George Foreman , overrated ?

Ring Magazine felt that Roman was a top heavyweight and I disagree with that assessment and don't see any reasonable case for putting Roman in the top 10 that year. Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Joe Bugner, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Ellis, and Earnie Shavers would all rate ahead of him and I haven't even brought up Larry Middleton or Henry Clark. Or do you disagree?

 

Sorry but regaining the lineal champion from a weak champion and subsequently refusing to fight anyone highly rated is in no way enough to put him ahead of guys who dominated the division year after year. There were plenty of heavyweights who would have been heavily favored over George or Moorer in 1994 such as Lewis, Bowe, Holyfield, McCall, etc. Had he beaten someone like Lewis you would have a better case IMO.

 

Back in the 1970s it might have been possible to make a case for Foreman slipping into the top 10 but since then we have had Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis, and Wladimir Klitschko which it makes it much much more difficult to justify such a high ranking.

 

Well it depends on your criteria for rating fighters. With what you've just said there, I'm assuming that you rate Louis at number 1 and Holmes at 2 or 3?

 

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No I wouldn't disagree, but that is not the bone of contention.The crux of the matter is you stated Roman was not rated in the top ten when he fought Foreman ,and he was. Bottom line the Ring thought he was worthy of a spot and gave him one. You are going the long way round the barn here, a simple I was wrong would have sufficed.

 

To be fair, this is a legit point. Ali at 32, and past his best still owed George a rematch.

 

This is legit.

 

That’s very generous. I find you are more agreeable lately.

 

Well luckily he also utterly decimated an all time great to win the lineal title that was undefeated at the time and whose resume included a win over Ali. He also decimated another top fighter who had split fights with Ali immediately before Foreman put him into deep sleep.

 

Styles make fights, Frazier is not a good matchup for a devastating puncher especially one who is bigger than him. I don't consider David Tua an ATG but I would confidently pick him to bomb out Norton and Frazier although he would likely lose to Ali and Young like Foreman did.

Anyway, Oliver McCall scored a devastating kayo over ATG Lennox Lewis does that make him an ATG in your book?

 

Ok so lets take away most or all of the credit for any win against a guy that was stylistically suited to you? Lets just discount those wins?

Absolute and utter speculation. Lets take away Foreman's wins over these two because we think someone else might have beaten them conclusively via our imagination?

Lewis was miles away from being known as an ATG. He didn't have a fraction of Frazier's resume at that time.

McCall also did little else. Where is his Norton? Also, when did he regain the lineal title at near 50?

This Foreman agenda is ridiculously thin as clearly shown by the above.

Not an ATG? Wow just wow.

 

Since then we've also had Foreman regain the lineal title at almost 50. Lets pretend that never happened tho whilst everyone else did.

 

Regaining the title from a weak champion like Moorer who wasnt even the best heavyweight in the world and then getting stripped for failing to face decent opponents is not enough to put him over guys with vastly deeper resumes who conclusively dominated like Wladimir. Going into the McCall fight Lewis had beaten Gary Mason, Donovan Ruddock, Tony Tucker, anf Frank Bruno. Thats a respetable resume and not far behind Fraziers.

 

Yes Ali wasn't much of a win. Not to mention all the top 10 contenders he belted.

Lewis was considered flawed at the time and i have an article that correctly predicted he would fall right before he did. In his first incarnation he was powerful and aggressive but also sloppy and no-where near as good technically (and preparation wise) as he was after Steward come on the scene.

 

Tyson aint Frazier. He's not sticking his chin out for target practice. Oh Foreman woudl land but not enough in succession to get someone with Mike's chin and defense outta there. If Foreman was quicker and boxed better then maybe. You see, he never held or tied anyone up when hurt.

Sorry for the short reply. I'll be back to sample your response.