Is Federer the greatest athlete since Muhammad Ali?
- Thread starter R_Federer
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Tennis_Maestro
Banned
You could argue that.
aceroberts13
Professional
I've criticized Fed, made fun of him, and the like. But I honestly don't see anything stopping him from winning 20 GS's. I mean, he's just plain freaky. The longevity of his game. I know I'm repeating obvious stuff, but I've always considered myself a critic of Fed's. But I can't technically say I'm a critic, because hell, what is there to critique. I think he's an alien.
Tennis_Maestro
Banned
lol
This has been voted the greatest top 10 of all time and your calling it a weak era? Wtf are you snorting?
This has been voted the greatest top 10 of all time and your calling it a weak era? Wtf are you snorting?
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Yes, possibly, but Ali had a political dimension to his persona that Roger doesn't. Mandela was a terrorist in the sixties and then a secular saint in the nineties. Ali achieved this while excelling in his sport.
Roger suffers from the Swiss problem, as defined in the Third Man. But greatest athlete since Ali, yes.
Roger suffers from the Swiss problem, as defined in the Third Man. But greatest athlete since Ali, yes.
djokovicgonzalez2010
G.O.A.T.
Phelps? 10 chars
Agree with this. But I don't see it as a problem, it as a great thing for an athlete to be isolated from political or any other agendas.
SempreSami
Hall of Fame
Nah, he's playing a jesse's game. 
B
bhallic24
Guest
I think he is the greatest athlete we have had since Muhammad Ali. His accomplishments, his world wide status, and he hasnt done a thing wrong so far in his career (unlike Tiger).
And oh...a sweet picture:
I'm sorry but in regards to tiger, Golf isn't a sport. You can't call something a sport when you can play it 90% of the time while sipping on a glass of lemonade in one hand.
Neither is autoracing in my books. Which could possibly be the worst "sport" Ever because all people watch for in autoracing is for the crashes and the spectacle of human beings flying into walls at 200+mph ala dale earnheart.
JennyS
Hall of Fame
What a great group of athletes!
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Pretty dull final. Fed was not pushed at all. Too many unforced errors from Fed. Unfortunately, more from Murray. Only the third set (which Murray let slip away) was competitive.
Congrats Fed, another dull one-sided slam win against a weak era field.
Fed does not even need to go to God-mode any more. Ho hum.
Congrats Fed, another dull one-sided slam win against a weak era field.
Fed does not even need to go to God-mode any more. Ho hum.
The bad record and injuries are closely linked. Nadal is injured partially because he had to push himself so hard to get a winning record over Federer.
edmondsm
Legend
Two boxing matches are equivalent to like 50 tennis matches.
DaMiBru
New User
I think he is the greatest athlete we have had since Muhammad Ali. His accomplishments, his world wide status, and he hasnt done a thing wrong so far in his career (unlike Tiger).
And oh...a sweet picture:
I don't think golf has a lot to do with athleticism. There are good arguments to support you statement however there are more athletes whom fit the bill in their own respective sport and you can't compare sports. Take Zidane, he's won everything he can in soccer and quite often single handedly lifted his team into victory. Just an example.
edmondsm
Legend
+1. Greatness in sports is slanted toward the non-team sports. It might be justified, because I've heard athletes say (Michael Jordan being one) that individual sports are harder as you don't have teammates to lean on at any point.
However, it can't be overlooked when a player like Zidane, who is competing along side 10 other players, manages to stand out like he did. He essentially beat Brazil by himself in a World Cup final. He almost did it again to Italy 4 years ago had he not ehhhh, lost his temper.
edmondsm
Legend
His legacy is a little inflated because he had such a recognizable personality. He did however dominate during the peak of boxing's history, and you cannot underestimate the sway that combat sport has when it comes to athletic greatness. I mean, if Ali, Jordan, Federer, Nicklaus, and Pele are all hungry and there is only one slice of pizza, Ali gets the slice of pizza.
Fedbelly
Rookie
So he was amazing but you dont know why he was highly regarded?!
He had the fastest hands of any heavyweight. He danced around the ring like a middleweght. He destroyed men almost twice his size like george foreman
Dgpsx7
Professional
His legacy is a little inflated because he had such a recognizable personality. He did however dominate during the peak of boxing's history, and you cannot underestimate the sway that combat sport has when it comes to athletic greatness. I mean, if Ali, Jordan, Federer, Nicklaus, and Pele are all hungry and there is only one slice of pizza, Ali gets the slice of pizza.
