Would Young have been able to beat 1973-1974 Foreman?

That's exactly what I was going to say to Red Cobra. What would he have to gain if he said it after the fight?

 

George would always have been uncomfortable with a master boxer type such as Ali and Young. Larry Holmes too.

 

You're saying it like it's been proved. He only proved he could beat a 1977 Foreman in extreme heat which drained his stamina. Even that is debatable as I've seen many people say Foreman deserved the decision. He almost got knocked out by this Foreman. 1973 Foreman hit so much harder. If 1977 Foreman hurt Young and had him out on his feet, then you can bet you're ass 1973 Foreman would hurt him to. When Big George had someone hurt, he'd go wild. Young would be out cold.

So it wasn't proven he had the unique style to take out George. Just the 77 version he beat. Saying otherwise is bias.

 

Untrue. The way to beat any Foreman is to outbox him. It's the typical way fighters beat all time punchers historically. Certainly Ali in his prime would be favored over any Foreman. Young was no Ali but tricky and hard to hit cleanly enough to give him a 50/50 shot to win. I would say the same concerning other past great boxers facing Foreman.....Tunney as an example.

 

Yes, let's not leave out Larry,....but there would be that ever present danger that George would land something big, and Larry was neither as elusive or had the chin of either Ali or Young.

 

You have a bias too, my friend...so we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

How am I biased? No it's you who's being biased. You're saying Young had the style to beat prime Foreman despite the fact it was never proven. Ali in 1974 (who had faster feet than young) had to resort to the rope a dope because Foreman cut the ring very well.

 

Um no, that wasn't peak Foreman. Peak Foreman would just cut the ring on Young like he did to Ali.

 

See the post above yours...Foreman would be exhausted by round 13...a tko stoppage for Young.

 

Your entire thread is one big agenda...if I'm biased, then you can bet your ass that you are too.

 

A great magician goes to his grave having never revealed his secrets. Jimmy had a perfect reason to lie during his post fight interview, and that was due to the expectation of a rematch against his 28 year old opponent for nailing down a rematch title challenge against Ali. Master George like that over 12 rounds in two consecutive bouts like he schooled Lyle twice, or dominate Shavers in a third showdown (which Earnie wanted no part of on the brink of getting his own shot at Ali), and the champion would have a much harder case for not defending against Young a second time than he ever had for not re-matching knockout victim Foreman.

Damn right Young was going to leave the ring having George convinced he could win by knockout in a rematch. Keep the con going as a future investment. Make everybody think a stiff breeze could blow you over. Had to be a huge downer for Jimmy not to get that second opportunity to victimize a monster like that with sheer guile and slickery.

Jimmy Young was a power puncher's worst nightmare. Gerry was the luckiest big slugger of his era to uniquely tear open Young's aging facial skin with that long right hand. (Earnie was also lucky to catch Jimmy as early as he did in Young's career.)

Ken Norton had the smarts to aim for a points win by concentrating on Jimmy's body. Kenny was an overrated puncher, but a badly underrated stylist who one did not want to try playing chess with if avoidable. (Ali went to his toes through the first five rounds of his second bout with Norton to deter Kenny from pulling the trigger, telling me everything about how peak 1967 Ali would have lopsidedly outscored Norton on points. Ken did not punch when Ali danced.)

Young's spirit was broken by that SD loss to Norton, so he showed up for Ocasio I looking like "a balloon" (as Cosell put it) at 220 against one of the most weirdly unorthodox HWs of the era. (I saw Dokes I & II. No question Ossie deserved the UD in Dokes I, and convinced Don King got Jaws to take a dive in Dokes II. Two classically crooked DK outcomes.)

 

How am I biased at all? As a matter of fact, a lot of people here consider me a Foreman hater. So if anything I'd be biased against Foreman.

 

No, he knew Foreman wasn't returning to boxing. Now you're just making excuses.

 

Thank you Anubis, for making it so that I don't have to type much...great post...i couldn't have done any better.

 

That post fight interview took place before the decision was announced. So you are saying if that decision was for Foreman, George would definitely NOT have returned to boxing regardless.