Jack Johnson

Gene Tunney

Sugar Ray Robinson

Tunney and Robinson definitely. Ali himself acknowledged that. Johnson less so. Johnson parried punches instead of moving away from them.....Teodor, I didn't mean that Ali copied Tunney. But there was an ABC Sports program from the mid seventies where Ali was shown film of Tunney and admitted that there was a strong similarity. He even said he was a little shocked that their was a previous heavyweight champ who fought that way. He said he always thought he was the first. Wide World of Sports - Ali and Cosell looking at past Heavyweight Champions. ESPN Classic airs it from time to time. Angelo Dundee also made the same comparison on The Greatest Rounds Ever.

I'd say inside the ring, he was a combination of Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, and Gene Tunney.

Outside the ring, Jack Johnson. Both have stood up for African American rights, and are heroes.

I have read some books and articles and even watched video documentaries where Ali said his main influences had been Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Ezzard Charles whose styles suited him and whose temperament and character were akin to him as an Afro-American like them. I have yet to come across a validated statement from Ali saying that he also copied from Tunney.

i definetly agree with him being a mixture of johnson and srr.ali's style was very similar to srrr's boxing style in terms of stickin and movin.and you see the wrestling, pawing, long range overhand right missile style of johnsons coming out in ali too.

tunney is the man i have watched less of so i cannot agree or dissagree at this moment but i will take your word for it.

did he get his moving backwards with hands down style of avoiding punches from anyone or was it completly original?

I'd say Billy Conn, Robinson and Wille Pep.

Jack Johnson

Gene Tunney

Sugar Ray Robinson