10. OSCAR BONAVENA
The rugged Argentine had never been stopped – and that included two jousts with Joe Frazier – until he ran into Ali in December 1970.
Muhammad, in the second fight of his comeback, outboxed Oscar before flooring him three times for an automatic stoppage in the 15th and final session.
9. ERNIE TERRELL
This February 1967 title unification battle is remembered mostly for Ali dishing out a sustained beating as he taunted Terrell with “What’s my name?” – because in the build-up Ernie had addressed him by his “slave name” of Cassius Clay.
In his previous fight Terrell had beaten Doug Jones, who’d run Ali so close in 1963.
8. ARCHIE MOORE
Sure, Archie was 45 years old when Ali dropped him three times for a fourth-round stoppage at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in November 1962 – but the “Old Mongoose” had drawn with future world 175lbs king Willie Pastrano in his previous fight six months earlier, so this was a significant win.
7. FLOYD PATTERSON I
Ali’s first world title fight against someone other than Sonny Liston saw him dominate with speedy jabbing and fleet-footed movement in November 1965.
Ali led widely on all cards when Patterson was halted in round 12.
6. HENRY COOPER II
The Brit had famously dropped Ali with a left hook in 1963, but this May 1966 rematch at Arsenal’s Highbury Stadium saw Ali ever in trouble and well on top until Cooper was ruled out on a horrible cut in round six.
5. JOE FRAZIER III
The October 1975 “Thrilla in Manila” was as much about a willingness to persevere through pain as anything else.
But there was skill aplenty as both enjoyed their moments before trainer Eddie Futch refused to let Frazier out for the final round of a brutal epic.
4. LEON SPINKS II
An under-prepared Ali lost his title to the 1976 Olympic gold medallist in February 1978 – but seven months later he whipped himself into shape to reclaim the crown (his third reign) with a 15-round boxing lesson in New Orleans.
His mobility and skilful punching belied his 36 years.
3. SONNY LISTON I
Ali’s subsequent controversial and tainted one-round victory over Liston in the return left the impression that Sonny was just a shell waiting to be beaten.
But Ali’s six-round win to become champ in February 1964 was a huge upset and one achieved by using smart movement to wear out a fighter expecting a static target.
2. GEORGE FOREMAN
The October 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” saw Muhammad eschew movement in favour of relying on his ability to absorb a punch, both to head and body, as he slowly broke the heart of his opponent.
Foreman, who had been used to knocking them over, was defeated mentally as much as physically, eventually crumbling in round eight.
1. CLEVELAND WILLIAMS
This November 1966 massacre at the Houston Astrodome saw Ali drop “Big Cat” Williams four times for a third-round stoppage.
BN reported that Muhammad “hit like a piledriver” and landed “devastating combinations of left and right which left Williams bleeding, flat-footed and dead-eyed.”
