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Originally Posted by Inziladun
There is also Letter, #246, in which Tolkien discusses the possibility of someone else besting Sauron in a one-on-one contest for the Ring.
So from that only Gandalf was likely to really have had the power to keep the Ring from Sauron permanently. Keep in mind that even though Sauron's original "stature" as created in the angelic hierarchy was greater than that of the Istari, he had also spent his spirit with the ages-long effort of dominating other wills and commanding his slaves. So Gandalf could indeed have stood a chance against him. And that is without the power of the One, for that power would have been under the ultimate command of the victor between Sauron and the claimant.
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Tolkien was talking about the forces of the West, but I think that we can be confident that Saruman too would have had the strength to vanquish Sauron. Interestingly that out of all the other Elves etc especially Elrond has the best chance of victory.