start punishing you until you can't take it anymore. Ali was never a KO artist, but the precision and timing in his punches make up for his power.That's just his fighting style, i didn't even talk about the chin, heart, and toughness Ali had.
BoyDanny93 great analysis !!!
Mike tyson was better than ali
Karim Kchouk yeah. And Michael Jackson was better than Tyson.
Karim Kchouk no mike was the most overrated boxer of all time.
You are right on point sir. I will briefly add... Chin: before the suspension and having the title stripped from him it was hard for anyone to even land on him.. after the comeback he got up from Frasier trademark hook, fought with a broken jaw against Norton, and withstood Big George Foreman's best shots. Heart: He was all heart he never once looked like a quiting type in any situation in and out of the ring. Toughness: these where 15 round bouts with opponents with no weight limit and probably the hardest punchers on the planet and he surpassed them all in endurance and ring IQ it's hard to even compare him in toughness to other champions or any athlete/sportsperson for that matter.
He used the jab like a whip!🥊
It’s a flicker jab super fast
Never would have thought to add a kick to that kind of footwork, thanks:)
Bruce lee comes to mind
+Andre Lewis he studied Alis footwork and incorporated it into his own style
Lee boxed amateur in Hong Kong
Yes, Lee did box when he was young... however, I do think most of his fighting style as an adult was based on his studies of boxing greats like Ali, Robinson, and Dempsey.
Andre Lewis what was his amateur record?
The head direction change at 1:09 was awesome. May Allah have mercy on him and forgive him
Forgive him for what
@@44paranoia57 Its a customary prayer we say for people who have passed from this world.
We?
@@44paranoia57 "we" as muslims and forgive him for his sins.basically he hopes he is resting in peace in paradise
@@random-xm5mp I'm Muslim to I was watching this because my name is Muhammad Ali
his movement is beautiful, its cool, its funny, its effective, but more important he mostly has always a perfect dance in the ring.
One of the main reasons why back in the day. You literally seen greatness. Ive yet to see ANYBOOOODY mimic his movements. Especially his jab pace
You see, different people have different body structure. Muhammad Ali can do his dancing footwork, keep his hands down low and flicker jab from the waist level because at he's a tall guy (6'3") with long reach. Can you imagine a bulky Mike Tyson who stands 5'10" or 5'11" Rocky Marciano doing the same in a fight?
Well, a guy like sugar Ray Leonard incorporated some of these techniques alongside in boxing
@@AbitCoD yeah but Ray Leonard had a somewhat similar build to Ali unlike Tyson and Rocky
Cole Nicholson Ray wasn’t super tall or didn’t hav a reach advantage in most cases
Cole Nicholson mike Tyson and rocky wouldn’t be able 2 cuz most heavyweights r taller
@@AbitCoD Ali wasn't super tall and Leonard was not short at all FOR HIS DIVISION either.
In the end, you agree with the OP: a short or barely average guy would get killed using Ali's style.
My homework hero. Copied a lot of his footwork and incorporated it with my TKD when I competed and fought. It’s fantastic for setting up a lot of explosive kicks since you are always moving, bouncing to the left and throwing a job to bring up the hands opens up for the el gapo special ie liver kick.
I saw comments here that speak to Mr. Ali being "wrong" technically. And I saw comments that spoke to adapting and many people not having the physical tools to do what Mr. Ali did at an unparalleled level. But I even more so appreciate the fact that some people spoke to the combination of talent and practice it takes to be able to do such things seemingly effortlessly. My martial arts instructor used to talk about it all the time but he would compare the performance to Michael Jordan. Basically, one can train like Michael Jordan. One can practice like Michael Jordan. And one may find success in many ways doing so. But that doesn't mean that person will be anywhere close to as successful as Mr. Jordan himself.
Please understand that Mr. Ali - like many all time greats - started boxing in his early teens. He worked at his craft for YEARS. One can get to a point where one understands the orthodox and moves outside of it. Buuuuuuuuuttttt, many people don't put in the work it takes to acquire the level of comprehension before doing so. Was Mr. Ali athletically gifted? ABSOLUTELY. But he was also incredibly technical, precise, and prepared. He knew his opponents front to back top to bottom. He trained to prepare for them meticulously. And he still found ways to use his style as he did so. That really speaks to a level of comprehension and adaptability that is hard to express fully.
Adapting and evolving and taking things to another level are signs of a great competitor AND a great artist. Mr. Ali was both. I cannot write about him without also pointing out his tremendous courage and sacrifice. He inspired generations and fought for equality. He had his missteps and he made his mistakes. But wow, what a life well-lived.
Very well said. Ali knew boxing from top to bottom. He mastered all the styles. Knew all the orthoxies. Out of all that he created his singular style. There's no other way.
