George Foreman (First Career) Vs Oleksandr Usyk?

Foreman is not going to give Usyk the kind of room and time Joshua did, or be outmaneuvered as easily as Chisora was. He's going to be committed in his offense; not overthink his attack and, conversely, Foreman is going to give Usyk much more to think about than a pawing jab, pulled straight-right and a measured push to the body.

With much more for Usyk to avoid, Foreman presents a significantly greater challenge to him than did both of his aforementioned opponents. Of course, Usyk has the superior mobility, agility and a great engine and is likely to aim at staying out of Foreman's way and picking his distance to confound Foreman with his hand-speed and rapid peppering shots.

However, after watching Usyk get walked down, at times, by a well-past prime Chisora, who was winging in wide and slow shots and still managing to land, I find it hard to imagine a young, Sadler-trained Foreman failing to deliver some pain on Usyk. So, for me, the questions become how long can Usyk sustain his disruption of Foreman's offense and, how much of Foreman's power can Usyk take when the disruption fails?

I do think that Foreman would get to Usyk repeatedly and I think he would make it count and hurt him. Usyk is likely going to have his body tested in ways even his worst nightmares could not quite encompass and I think it unlikely that the impact of Foreman's successes would not translate into a reduction in Usyk's performance, as the fight wears on.

I also think this would happen fairly quickly and would be betting on Foreman to stop Usyk in the first half of the contest.

Foreman W TKO 6

 

Usyk struggled with Chisora,didn`t impress v Bellew young George would destroy him

 

Usky by clear decision ..

 

This would be valid if he was facing ‘77 Foreman

 

Foreman sends that man to the shadow realm. Usyk can't tolerate body punches that well from big hitters and thats pretty much all Foreman ever did to his opponents.

 

Usyk has faced multiple big punchers and taken their shots well. This idea Foreman is just going to bomb him out seems a bit implausible. The likes of Peralta were able to take Foreman into the late rounds so he wasn't bombing everyone out.

 

I’ll say it like this. Foreman would have a hell of a fight on his hands. I love big George and would hate to see him lose. But I was impressed with some of Usyks performances. He constantly moves. Gives angles and never stops throwing punches.

 

Still beat him, by the way, in about the first year of of him being pro.

 

I guess the Peralta fights, though earlier in Foreman's career, (70 and 71 respectively) have already been referenced? Those fights might or might not be called in to bolster the case for Usyk.

Though George still did win on both occasions and did that bit better the second time around - though Peralta himself was that much older. Still, Peralta was no slouch as a boxer and had moxie to spare.

But when talking absolute prime Foreman, we could argue that we're talking a different animal again - the guy that obliterated Frazier and Norton. Foreman wasn't at his best vs Young, but love or hate Jimmy, you can't deny his defensive skills - as well skilled as Usyk is, I don't rate his evasive abilities as highly as I would rate Young's. Usyk does get hit, and it seems that he has always been marked up in some measure after his fights.

Of course, height and weight are fair markers for size. But we know George expressly kept his weight down in his first career - and at least IMO, he clearly had greater natural size than Usyk.

I think it would be a very interesting fight but perhaps, after tasting Foreman's power (and I do believe Foreman will make sufficient connections for Usyk to make a fair assessment of same), Oleksandr might say: “I NO longer feel".

 

Chicken dinner right there.

 

Foreman vs a worse boxer than Usyk

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Meanwhile, for the guys who think this fight is relevant ... well it is, just in the opposite way they think

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Sorry to interrupt JT, but your mention of chicken has given me a hankering for Chicken Tonight, tonight.

Please hang for the second half folks - for our own, home spun parody. Short vid, don’t sweat: -

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Hmm…I think I already made a reference to Mr Young. Worse boxer?

Young was more defensively adept but accounting for Usyk’s integrated offence, you could argue for Oleksandr as being perhaps the better all round boxer.

Point being, George could connect on Usyk more easily than the elusive target he found in Young - and a single left almost put Young out in round 7 anyway…and Young had a very good chin.

Also, do you think that’s the best version of Foreman to be offering up and IF not, how much less of his prime self was he?

I believe we’re taking the best possible version of Foreman here.

 

Jimmy Young 35-18 no titles.

Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 multi belt champion

There's any doubt about this?

1) You're assuming a lot about Foreman's ability to connect on Usyk more easily
2) Usyk has never been off his feet. Young ... well he was KD and KO a few times

Pick whichever version you like. They all fight the same. Young is relevant because he was a defensive boxer that was not easy to tag. That's the relevance.