Alternative heavyweight history. A young G Foreman wins gold at 2000 Olympics, then turn s professional a year later. By 2004 he's ready and waiting for glory. Let's say, who from that year on could possibly Iyo, beat a young George Foreman??
Wlad or Vitali against a prime Foreman? After what an old Lewis did to Vitali, I dread to think what an hungry, angry George does.
I don't think anyone could beat him. You're talking a top 7 ATG, at the very least. Fury would have been wiped out...Foreman was a million times better as a finisher than Wilder ever dreamed of being. As indubitably great as Wlad was...he couldn't have taken those shots.
If George can keep focused then easily, ain't no one getting in his way. Can you imagine Wlad against Young George!? He thought Sanders hit hard!
Exactly. Neither K brother for me is beating him in prime. All those in the division from 2004 get crushed imo.
Definitely. Also George's sometimes forgotten ability to cut the ring off would be a major factor in his success. Muhammad Ali said that there was nobody better at this than Foreman.
That's a good point. Wlad would have nowhere to go. His style wouldn't do much for him against George, Can see Foreman just ripping in to him and Wlad panicking and trying to tie him up.
Yeah, but that guy Sam Peter was said to be the new George Foreman, because he sparked Williams out, clean. Seriously, some of the threads from around 2005 to 2008 were hilarious in discussing this particular comparison. Man - just imagine if it was possible to see a Prime Foreman vs Prime Peter. I'd love to see it. Not because I think it would be a great fight, but to gain some hard-hitting (pun intended) perspective.
Wlad would have anywhere between 20 to 30 lbs of muscle on Foreman, 2-3 inches in height, a slight reach advantage as young Foreman's wingspan was listed sub 80". Lewis held a fairly lean weight advantage on Vitali which made all that wrestling and pushing possible. Just approaching this from the perspective this forum usually takes with smaller classic fighters. But I'm serious. Im not saying he can't beat them, but the K Brothers would hold their ground better than you'd think. Wlad could successfully jab and grab Foreman. Even Povetkin is a physical match not far removed from Lyle and far better schooled with a great chin in his prime , Foreman isn't the big kid on the block anymore.
Whilst there's some valid points in your post, I'm still not seeing Wlad been successful for long in jabbing and grabbing Foreman. And also we have to remember that the K brothers that Foreman would be facing are the early 2000 versions. Wlad obviously learned a lot as he ages but the young version, at least imo, could be ruined forever by a ko loss to George. Just my ten bobs worth opinion..
Wlad has a history of losing to smaller fighters. Sanders and Brewster were not big. Lewis lost to smaller heavies like McCall and Rahman, and struggled vs a past it former cruiser Holyfield in their second fight. Both Lewis and Wlad struggled more against smaller heavies than bigger ones. Size matters to an extent. But it is vastly overrated by a lot of modern fans. Vastly.
Sanders was 6'4" and 230-240. Brewster was 6'2" and also 230-240. Foreman was 6'3 and 220. Which class fighters the size and strengrh of Wlad did Foreman push around and bully? Lyle was out 6'3 and 215-220, and he gave big George all he could handle. I'm just proposing the same questions people ask of Dempsey, Louis, and Marciano..but for some reason can't consistently ask of 70s fighters that are dwarves by modern heavies too . But I personally don't see Foreman as being the physical equal of Wlad, who holds all the advantages, and once he learned how to use his size was damn near impossible to rough up by a smaller man.