Excellent analysis! You got it right. down to the count on his moves! 😎 For sure it can be applied to the martial arts! Bruce used to study Ali,s footwork.
excellent work, thanks for the vid!
RIP Ali
Slow-mo would help breakdown his slip and inside slip - master at defense.
Continuing with the musician's backbeat analogy; He seemed to posses 4-way independence. Like a jazz drummer who can do whatever he wants at any time with any of 4 limbs.
Like rubbing your belly and patting your head- then switching seamlessly. Repeat at will without thinking, just muscle memory. Then add feet. ...Then do what you need to do while a guy wants to kill you, in a relaxed state able to react.
To me, a sign of a true GOAT is having their own style that no one in their right mind would teach someone. Of course you also need the results
This video is the greatest breakdown on this technique. I have found it incredibly useful. I must have watched it about 30 times in the past 4 months. I am hanging onto the edge of my seat waiting for the next one(s) (The more the better) I absolutely beg of you to do more.
no it's not
Appreciate your work. Very smart analysis.
A philosopher once said a truly great person is someone who reminds us of no one else --that's Ali. Ali is compared to no other boxer, but boxers are compared to him.
Ali is to boxing what dark matter is to the universe. Beautiful, but virtually impossible to comprehend.
Ali from 64-67 was in another dimension and going even deeper until he was stripped. Most fighters were using Newtonian and Einsteinian physics principles and that was good. But Ali was using quantum mechanics and string theory principles. Ali's opponents were baffled. As we were too. Of course, unlike Ali's opponents we were mesmerized by the sheer genius and beauty of Ali's dance with the universe.
Obviously, Ali's fighting style was singular, but it's amazing how the game changes when you get hit hard and your ass is on the ground. Ali went up against many bombers, but they could never find him, and usually looked foolish trying too. Ali made the best fighters in the world look ordinary.
Things changed when Ali came back from exile. Gone were the reflexes and footwork from another world. He had to fight like any other fighter. He understood this. He no longer had the physical tools to "dance with the universe". He had to play by earth rules. He had to take massive punishment to accomplish his goals. In many ways, this Ali showed what he was made of. He was all heart and will.
His footwork is a thing of beauty
it is very good to see that you have studied his strategy . very good practice .
Ever since I tried this Ive been landing my jab at will lol. Gonna have to study some Ali
just remember to watch out for opponents with left hooks (:
That footwork of Ali and handspeed were part of his great gift only Larry Holmes used a similar technique but the late great Ali mastered it.
OK, at 14 I like many fighters tried Ali's style, in practice I was brilliant, felt like my hero, in the ring is worked, moving and popping guys with jab and crossing, however once a guy reached me it was disasterous, I didn't possess Ali's ability to move my head, not as good anyways, and BAM, guys would nail me. They say Ali ruined a generation of boxers, very true, he did EVERYTHING WRONG, kept his hands low, moved away from punches instead of slipping, was a head hunter, but the fact that he did everything wrong freaked out his opponents who trained for traditional fighters, Ali is the same as Tyson in a way, Tyson would come in with great elusiveness, get inside an opponents long arms and they were all his, Ali disarmed his opponents by staying away. Eventually I moved to a more of a Larry Holmes, stand in front, guard up, heavy jab right cross. Angelo Dundee, right before the Doug Jones fight convinced Ali to put his guard up, and Ali almost lost that fight, as they say ONLY ALI COULD DO ALI MOVES, do not try it at home people it will be a DISASTER, Ali used that style from 12 years on with the greatest reflexes and speed ever witnessed.
Thst shuffle made him hard to predict. And he outsmarted everyone with it. The guy's flicker jabs were insane.
Ali was so beautiful it brings me tears when I see him dancing! Dance champ! Dance!
0:44
I just realized the way he leans in total stretch , then the way he dodges coming swing hooks is just amazing! 🦋
This is why he was a True Martial Artist and one of the Greatest ever. :D
Ali is not only the self claimed greatest rather he is the greatest of all time.
Simply the greatest.
Stamina, Ali had an insane amount of stamina to the point that he fought Joe Frazier for more than 12 rounds.
And whilst doing this insane footwork, fast flurries and taking an insane amount of damage from fighters like Norton, Frazier and Foreman.
The man is a damned beast, best of the best.
Thanks David! Enjoyed the video, earned my subscription! I particularly enjoyed the mix of showing him doing it himself, your demonstration, and the modern application, including kicks. Keep up the good work my friend! :D Happy training. :)
i was with Angelo in the 90s at Pembroke Pines.. another key ingredient not mentioned here, is that Ali's entire sequence works off the continuous momentum that carries through it.
Self proclaimed greatest, by the entire world.
