Muhammad Ali vs. Tyson Fury

It waa incredible...the ring announcers were literally astonished that Ali got away with those rights. I think that had a lot to do with George's ultimately fighting what Frazier pointed out was a foolish fight.

 

I have to say i am not sold in any way, shape or form on the foolish fight stuff.

Going into the fight Ali was considered washed up and Foreman invincible. Foreman was expected to win easily and early. Foreman's style was to attack and overwhelm people early. Ali gave him a lot of free reign on that after the first round. As it was actually happening in real time people thought Ali was playing into Foreman's hands and could not possibly win this way. Hell Dundee was screaming at him to get off the ropes. Frazier early on live didn't think Ali could win staying on the ropes. Eventually everyone caught on but it was far too late for George.

So no-one thought Foreman's attack was foolish coming in, or even for quite some time live. It was only after Foreman stareted to look very tired and lacking sting that most caught on. Ali knew all along.

Here's the thing - If Foreman scales back and picks his spots more Ali has more room to lead and can be more selective in his counters as well. Even with Foreman throwing so many punches Ali was still ahead. Foreman throws less and Ali if anything is further ahead. Foreman sitting back more would play right into Ali's hands - case point Jimmy Young when Foreman was trying to change his style into a more conservative one for an Ali rematch. Not good.

Foreman is still going to tire, more so than Ali and even if it takes longer it's still Ali's fight all day every day. Ali's already shown he can take everything Foreman has got to give and giving less means Ali is going to take less and probably give more when so inclined. Getting into those championship rounds George is going to fade. It's an almost certain Ali stoppage.

So George isn't beating that Ali no matter what he does. He gave himself his best chance IMO even if he did fall short. Ali was too good period.

 

I feel that Ali's victory was also an example of ring intelligence and adaptability on an Elite scale.

 

That too. Ali's in ring "feel" for this fight was off the charts. He KNEW beyond a shadow of doubt at a reasonably early stage he would beat George. Once he got his teeth into the fight and spent a little time with George you can just see that he had it all figured out. No other heavyweight in history could have bore such knowledge at the stage Ali did.

 

I think that it is way too early to pit Tyson Fury in with a very proven great like Muhammad Ali. One great victory though spectacular does not make one an all time great. Ali has many great victories and opponents than Fury. In all fairness to Tyson, he needs to fight more often to display his skills against the best competition around before assuming he belongs in the ring with Muhammad Ali. I will reserve my judgement until then.

 

I’m still not sold on Fury as some ATG. He’s squandered his prime. Beating Wlad at 39 going for his 19th defense is a excellent win but not an all time win. Then Fury didn’t grant a rematch.
Since coming back he’s beat up the overhyped and rated Wilder.
Wallin might be good but we don’t know yet. Chisora is fringe and Cunningham was a good fighter but overmatched at heavy.
That’s all we really have on Fury.
The Joshua bout will tell us a lot.

 

If it ever happens my friend. Too many excuses, other fighters fight during Covid 19. He is like the stimulus check that never arrives, always an excuse.

 

I agree. Too many instances of inactivity for Fury. Over and over again.
He has two very good (great) wins. Wlad and Wilder. Maybe count Wilder twice as that was a great performance by Fury in the draw. Getting up from that right hand in round 12 is an all time classic boxing moment. I felt he won. Most ppl rate Wilder though better than I do, but I’ll concede to consensus and give him credit for a very good /great win.
That’s it.

Fury has no depth on his resume at all.
Fury’s resume has more in common with someone along the lines of ingo right now (Machen and Patterson) or Bowe (Holyfield) than guys like Holmes, Wlad, Lewis, Tyson, Ali - guys that cleaned out the division.

He does look like when motivated that he can be true H2h nightmare. With his height, Ring IQ, Heart and Stamina- he could be handful.

Fury doesn't have enough quality wins bottom line.

 

Agree that the talent is there, but it is just wasting away.

 

Still going with Ali, but this is definitely not an easy one for him!

 

Cunningham outboxed a younger and faster, though less inexperienced, Fury before Fury eventually KO'd him by going on the offensive, so I don't think it's far fetched that Ali's speed and boxing skill would cause Fury problems.

 

Foreman said later that he fought the "dumbest fight of my life" that night in Zaire in 1974...

 

Ring intelligence?...He laid on the ropes until George was gassed...everyone knew that Foreman had stamina issues. Things could have been different if George had fought a smarter fight...or if he caught Ali with a real solid shot! Ali knew after a few rounds that Foreman was getting tired...and that George really couldn't hurt him from then on....and then he dropped him! We're not talking Willie Pep here...

 

He also said he was poisoned, and a host of other things. What they say however is only of importance if it fits our own particular agenda, which in this case is an unerring and compulsory need to criticise any and all Heavyweights post Marciano.

It's always all oh so simple after the event isn't it. Meanwhile back at the ranch Foreman had annihilated two boxers that always gave Ali loads of problems at this career point. He swatted them like flies. Both had gone countless tough rounds against Ali. The overwhelming prevailing thought was that Ali was washed up and quite a few actually feared for his life. Foreman was expected to demolish him just as he had with poor Joe Frazier and Ken Norton.

Trouble is Ali wasn't playing. He came out and pumped George with powerful right hands in the first round and then settled back and wore him down. Ali being on the ropes was where he wasn't supposed to be and Foreman was expected to make a mess of him there. George thought that too as he wailed away expecting he could end things at any point round after round. Trouble is Ali withstood an attack most in history would not have been able to all the while getting in his own subtle digs and wearing his man down.

Foreman did nothing he wasn't supposed to do. Getting Ali on the ropes and pounding him was what was needed. Trouble was Ali this night was simply the better man. Pacing himself would have made no difference as Ali would have outboxed him most of the way and George still would have tired eventually. We know he couldn't knock him out, i mean he pounded at him him on the ropes for an eternity he was hardly going to stop him with punches in ring center.

So even with hindsight George was never going to win. Not against the version he faced that on that hot historic night.

 

It is rude to call somebody by a name he legally changed, isn't it?