While I remember the rumors, I don't believe that they were anything more than that. Using pro rules, even a faded Ali in 77 would probably have been able to jab and clutch enough to win a close decision over 5 rounds, although Stevenson would have put some hurt on him, and would have had a punchers chance of stopping him.
This is a great thread KOJOE! I want to say that the greatest claim to fame Teofolio ever had (worldwide) were the questions revolving around this potential event.
I hope no one even comes close to entertaing the idea that Stevenson would have had a chance against Ali with each in their prime. That was totaly ginned up by the political winds. Way too much distance between the Amateurs and the Pro's to take that dream and go anywhere with it.
You have to ask yourself could Stevenson beat Young, Dunn, Evangilsta, Norton and Shavers in the same time frame. I think Stevenson could have been competitive with some of them but not beaten all of them which Ali did.
For the focused studiers of styles, I would like to ask which of those names I just mentioned would be the hardest for Stevenson and which would be easy. Just to get others take on this in a greater context.
I think Ali must be mentioned more than any other person on this site..which is hardly a surprise.Stevenson however not so, which is a surprise.
As for the question I would favour Ali.
A question and comment
Does anyone have any good bio information on Stevenson.A curious thing which always comes to me when looking at the number of fights these guys had is how few they are in comparison to those in the 20's to 40's era
hey rob, if you can read spanish there seems to be a lot of info on the net about him. I think some software can convert languages so you may want to give that a try.
Some of the software is freeware to as I have heard.
I think Teofilo Stevenson was over rated. About 20 years ago I was at the Cuban-American amateur boxers event in Charlotte, NC and saw Stevenson win a unpopular decision over the American (cannot think of his name), If he came close to losing to a amateur it would have been no contest against a seasoned pro, let alone someone like Ali.
I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
muray wrote:I think Teofilo Stevenson was over rated. About 20 years ago I was at the Cuban-American amateur boxers event in Charlotte, NC and saw Stevenson win a unpopular decision over the American (cannot think of his name), If he came close to losing to a amateur it would have been no contest against a seasoned pro, let alone someone like Ali.
I remeber that Steveson won an unpopular decision against Jimmy Clarke. If I am not mistaken he lost to Duane Bobick [that is I think] maybe somone could coroberate on that. Later on however he destroyed Bobick in the olympics. He also lost two fight to Soviet fighter Igor Vasotsky. Also their were times when he barley beat his fellow countryman.
Last edited by kick asner on 21 Oct 2005, 19:54, edited 1 time in total.
J-C wrote:I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
While Savon KO'ed David Tua in the amatuers, his chin was suspect as he was KO'ed a number of times in his career. Tyson would have absolutely demolished him! I remember watching Stevenson as a kid and even well past his prime I believe he KO'ed Bowe? Probably would have made a very good pro, but then again look at Jorge Luis Gonzales.....
BoxBuzz wrote:Don't think they were even proffesionaly active at the same time were they? If so Bowe was just getting started and Stevenson was getting grey.
BoxBuzz wrote:Don't think they were even proffesionaly active at the same time were they? If so Bowe was just getting started and Stevenson was getting grey.
If they were both ametures, then wouldn't you have to say that they were not ameturly active at the same time?
Cuban olympic Icon. He arrived at a time when two great world operating systems were competing with one another and were not compatible....sort of like beta and vhs or Digital and Analog. or Mac and PC> Tszyu, and the Klitschkos are actually the last products to roll off of that assembly line. Maybe Valuev? not sure on that one.
So he was the best of the best of that system. The world is getting smaller and not as much room for two systems these days. But you could call it amateur but it was a slight upgrade. Sort of amateur 5.1
Rory McCloskey wrote:how good is this stevenson guy? his record is something like 302-22? anythign to it or just a guy who never fougt anyone?
Check the link that KOJOE posted to see a good selection of his career by scrolling to the bottom. Overall he was a great amateur fighter, probably the greatest amateur heavyweight ever, along with Savon. Good skills, frightening power, and an imposing prescence at about 6'6''. Kind of actually resembled Ali, in my opinion, at least facially wise.
J-C wrote:I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
right thing???
They cant turn pro without living their countries and their families.
Its not a question of choice!
J-C wrote:I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
right thing???
They cant turn pro without living their countries and their families.
Its not a question of choice!
From what I know, Castro is a friend of Stevenson, as well as with Savon. Castro even bailed Stevenson out from serving assault charges in the US.
And yes, they don't have the option of leaving, but many have still. Garbey, Casamayor, Yanqui Diaz, JC Gomez, and most recently Yoan Pable Hernandez; if they really wanted to leave they would have taken the chance like others have, and you can not speak for everyone, some may not want to leave. And no, I am not defending the Castro doctrine of government.
J-C wrote:I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
right thing???
They cant turn pro without living their countries and their families.
Its not a question of choice!
OK maybe I was being a bit niave with that, but I was just basing it on interviews I've seen with Savon and a few other cuban fighters but I suppose they would obviously have to say they wanted to stay amature.
J-C wrote:I understand Felix Savon was offered $3 million to fight Tyson and turned it down as well. I would have loved to see what Savon could have done had he turned pro.
I do respect the Cubans who seem to genuinely believe that staying amateur is the right thing to do, but I can't help but feel we've been robbed of the chance of seeing some great fighters and some great fights.
right thing???
They cant turn pro without living their countries and their families.
Its not a question of choice!
From what I know, Castro is a friend of Stevenson, as well as with Savon. Castro even bailed Stevenson out from serving assault charges in the US.
And yes, they don't have the option of leaving, but many have still. Garbey, Casamayor, Yanqui Diaz, JC Gomez, and most recently Yoan Pable Hernandez; if they really wanted to leave they would have taken the chance like others have, and you can not speak for everyone, some may not want to leave. And no, I am not defending the Castro doctrine of government.
Most of the people who want to stay are the athletes who have enjoyed sucsess. The rest of the population are held captive, unless they can find a rubber raft, to a communist system that has failed miserably.
It would've been great to see them fight. Stevenson was not as great as Ali but with Ali past his prime there is a chance Stevenson could have won. Ali wasn´t knocking anyone out then, just dull 15 round decisions.
There is no question Stevenson would've been a great pro but Ali was No 1.
