Great question. Both terms, "Unique" and "Great" are often applied to ALI. Most would agree with Great. It's hard, even today, to argue against Unique.
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When ALI came along, the heavyweight division had never seen anything remotely close to his style. Sure, he looked a lot like Sugar Ray Robinson but Robinson was a welterweight and middleweight. Heavyweights were known for power, not grace.
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The closest thing the division ever saw to ALI was Jack Johnson and Gene Tunney. But that's like saying that a Camaro is closer to a Hennessey Venom GT than a Ford Escort is. Even their respective styles weren't close to ALI.
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People often compare ALI to Jack Johnson but the two really have very little in common. The fact that both are Black and, for a time, rubbed White America the wrong way, is really all they have in common. In terms of style, there is very little comparison.
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Johnson "danced" at a time when boxers in all division were relatively immobile. He used defense at a time when defense was all but non-existent. However, if you would compare Johnson's foot work to that of ALI's you probably need New Eyes. Glasses won't help. It's like comparing Michael Jackson's moves to those of Luther Vandross. ALI is light years ahead of Johnson in that regard.
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If that's not enough, compare the Quality of Opposition to every dominant champion in history. ALI leaves all the rest in the dust. Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Johnson, Jack Dempsey, name them. ALI faced the best. Every other champion has either a weak rogue's gallery or they ducked someone.
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Zora Foley put it best when he stated that Dempsey, Louis, Marciano and all the rest would lose to ALI because "there is no way to train for the way he fights".
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Perhaps, because of evolution, someone will eventually surpass ALI in terms of style. However, so far, many have been poll-axed in the attempts.
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Another thing to consider is that we probably never saw the potential best of ALI. He lost nearly 4 years of his prime to politics and government. He was a different fighter when he returned.
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Most consider ALI the Greatest. Call him what you will. But you have to agree that he is certainly Unique.
Fought the best of the best and won. Danced like a ballerina, clinched opponents if they got close, and often frustrated his opponents with his speed and shyt talk in the ring. Hell, he got George Foreman heated before knocking him out lol
He was one of a kind. He can be imitated but never duplicated. The man was greased lighting. He was fast and had great foot and hand speed. We have never seen a big man who could move like that. After his exile for 3 years he became a man and fought in the greatest era of all for heavyweights the 1970s. He showed guts and courage many thought he did not have in his loss to Frazier. He rose from the canvas to finish the fight. He showed determination by coming all the way back to win the title after 7 years. Yes he was a great and unique boxer because of these qualities.
His speed, punching power.
Overall his passion and dedication to his training and the sport of boxing itself.
"I hated every minute of training. But I said,
suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."
I wake up every morning thinking of that quote.
Ali had fast hands and feet for a heavyweight. He was a master of strategy and a consummate boxer. He was articulate. I loved his pre-fight poetry predictions.
"Who would have dreamed tonight, that you would see, the launching of a black satellite!"