I understand. And I agree he did dominate for a little while but I generally think it is too inflated. For example someone like Fedor blows Ali out of the water as a fighter. Not as many people know about him though and he obviously fights mma but I would put a Jordan above him as well. Plus if Fedor was part of that group mentioned above I know he would get the slice
Dgpsx7
Professional
I didn't mean highly regarded as a boxer that part is obvious. I meant regarded as the best athlete ever. I think Jordan dominated more than him. Class is also a big issue for me but this can be thrown away in this argument because its basically a custom in boxing to trash talk and be arrogant.
Fedbelly
Rookie
I understand. And I agree he did dominate for a little while but I generally think it is too inflated. For example someone like Fedor blows Ali out of the water as a fighter. Not as many people know about him though and he obviously fights mma but I would put a Jordan above him as well. Plus if Fedor was part of that group mentioned above I know he would get the slice
Mma guys would be taken apart by boxers in a punching only fight.
R_Federer
Professional
Really now? Bolt and Phelps in the same breath as Muhammad Ali? Shocking :shock:.
Dgpsx7
Professional
Of course. No one can punch as well as a boxer. That's what boxer's do; punch and dodge. Focusing on one thing will always make someone better at that thing than focusing on everything. However this does not take anything away from Fedor. If you knew all he has done and seen the background you wouldn't believe it because it doesn't make sense.
ChrisBackAtIt
New User
There is something to be said for his unbelievable health and stamina...when's the last time you saw Fed huffing and puffing after a point?
He makes it look so easy to the casual viewer that he doesn't get the credit.
I love how people are talking about how he let that ball go during the tie-break in the third, and that he "almost lost"...umm..no.
He won in straight sets in the semis, and finals, and played one poor set the whole tournament when Davy was treeing out of his brain.
We are watching an incredible streak here.
He makes it look so easy to the casual viewer that he doesn't get the credit.
I love how people are talking about how he let that ball go during the tie-break in the third, and that he "almost lost"...umm..no.
He won in straight sets in the semis, and finals, and played one poor set the whole tournament when Davy was treeing out of his brain.
We are watching an incredible streak here.
aphex
Banned
I understand. And I agree he did dominate for a little while but I generally think it is too inflated. For example someone like Fedor blows Ali out of the water as a fighter. Not as many people know about him though and he obviously fights mma but I would put a Jordan above him as well. Plus if Fedor was part of that group mentioned above I know he would get the slice
clearly, you don't understand heavyweight boxing. a landed punch by an Ali or a Tyson or even a Lennox Lewis to an MMA guy, would not just knock him the f*** down, it would send him to the hospital for weeks.
R_Federer
Professional
Thank you.
R_Federer
Professional
Dude Ali was the greatest athlete of the past century. It wasnt even close.
DaMiBru
New User
I understand. And I agree he did dominate for a little while but I generally think it is too inflated. For example someone like Fedor blows Ali out of the water as a fighter. Not as many people know about him though and he obviously fights mma but I would put a Jordan above him as well. Plus if Fedor was part of that group mentioned above I know he would get the slice
Although I agree Fedor is a great fighter, particularly in Pride, you're not seriously comparing boxing to MMA?!
I'd say it like this, Fedor would rip Liddell apart, yet Liddell is a hall of famer!
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DunlopDood
Semi-Pro
Was Ali really that great an athlete? Now granted I'm too young to remember him as boxer, but it seems to me he was more of a great sports personality than as a great athlete. Federer is the greatest athlete I have ever seen is all I can say!
4:57 Miler
New User
You guys are all being a close minded about this issue - to disregard cycling and athletics - arguably the two toughest sports in the world is a little ignorant. Some names who are atleast equal if not greater than Federer:
KENENISA BEKELE - Has never, ever lost over 10,000, metres - his world record for the event features a 5km split that is faster than all but one of the top British athletes can run a single 5KM in. He races hard all year round and barely ever loses.
MIGUAEL INDURAIN - Unlike Armstrong Indurain competed and won a number of grand tours often competing the Giro-Tour Double despite the two tours being so close together (much closer than they are now.)
SEBASTIEN COE - He was sick for nine months leading up to his 1500 metres Olympic defence yet still pulled out the stops to win. That and his 1:41 800 metre time which has only been beaten by something like a milisecond despite being performed on a crappy track is nothing short of sensational.
PARVO NURMI - Won the 1500 and 5000 metres olympic titles within an hour of each other.
USAIN BOLT - His times defy belief. Tyson Gay is the unluckiest athlete in the world.
LANCE ARMSTRONG - He only focused on the tour and had a superb team and Jan Ullrich was kind of like Safin to his Federer (i.e. arguably more talented but wasted his potential) but still seven tours in a row - yikes!!!!
SHAWN MICHAELS - Yes I know wrestling is a worked sport but they are still supremely gifted athletes who work a super intense year round schedule. Shawn Michaels, twenty years into his wrestling career is still putting on five star matches in his forties.
