George Foreman's comeback - fraud or for real?

It was one of sports all time great comebacks really completely unprecedented. However it was greatly aided by the completed watered down hwt scene of that time. foreman knew this and used it to his advantage. Path of least resistance is a great strategy during an era of many multiple paths.

 

Of course it was for real. Stupid question to begin with.

 

real

 

NO! I will not take Cooper's tale seriously. Just say No.

Cooper specifically claims that The Old Mongoose set it up! Yes 73 year old Archie Moore brokered the deal!!!

I dont think Smokin' Bert needed help in the crack and ho procurement department.

 

I give George respect for his comeback because even old there are still ATG's who would lose to the man. Tyson included.

 

Great thread.

Of course his comeback was legit. It's not as if he was on PEDs / paid people off / got gifted a title, was it? He still had to actually get in the ring and actually trade leather.

Yeah, he crushed a bunch of cans and had clever matchmaking. So has virtually every other great fighter at some point or another. So what?

I liked the way Big George adapted his style and managed to make it work at a time when most HW's are fossils.

And so what if he was in it for the money? LOL as if you have to fight for free to be 'legit'.

 

Foreman's comeback was real in the sense that he beat a single ranked fighter in the entire comeback, while losing the fight.

 

As Smokin' Joe put it, in boxing, "You get your brains shook, your money took and your name in the undertakers book."

Who would fault George for going for the money?! Was he wrong to look out for his family?

One of the best elements of his second comeback was his navigation of the Arum King infested waters.

 

Indeed. One of his primary motivators was watching heavyweight fights, and believing that he "could beat all of those guys."

He had one hell of a comeback.

 

It was legendary.

 

I still say, *if* he could've gotten down to 225 or so when he fought Holyfield he would have given himself a better chance for an upset KO

Of course *if* ifs and buts were candy and nuts then we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

 

He would have needed time to get acclimated to the lighter weight, being heavy for so long. He got down to 235 once but was not acclimated to it and didn't feel as strong.

 

I wonder if that was his excuse to eat how he wanted If he wanted to be as good as he could've been at that age he should've dropped weight to minimize his mobility problems.