I like Muhammad Ali. I like George Foreman. But I watched the famous match between them. And either, George Foreman was drugged or he had his most slow and amateurish performance I've seen, with the worst stamina? I mean, WTF, everyone can see that something was wrong there, how come that match is so famous?
he was expecting a 2 round blowout and came up against the most "un-knockoutable2 guy in hw history. Combine that with Ali consistently hitting him in the face, you get one of the greatest victories in the division's history.
since so many fail 2 grasp it i will now post it here : loosened ropes helped Ali in : 1) avoiding punches by stretching backwards easier 2) absorbing punches by being held less strictly by d ropes 3) remaining upright while absorbing what was left of BBG's punches (*) d heat helped Ali 2 further exhaust a (**) drained 4man (**) 4man was instructed by Dick Saddler 2 dehydrate himself pre fight and then Saddler gave him something 2 drink . Later , Ali's handlers' condition 2 4man was either Saddler in his corner 4 d rematch , or no rematch . We do know 2day what 4man's choice was . love copy pasting myself
"Foreman fought crap." Yeah, but no. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. As they point out in the film and the book, Ali went on and on and ON about how he was going to dance, dance, dance. There was no reason not to believe him. Everyone presumed it was the case. Foreman presumed it was the case. How else could he expect to win? Foreman's plan was basically good. Be extremely aggressive, work hard on footwork, and then train to hit the heavybag - pin him against the ropes and on the corners with footwork and a jab and then lay the target low. What else was he to train for? What happened was, Foreman was gifted his ideal set of circumstances without having to buy them with skill and will. I definitely think Foreman is and was overated as a fighter. But I also think that ALi unquestionably out-thought and out-fought him. Foreman looked knackered, what a surprise? He was working 2 minute spells on the heavy bag in incredible heat whilst being hit flush by stiffening right hands for round after round. Of course he looked shattered. You would look dead. His problem was he couldn't adjust. Not just couldn't - what would he adjust too? Sniping for a points victory? He did what he had to do. Wasn't good enough. Ali is great. End.
Yes and no, the idea that Foreman was drugged and fought poorly is laughable, he looked like a beast early. And I suggest some posters try boxing in the African heat But there were 2 clear mistakes, little bodypunching and punching himself out. Foreman was definitely out thought and outfought though
Oh for **** sake, wasnt there a thread on this recently Foreman, is a dumb guy, he fought a dumb fight and ran out of gas, pounding the most durable heavy ever. Mcgrain is right about what he said. Ali said he was going to dance and jab....come fight night, he did the exact opposite, he threw lead right hands and then went to the ropes and let Foreman pound away. Foreman, thinking he had Ali out of there, pounded harder and harder until there was nothing left in his tank Ive noticed, theres a certain group of people on this board (no names mentioned) who seem to be hell bent on discrediting the Greatest Of All Time. Well sorry fellas, you need to try harder.
Most people,including Foreman and his camp,expected Ali to go the same way as Joe Frazier,Joe Roman and Ken Norton. Maybe he'd last till the fifth round because he was harder to hit in the early rounds than those mentioned. This was the script. George found Muhammad an unfathomable nut to crack. Another part of the script was that after looking good for a few rounds,dancing,the thirty two year old Ali would tire and go to the ropes and that's when George would get him. Ali realised that in the African heat,he would more than likely tire before Foreman as George was finding success in cutting the ring off,and Muhammad found himself moving five steps to every one or two of Foreman's. So Ali improvised and went to the ropes while he was still fresh. The strategy worked. Muhammad slipped and parried most of George's punches,and landed a lot of his own and this told on Foreman after a few rounds. He was exhausted after the fifth and ready to fall. Which,as we all know,he did in the eighth. Forget any conspiracy theory bollocks such as Foreman being drugged or Dick Sadler had Daleks to poison George's water bottle. Ali outsmarted,outthought and outfought him. And yes,this topic does come up frequently.