DIEGO MARADONA - Could do things with a football that defied belief. Led an average Argentina team to World Cup Glory.
KENENISA BEKELE - Has never, ever lost over 10,000, metres - his world record for the event features a 5km split that is faster than all but one of the top British athletes can run a single 5KM in. He races hard all year round and barely ever loses.
MIGUAEL INDURAIN - Unlike Armstrong Indurain competed and won a number of grand tours often competing the Giro-Tour Double despite the two tours being so close together (much closer than they are now.)
SEBASTIEN COE - He was sick for nine months leading up to his 1500 metres Olympic defence yet still pulled out the stops to win. That and his 1:41 800 metre time which has only been beaten by something like a milisecond despite being performed on a crappy track is nothing short of sensational.
PARVO NURMI - Won the 1500 and 5000 metres olympic titles within an hour of each other.
USAIN BOLT - His times defy belief. Tyson Gay is the unluckiest athlete in the world.
LANCE ARMSTRONG - He only focused on the tour and had a superb team and Jan Ullrich was kind of like Safin to his Federer (i.e. arguably more talented but wasted his potential) but still seven tours in a row - yikes!!!!
SHAWN MICHAELS - Yes I know wrestling is a worked sport but they are still supremely gifted athletes who work a super intense year round schedule. Shawn Michaels, twenty years into his wrestling career is still putting on five star matches in his forties.
DIEGO MARADONA - Could do things with a football that defied belief. Led an average Argentina team to World Cup Glory.
Fedbelly
Rookie
Not strictly true imo. There are guys in karate and other martial arts who could throw a single punch as hard and fast as any boxer. The thing boxers are best at are the combinations and the defensive movement plus the endurance to do it for 12 rounds.
Fedbelly
Rookie
Didn't holmes have a better h2h against Ali? I guess holmes is goat
A much aged Ali, to be fair
LameTennisPlayer
Professional
Youve got to be kiddin..........Ali the
most overrated boxer of all time more like it
____________________________________________________
"Sorry."
-- Mirka Vavrinec, Roger Federer's girlfriend, giving Ivan Ljubicic a hug after the Miami final.
most overrated boxer of all time more like it
____________________________________________________
"Sorry."
-- Mirka Vavrinec, Roger Federer's girlfriend, giving Ivan Ljubicic a hug after the Miami final.
LameTennisPlayer
Professional
no kidding, its just like saying a triathlete would be taken apart by swimmers in a swimming compeition............:shock::|:-?
_______________________________________
"Sorry."
-- Mirka Vavrinec, Roger Federer's girlfriend, giving Ivan Ljubicic a hug after the Miami final.
LameTennisPlayer
Professional
not true........... search for fight science (power of one kick and punch) in youtube its by national geographic, they match different martial arts, i.e karate, kung fu, taekwon do, muay thai, boxing to see which delivers the most powerful punch and kick, and its boxing by a long shot....
_______________________________________________________
"Sorry."
-- Mirka Vavrinec, Roger Federer's girlfriend, giving Ivan Ljubicic a hug after the Miami final.
freedomtennis
Rookie
I think he is the greatest athlete we have had since Muhammad Ali. His accomplishments, his world wide status, and he hasnt done a thing wrong so far in his career (unlike Tiger).
And oh...a sweet picture:
I would have to say along sampras, jordan, phelps, bolt, woods,
jackson vile
G.O.A.T.
I think he is the greatest athlete we have had since Muhammad Ali. His accomplishments, his world wide status, and he hasnt done a thing wrong so far in his career (unlike Tiger).
And oh...a sweet picture:
LOL going way too far with that one, he is the best since Pete Sampras but not better than the likes of Laver and company
KAndersonFan
Semi-Pro
No, Ali was not the Agassi of boxing. He really was the GOAT of heavyweights, and possibly the best fighter of all time (although many argue in the favor of Sugar Ray Robinson).
slicefox
Banned
Dude you are ********, Ali only fought about 60 times, u can't compare a tennis match to a boxing fight.
Fed played, what, at least 1000 matches? And Frazier wasn't even that good of a boxer, not a "legend". Try Marciano.
Outbeyond
Legend
Well, both are among the very greatest, no question about it. But Ali was famous decades ago and there have been other great athletes since then aside from Federer, and I'd include Woods and Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong and multiple others from different sports in that mix.
Nonetheless, Ali was not only famous for his athleticism but also for his entertaining bluster - and his politics! So he stepped it up in his own unique way.
Nonetheless, Ali was not only famous for his athleticism but also for his entertaining bluster - and his politics! So he stepped it up in his own unique way.
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