He kept saying that , he was entertaining , he won some unexpected fights , he did good things outside the ring and people liked him.....and people also started saying him greatest....
Good job guys, I'm a ex boxer and one of those guys who can tell you any fighters record, who they fought, etc a real freak. I have to say you guys are pretty right and am enjoying your videos.
I find it amazing that he could generate speed and power over a 78" reach with only toes planted on the lead foot. If you stop the video at the point of impact, you can see his lead foot is barely planted, and a big no-no of any any boxing technique - he is leaning way far out. It is more like a flick than a real jab. And yet those flick did the damage. He may have conned his opponents into thinking that there is no real power in these so no point in slipping and trying to avoid it. Would be interesting to get an unbiased perspective of a boxer on the receiving end.
Faizulla Khan a small window of forward movement at the apex of the jab, which means the jab also hits with a straight arm right at the point of most forward momentum. It is so small of a movement that you’d think there is no power behind the punch. However a straight arm and 150+ lb of forward movement at apex can generate 2-3 times of impact of a non moving jab... get hit with this enough times and you’d be in trouble. Especially getting hit in the eye multiple times.
'Would be interesting to get an unbiased perspective of a boxer on the receiving end.'
I forget his name but one of his opponents said: 'I thought to myself I can take a few of these jabs to get through. As the fight went on, I was getting dizzier and dizzier.'
@@johnmatchett766 So there was real power behind those jabs. But they just look like flicks.
God bless you and thank you David Christian for this excellent analysis of the “Ali Shuffle”. I’m a switch hitter boxer (southpaw and orthodox) with an excellent jab. I’m an outside fighter, and I am always in a state of learning as a boxer. I also bought your book, Aggressive Defense. Thank you for all your outstanding instruction my brother. 😎🔥
🥊🥊🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💖✝️
Lol...dogg, don't ever fu*kin show Ali gliding around the ring then juxtapose some stiff squat white boy imitating The Great One. That was hilarious!
Wait....is that you??? 😯
😂😂🤣😂
your point about the half step timing is exactly correct. The great Fred Astaire tapped in counter point to the song On the half beat. amazing how it works as art or combat
0:57 that shit was funny as hell
Wow the sequence you did at the end with incorprating kicks into your footwork was genuis
Ohh men Ali move so light and smooth I can watch this the hole night.
Let me see what I can find out what I can find out.
I'm obsessed wth this video and have been studying it whilst i'm injured. I can't wait to try it out and for you to upload more content on Ali's footwork and technique.
I've gotten so many requests for more Ali. I promise there will be more videos on him. I have a video on McGregor's left hand coming out this week, and after that I have 2 more videos planned. I'm thinking of doing a full breakdown on Ali right after those. It will be very thorough, covering how he threw the other punches from this circling pattern and how he fought at medium and close range. He didn't just stand there and get punched in the fight with Foreman, he used some really unique techniques to absorb and deflect punches that I plan on going into. I'm glad you enjoyed the video so much and I hope you get better soon!
+The Modern Martial Artist more aliiii pleaseee
His striking was also great , along with his slip defenses. He seemed to either come from out of the periphery, or or from straight on with absolutely no tell.
Hey I have a new Ali vid up, I'm letting everyone who requested one know! Check it out and LMK what you think.
Im tired just looking Ali fight with dance. He's have power stamina
There was a mutual admiration between Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali that changed both men. Bruce intensely studied Ali's footwork, cadence and jab. Ali was rumored to have also admired Bruce's quickness combined with devastating power and off-time cadence
Sugar Ray Leonard studied and borrowed much from both of these men. It was Marvin Hagler, however, that seemed to employ the most of Bruce Lee's theories with his effortless back-and-forth from righty to southpaw. If both had met in their prime, it would've been the fight of the decade - particularly after The War and ¡No Mas, as they both employed the best of Ali and Lee with their own approaches to similar concepts & techniques
In his fight choreography, you can tell Bruce Lee learned a lot from Muhammad Ali's footwork.
You consistently give the best analyses of boxers and boxing matches. You're the best boxing analyst bar none!
ali used to practice tae kwon do. thats why his foot work was so dynamic. his jab looks alot like bruce lees jab and mcgregor who also does tkd training uses the ali shuffle step.
I'm 55, old fogey, been out of shape, my hips give me gip, loved Ali when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, took up taekwondo several weeks ago just to get fitter and more supple, get my creaking joints into shape. Good to know Ali practised taekwondo. There's hope for me yet :)
There was a guy that started at our tkd school at 50. By 55 he got his black belt. Its a great art.
Ali didn't practice TKD. TKD footwork is mostly bouncing up and down. Ali probably had a more ballet type of footwork training.
