Is Ali's win over Foreman a tad over rated?

As is terry norris's win over leonard......but only by a few

 

Not true, since it never happened.

 

I fully concur,Kurgan. Ali's punishment,in comparison to the other fights you mention,was minimal. Foreman's face was getting very puffed up before the end of the fifth round while Muhammad was virtually unmarked. The 1977 Shavers fight,especially,displayed how much Ali had gone downhill since the Zaire bout. The 1974 Ali would have played with Shavers,whilst the Zaire Foreman would probably have stopped the '77 Muhammad.

 

It's worth noting that Foreman's win over Frazier were almost as big an upset as Ali's over Foreman. If Ali had faced Foreman in an eliminator in 1972, he would have been a massive favourite to derail big George.

It's undeniably true that Foreman's massive reputation going in to the Ali fight rested on just two quick wins (Frazier and Norton, 2 rounds apiece), and wasn't rated in Ali's class before those wins.
It's understandable how, considering those two had both beat Ali, Foreman became rated so much above Ali going in to the Zaire fight.

But boxing fans and sportswriters can be fickle, and are often quick to forget that 'styles make fights'.
Having said that, I woulda probably picked Foreman. He looked terrific against Norton, who perhaps too got 'overrated' off of the Ali results.
Hindsight is 20/20.

 

ali was very very smart. ali went for foreman as soon as the opening bell started landing big right hands on george. ali was a psychological master in the ring!

 

A cunning plan that even Baldrick would be proud of. Very very smart.

 

I know that. You know that. But they keep calling it a win

 

It still exposed Hagler his only weaknes...
He is a bad pressure fighter.

 

That's cuz it's too painful for them to think about, let alone want to admit supremacy over a boxing icon. Sugar just met his match!

SPEED was Sugar's worst enemy. Sugar just did not fare well against speed. and speed coupled with power means BIIIIIIIIIIIG trouble for SRL:nono

I know some people here might be offended but Sugar just didnt have enough experience to cope with someone like Norris, even a less experienced Norris

The SPEED made the difference

TN reminded me a little of RJJ that nite, altho a little more controlled. Roy wouldve just drilled Sugar full O holes for a mid rounds tko whereas Terry picked his shots smartly & still dominated a 5 division champion that hadnt lost in 11 yrs.

His reflexes & sharpness startled Leonard who had never faced this level of speed, his worst nightmare

Terry's win over Leonard was overwhelming, both to fans like u & to leonard himself

So overwhelming in fact, Sugar needed 6 yrs to get over the ass whuppin

 

In his prime Hagler ws the BEST pressure fighter

 

Best mw counter puncher I would say.

Maybe I've gotten my definitions wrong, though I'm not wrong on counter puncher.

 

That would be Roy Jones, Nunn, people like that

Hagler, slower N older stepped it up in the Hearns fite. People didnt think he could do that, street fite in a big event. the world had never seen fighting like that before. It dwarfed all previous bg fites in intensity: Holmes-Cooney, Leonard-Hearns, even Ali Frazier

 

Good call

 

and how long did it take Norris to get over his humiliating knockout by simon brown

 

Was Ali's win overrated?

I don't think it's overrated and I'm no fan of Ali.

It was probably the smartest fight I've ever seen.

Ali knew Foreman's weakness, skillfully exploited it and regained the championship.
You can't get much bigger than that.