That’s what the Classic forum is all about. You can talk about whatever era you prefer. It’s a lot less of a cesspool than this one, honestly; hope you’ll give it a try.
Wilder to date has not looked as vulnerable as George against Ali and Lyle. Foreman could also gas against Wilder and get brutally knocked out.
I disagree and I'll tell you why. Joshua can't take a punch. Wilder can't box but has one big right hand. Fury is one of the most boring fighters to have ever laced up a pair of gloves. If you recall the Klitschko-Fury bout was one of the most boring in history. Klitschko, Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, Bowe, Lewis each would have destroyed any of these guys. They are exciting today only by virtue of the fact that they all have serious flaws.
Oh please. Every era, while it's going on, is considered to be not as good as previous eras. Only in hindsight do people change their minds. When Bowe and Holfyfield first met, Holyfield was ridiculed for being a blown up cruiserweigjt defending against two 42-year-old former champs and a late sub who floored him. Evander was a joke to many. People at the time said Evander couldn't even compete in the era when Foreman and Holmes were in their primes, because he could barely beat them when they were in their 40s. And before their rematch, Bowe was ridiculed for putting a refrigerator in the bedroom of his home and then needing to go on a crash diet because he'd gone up to 280 pounds, essentially eating himself out of the title ... while Evander couldn't even stop Alex Stewart in a tuneup, a guy he'd already KOed. And before their third fight, Holyfield was considered so shot and with a bad heart that Foreman was standing up screaming for the ref to stop it, before Holyfield floored him. And when Tyson signed to fight Holyfield, Tyson was considered a shadow of his former self yet Evander was viewed as such a has-been that he was the biggest underdog in a title fight since Buster Douglas.It was considered a joke of a fight. And, when they rematched, just before they fought, everyone had done a 180 and Ring voted Holyfield the third best heavyweight of all time and when Tyson bit his ear people thought he should be banned for life and shunned by the sport. I could post hundreds of articles bashing all those fights before and after they took place. Today, they are CLASSICS. That's why I keep telling people to enjoy these fights and fighters instead of spending hours and hours bashing them. Because this is a solid era, with colorful characters and the fights are exciting. It's a great time to be a fan of the heavyweights.
Are you kidding me? You are basing that solely on his Rumble in the Jungle gassing against Ali's rope-a-dope strategy. Had Foreman not retired and fought Ali again I think he would have beaten him. His retirement denied us the opportunity to see a great trilogy. Who would you take in a prime George-Wilder fight?
If Wilder didn't say such stupid things about wanting to have a dead body on his resume more people would give him a break.
Nah, this is not a good HW crop currently. I'm not making the mistake of making gods of previous times. Ruiz would not have gotten lucky against Big George, Bowe, Lewis, Ali, Frazier, Klitschko. Any of those guys fighting an Ortiz would have been considered their Bum of the Month fight yet today it is viewed as a serious challenge to the HW title, against a washed-up, easily concussed 45-year-old Cuban. How would Teofilo Stevenson done against Ortiz? I think we know what the odds would have been for that fight.
Deontay Wilder is the pro version of Teofilo Stevenson. Teddy Atlas compared Wilder to Stevenson last night. Stevenson made a lot of mistakes, then he'd erase you with the right.
Are you delusional? Foreman had a limited gas tank, no defense, and limited fundamentals. He was about the same size as Ortiz minus 15 pounds and a sharp skill set out of a southpaw stance. Wilder—Foreman would probably be a shootout and it wouldn’t be a sure thing for either. The longer it goes, the better for Wilder.
There's little I agree with Atlas "the self-proclaimed Great One" on so this is no surprise. Stevenson was a classic, upright Eastern European fighter. Wilder is the opposite. Stevenson was strong fundamentally, Wilder is not. Though their power and physiques are similar their fundamentals are world's apart.
It wouldn't be a shootout. None of Wilder's opponents have taken the fight to Wilder. They all allow him to move and fight in spots, when he wants to. Foreman would have pressed him and Wilder after throwing some bombs would have been KO'd.
I don’t hate Wilder at all. He’s got a powerful right hand and it makes for some fireworks. However, it is his only real tool.
This. Wilder hasn't faced any aggressive, skilled fighter yet. At least, not one that wasn't shot and over the hill.
That isn't true. Szpilka, Stiverne, and Breazeale all took the fight to Wilder. All ended up unconscious, although Stiverne went 12 rounds the first time to his credit. Szpilka and Stiverne were roughly the size of Foreman. Breazeale was much bigger. The closest Foreman came to fighting someone like Widler was when he fought Lyle, and Lyle gave him hell. But...Lyle was 6'3/76" and Widler is '6'7/83" and more athletic. Foreman's style was great for mowing down smaller men. Lyle and Ali were able to drill him almost at will. Wilder would drill him also.