Rusiru Munasingha no ali trained with jhoon ree look it up. theres an interveiw where ali talks about tkd training before a fight here on youtube. would you like me to postvtge link?
cliff vecera damn really? yeah post the link
when i watch this all im thinking is ali was just a master at being himself. he was accustomed to perfecting HIS craft! like he was doing things only HE can do.
Please breakdown Larry Holmes jab.
Shut your fucking mouth
Grant Edmondson why he asked a question dumb bitch
@@TheMainManHimself1 Shut the fuck up bitch
At 0:11, I actually got teary eyed watching Ali's devastating flurry.
I watched the ten second clip for about 30 minutes.
Bro how can say that he was self-proclaimed are you okay dude .He wasn't the greatest boxer but the Greatest Athlete in the world after all .R.I.P Legend,The Best &The Greatest.Dude stop messing with the wrong person.
Float like a butterfly 🦋 Sting like a bee 🐝. R.I.P once again Mohammed Ali Clay .🥊🥇
Lol he said it's hard to argue Ali's proclamation????
Alas he agrees with Ali......
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I've just subscribed. I'd like to sea the breakdown of prince Naz style. I think he's unique boxer.
This is so interesting.. 😍
I think I have to watch this a couple of times, to really understand. Step, hop, hop, step.
dude its not possible to move like him its not something you can copy the King
Shut the fuck up
@@GypsyKiller16 he speaking the truth. ... this is a comment section..
And telling people to stfu. .. ???
Sugar ray leonard got pretty close
Bruh he was just showing us
Ok boomer
Thanks for the words. I found it very interesting.
I saw him train for an hour in '65 for the Liston fight in Lewiston.
You clearly know your stuff.
Glad you are on my side !!
Can a southpaw use this?
3 yrs late but yea, we saw Pernell Whittaker use similar footwork
Muhammad Ali’s boxing style is art
hall of fame kickboxer manson gibson used some of this ...12 time world champ....
Wow you are 100 percent correct! Glad I check through the comments on old vids every so often. I need to do a breakdown on him.
Still waiting for that vid T_T
I have learned more from your videos than another other of their type. Thank you!
Fastest feet and hands of all times!
Im loving your analysis you have it broken down into such a science , I think the best fighters are the ones who can figure out it can watch footage with a person like you to figure out the best technique to beat each fighter and to improve themselves. maybe some of the people who take losses that used to be a very top notch champ needs to have a person like yourself who can analyze things and come up with a brush solution,i guess a lot can't do that after a certain point and maybe they just can't change their style enough once someone has the combination
1:00
As a Kentuckian I'm super proud to call him a family member...it's a somewhat distant relation but I'll hold it dear...the entire family are amazing people and he is an unbelievable athlete...but who he was outside the ring is what makes him the giant he is and always will be
This is not for people learning boxing. Go to the gym and listen to your coach...
Nicoll Mc no it’s advanced techniques that may work for you..And not to be ignored.
There’s the bread and butter then there’s your own recipe added and changed everyday in all combat sports. You know better than your coach does at some stage when something consistently works for you ✌🏽
Kal AH true I'm boxing 2 years already, and when I start to learned the basic,after couple of months I start to feel not correct when I'm sparring because just following the steps that you learn it don't helps you any more and don't makes any sense! After 4 months I guess I start to put my hands down little not always but most of the time and I discover that my head movement was insane and at the same time fun to make ppl get frustrating..after couple of training this way my coach says stop doing what you are doing I say thanks for the basics you guys learned me but from here and gonna just mastering on my way..because at the end you are the only one gonna fight or sparring and not your coach..learn the basic end MAKE something from it this what I learned from boxing..
Watching great fighters is a very motivating and helpful, it is considered by professionals as training by itself.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE IS SUCH MY HERO(mind u, I wasn't old enough to see him "live"), BUT watching him dance then dart n w/that jab is the prettiest fighting I've ever seen. Supposedly such a brutal sport, but I could watch an ALI sequence in slo-mo ALL DAY!!
Mayweather!
Excellent breakdown; great understanding of why The Greatest was, is, and forever will be, The Greatest.
Love watching your boxing breakdowns.
Gives me guidance when I find champs with similar styles to however I fight.
Happy to try the Ali footwork with success, thanks for the great video
Here's the crazy thing about Ali's footwork. and I could be wrong but what I see is Ali just jump roping around the ring without a jump rope. A beautiful master and He sho was great wasn't he??? RIP to THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!
Yea thanks for the conceptual breakdown of techniques, I especially enjoyed how you've shown that it can applied as a kicking technique too. 🥋
As a heavyweight, I can tell you that if you do this for 5 rounds, your ankles will hate you the next day.
For a man his size, it was just amazing that he could move like that!!😎