Prime George Foreman would be dwarfed by today's heavies

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by InMemoryofJakeLamotta, Aug 27, 2023.


  1. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Take Dubois for instance at 233 pounds which was on the light side for him. Even Usyk , a "cruiserweight" was 220 pounds. Foreman was 217 pounds when he won the title and was considered a giant.
     
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  2. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

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    You’re gonna get a lot of “natural 230lbs” and “Bone structure” talk. Yes he’d be small imagine him next to Samuel Peters.
     
  3. Salty Dog

    Salty Dog globalize the Buc-ees revolution Full Member

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    Maybe. He'd still put them all of them (those that would take the fight) to sleep. Every. Last . One.
     
  4. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT banned Full Member

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    George would be an absolute Lilliputian among todays lot.

    I’d be surprised if they even noticed him or his tiny little voice going “squeak, squeak, squeak” during pre fight instructions.

    I have it on good authority that George was only a mere 6 1/2 lbs at birth - how tiny is that? These guys would crush him underfoot.

    Disclaimer: Foreman’s birth weight has been completely fabricated for the sake of humour - well, intended humour at least. :D
     
  5. CleneloAnavarez

    CleneloAnavarez Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Couldn't put tiny Jimmy Young to sleep.
     
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  6. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT banned Full Member

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    Jimmy wasn’t so tiny but I will say, The Mighty James Young was good at putting others to sleep, if you know what I mean and I think you do. :D
     
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  7. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    Tale of the tape

    Anthony Joshua
    Reach 82'
    Neck 18"*
    Waist 36"
    Chest 47"
    Thigh 27"
    Bicep 19"*
    Calf 16.5"
    Ankle 9.8"

    George Foreman 70's
    Reach 78.5"
    Neck 17.5"
    Waist 34"
    Chest 45.5"
    Thigh 25"
    Bicep 16"
    Calf 17"
    Ankle 10"

    In terms of sheer bulk, the only advantage Joshua has is bicep size. This isn't surprising considering he's a dedicated weight lifter and Foreman didn't lift weights at all in the 70's. The numbers are pretty close otherwise and Foreman actually has the advantage in 2 categories.

    Looking at the measurements, nothing suggests Foreman would be too small if he competed today. He certainly wouldn't be drying out or starving himself down to 220. If he lifted weights and had a a less strict diet, getting to 230+ would literally be a piece of cake.

    *Note: I saw some sites listing Joshua's neck and biceps both at 16", but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that this may have been before he fully developed
     
  8. Melankomas

    Melankomas Prime Jeffries would demolish a grizzly in 2 Full Member

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    Did @Journeyman92 hack you
     
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  9. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

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  10. Cojimar 1946

    Cojimar 1946 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Why couldn't he just fight at cruiserweight
     
  11. Salty Dog

    Salty Dog globalize the Buc-ees revolution Full Member

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    Couldn't or didn't that night? I vote for the latter. Are you one of these guys that places great value on a zero?
     
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  12. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Yes he more than likely would drop most of em anyway.
     
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  13. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    Aah the old ‘if he wins it’s proof’, but if he loses ‘it’s a bad night and doesn’t count’ angle. Maybe, who knows? But what many of us are aware of is that that Jiggery-pokery Jimmy was always going to be a bad night for George, and this wasn’t being wise after the event, Just like the majority of the Boxing News staff predicted Ali would beat George, 4 months before the ‘Schooling in San Juan’, they also stated the following (when it was mooted that if Ali keeps ducking a rematch, George would either fight Larry Middleton or Jimmy Young in Feb/March 1977):

    “If George Foreman ever takes a match with Jimmy Young it could be a big mistake. Foreman is a tremendous puncher and probably the strongest heavyweight around today, but Young moves in and out, clutches and grabs, and Big George gets awful frustrated early. He could have a very hard time catching a Young with a solid shot…It could be a bad match for Foreman now or anytime”.

    Joltin’ Jimmy Young. R.I.P.
     
  14. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    This is more of a ramble.

    I've met some heavyweight champions in person before - George Foreman, Hasim Rahman, Oliver McCall, Lamon Brewster, Lennox Lewis, Henry Akinwande, Roy Jones (if you want to count him), Bermane Stiverne, Bruce Seldon, Buster Douglas - and any number of one-time heavyweight contenders - Andrew Golota, David Tua, Derrick Jefferson, Fres Oquendo, Dannell Nicholson, Calvin Brock, Larry Donald, Monte Barrett, Mariusz Wach, Tomasz Adamek, Audley Harrison, Axel Shulz ... and others. Anyway, you get the point. I met a mix of them.

    And the only one who entered a room and you went, "Jesus, that guy could beat everyone in the whole world," ... he just had that size and presence, was Lennox Lewis.

    Lewis looked friendly on television. In person, when he was fighting, you didn't want to screw around with him. He was a beast. A huge beast.

    (On the flips side, Roy Jones was ridiculously small. Even his head. It was just tiny. Very small head.)

    But, in person, George (during his HBO commentary days - when he was pretty filled out) didn't look like "Big" George in person. He seemed about the same size as every other heavyweight you'd come across - like Rahman and all those guys.

    But Lewis was massive. Tall. Really long arms. Very intimidating. I totally understand how he beat everyone he faced. And having also met the two guys who beat him (McCall and Rahman) ... it's a miracle they both beat him once. And, if McCall and Rahman had ever fought, I'd have gone with McCall.

    But, back to the topic, yeah, in person, George wasn't necessarily big at all compared to the heavyweights from the 90s and early 2000s. And he's much smaller than a lot of guys now.

    Anyway, carry on.;)
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2023
  15. The Professor

    The Professor Socialist Ring Leader Staff Member

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    Size isn't everything, like some boxing fans seem to think