Yea I’m agreeing with janitor here. Foreman’s chin was always granite but there’s literally no way it can get better over time, especially when your in the shape of 90s foreman. The 70’s fighters were able to drop foreman because he was a lot more open, off balance, would often swing wild, and a lot more willing to trade. He was getting hit with well timed shots he didn’t see coming in the 70s. 90s version was just way more prepared to take punishment.
IMO, Joe would beat him, and he could stop him. If Joe boxed George, he could puff up his eyes to the point where the referee has to step in. Other than that, I would go with Joe Louis by unanimous decision over 12.
It’s very interesting though. Because there would have been a big difference in-between being knocked down when he was younger, and actually been knocked out when he was older.
I’ve thought about this for years also. I think the added weight and neck size has to make a difference. Toney, Ali and Foreman were all more durable as they aged. It’s not specifically the chin and the jaw. It’s everything together. The neck, the mass, the balance and the conditioning etc, all coming together as one.
Perhaps Foreman's chin got better because he got more of them. They divvied up the punches between them. There you go JT. There's your topic rolling, right there. I challenge anyone to come up with a crapper explanation.
It’s not just the chin though. It’s his whole body. Like John Thomas has said, there must be something behind the extra mass. If you add mass and build up your neck as well as the rest of your body, it has to make a difference in how you absorb a blow.
Joe Louis would have landed pretty well on Georges chin, but I don´t see a stoppage. On the other hand a good shot on Louis chin and he could go down with that vulnerable mandible. My prediction would be a wide decision win for Louis with George going for some sunblockers again in post fight interviews. To stop him (eventually saved by the ref) it needs more raw power. Lennox Lewis, Bowe, AJ, aka strong heavy handed punchers with the proper size, or even a hight output + power like Ibeabuchi come to mind. I´d give much lesser fighters than Joe Louis with heavier hands like Ruddock, Shavers, Lyle, James Smith, Bruno a better chance to hurt him like the sharp punchers Hide, Louis, Dempsey, etc.
Bloody hell Eddie!!.. That's it, double and treble chins make you take a punch better! The solution, finally.
It's something that's always fascinated me. Look at the Rumble in the Jungle. George was exhausted, and Ali capitalised on that and knocked him out. But let's say that Ali had hit him with that exact same combination in the early rounds instead of the 8th round. What would have happened? There's a good chance that he'd have taken those shots and not gotten stopped. So for me, it's not just the chin. Now of course your chin can't get stronger as you age. But you can add other things to make your whole body stronger in order to absorb a blow better. Being fatigued makes a difference. So if you're not as fatigued, you're better equipped at dealing with shots. You've got more energy and overall strength. Your balance makes a difference. Where you put your feet in order to support your weight. Your neck muscles. Building your neck absorbs a better shot. Look at Tyson's neck and how he trained it. I also believe that you can condition your body to getting used to taking big shots. Ali did that all throughout the 70's in sparring. He took a lot of punishment in the gym. Adding overall mass also makes a difference. So although George's chin cant specifically have been stronger in his 40's than in his 20's, I think that overall, he was stronger and more durable at an advanced age. I think that it would have taken some serious power in order to have knocked him out in the 90's.
Yea Louis would certainly stop him. Those combinations Holyfield was putting on George would be the same thing except this is Joe Louis. Nobody is taking clean, flurries from a puncher like Louis. Whether the referee would get in they quick enough to save Foreman before he is staring at try ring lights.
