Did Ali cheat against Foreman?

Agreed. And you’re welcome. Coincidentally, I had just watched this interview at work 2 days ago so it was easy to find haha.

 

In his autobiography ‘By George’, which came out in the 90s, he suggests that he was drugged. He also said he was about to knock Ali out but got distracted by seeing his friend in the audience betray him by rooting for Ali, and by the time he got over it, Ali had recovered.

I’ve heard many funny excuses over the years and that was always one of my favorites.

 

Here's my 2 cents:

1. Foreman has claimed that he was drugged and that the water he was given by Dick Sadler was spiked.
Even though there is no proof whether this claim of his is true or false, it is rather dubious that Dick Sadler latter went on to be on Ali's camp.
Also, Foreman claims that the rematch didn't happen because Ali wanted him to re-hire Dick Sadler which Foreman refused to do.
In case this claim of his is true, and Ali did request this, then it would be more than obvious that Foreman's initial claim (that Sadler drugged him) most likely is also true.

2. Ali did indeed cheat by excessively holding onto Foreman's head and pressing downwards on it. He used the same dirty tactics on Frazier in their second fight.
While Ali is clearly not the only ATG boxer to have used illegal/dirty tactics, this should not be allowed, but cash cows usually are favored by refs since the business as a whole profits from them being on top.

3. Ali had the stylistic advantage over Foreman and he was the smarter boxer. Foreman was dumb to fall for Ali's trap and exhausted himself in the blistering heat of Zaire.

 

Seems like the losing fighters in the sport of boxing always have excuses like everybody has behinds. Tisk, Tisk.

 

It was Wilder that drugged him.

 

It pains me to see a grown man cry, George Foreman like Muhammad Ali had ample time to get used to the humid weather in Zaire, Africa in 1974 instead of strutting around scowling doing his best imitation of his childhood idol Charles Sonny Liston.

 

Cheers, that must be the book. In CHAMPIONS FOREVER rel. 89, George played it that he was making a excuses for a legit defeat - still, I can’t recall if he referenced and rejected the doping claim specifically - I don’t think he did. Anyway…..

 

Great info. I didn’t know Archie made reference to Ali’s tactics.

 

George Foreman must have thought that Angelo Dundee and Drew Bundini Brown were hiding in the Grassy Knoll conspiring to Dope his water, the Warren Commission refuted those claims, Foreman acted alone. George was assassinated by Jimmy Young in front of the whole world on March 17 1977 by unanimous decision with some feather fisted dukes. Ha Ha.

 

Ali beat Foreman in his head well before they entered the ring that night in Kinshasa. Great fighters find ways to win. They have the
ability to change tactics in the heat of combat to something that does work.
If the truth is told it was Foreman that in general would bend the rules . What he did to Frazier in Kingston Jamaica is a perfect example of that. Ali baited Foreman, he got him into a blind rage , and provoked him into fighting possibly the dumbest fight in heavyweight championship history.
Did Ali manhandled Foreman? Of course he did, and that key is something rarely discussed. Ali's physicality. He was able to hold his own against Foreman in the physical game. ( I'm sure that fact enraged Foreman even more ,,,,,, also put that doubt in the dark recess of his mind, after all, no one matched Foreman in that game prior to Ali)
Proof of this is how shattered Foreman was after the fight. What his team tried to do to rebuild that confidence. Foreman never fully recovered mentally in his 1st career.
Ali did what he had too... He punched the bully in the nose, turned him into Dontey Wilder for a few years. ( At least Foreman's robe wasn't too heavy in Africa)
It's a fight Ali did what was needed to win........ And shook up the world,,,,,,,,,,,,,AGAIN!!!!

 

Muhammad Ali never got evicted from George Foreman's head.