There is something, however, that is going on deeper within Ali. He feels there is a version of his ability that fight fans have not yet seen. That is what he hopes to unveil against Vargas.
“I feel I deserve to be on that elite level, and I would like to prove to a lot of boxing fans and viewers that I do deserve to be on that level and I deserve the opportunity to prove myself,” Ali said. “I feel I get some credit from certain people, but there is a chip on my shoulders, which is fine. It’s an attitude that has not got me down, and this is my chance here to prove to everyone that has believed in me and followed my career that they were right.
“I believe I don’t get the credit I deserve because of inactivity, but it also may come from people and fans that have not seen me fight and got to know who I am,” he added. “I understand that, because eventually, they’ll know who I am.”
Ali says he has become a wiser, smarter fighter through time. He feels his power has developed more, as has his speed. Fans who have not watched Ali before will see an action fighter who engages his opponents. His style is to come forward and attack, and though it is fan-friendly, it has also led to his getting hit more than he should. Case in point: the 5-foot-9 Ali only fought once last year, walking away with a harder-than-it-should-have-been 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Santana on April 25 at Madison Square Garden.
You put on an Ali fight, and you are going to get a fight -- a fight that could become Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, as it did against Santana.
“With me, sometimes I take a hit here or there. It just happens that way, and I’m trying to work on my defense a little more,” Ali said. “I want to use my head more, but there are some fights you get drawn in. I do have that fight in me that sometimes I want to get in a war. I am getting smarter.”
Vargas will be a handful for Ali. He lost a controversial decision to Timothy Bradley in June. Vargas had Bradley in trouble and referee Pat Russell mistakenly called the fight over with seven seconds remaining in the last round because he mistook the 10-second clapper for the final bell.
“I am going to bust up anyone who gets in my way on Saturday night,” Vargas said. “I am going to make a statement while winning this fight. I have a new team in my corner, starting with my new chief trainer Dewey Cooper, who grew up with me. He has developed a technique which gives me more firepower. We are not looking at this fight going to the scorecards.”
Vargas has fought better opposition and is durable, but Ali may have the edge in power and is the better technician.
“Jessie is a good fighter, but at the end of the day, when we get into the ring, that’s what will matter,” Ali said. “I think I can do a lot of things better than him, and I’m sure he thinks he can do a lot of things better than me. Anything can happen. This is the biggest fight of my career, fighting for my first world title. This training camp has been great, and it’s been a lot tougher.
“Honestly, a couple of years ago, I thought about fighting for a world title, but I wasn’t in a rush for it,” he added. “I wanted to fight different styles as a professional. I’ll admit I wasn’t ready for it. Some fighters rush it, and they mess up and lose. For me, I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to make sure I was ready and I felt my skills were there. I’ve always been confident. It’s good. I’m ready for this. You’re going to see two fighters on March 5 that want something so bad who will have nothing but winning on their minds.”
Joseph Santoliquito is the president of the Boxing Writer's Association of America and a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com's mixed martial arts and boxing coverage. His archive can be found here.