What was so shameful about George Foreman and the Toronto Five?

It was not shameful in my book. Historically, many great fighters and real wrestlers have done similar things often! It is almost a tradition.

 

Because the way it turned out was kind of embarrassing. It was meant to be a show of strength on George’s part, but Ali kept on roasting him from ringside and the advice he was giving the fighters in the ring was working, albeit barely for like a round.

That must be incredibly frustrating from George’s perspective, the event was essentially hijacked by Ali.

 

Thread is on the money. Are we really going to say Ali’s “fight” with Inoki deserves a pass but this was an embarrassment?

It’s as simple as this - Ali was beloved by all & sundry following his victory over Foreman. Foreman was the bad guy in this scenario, had he organised an event instead where he gave houses to the poor, Ali & his buddy Cosell would have acted no different.

 

If Joe Frazier was at ringside giving Inoki advice on how to beat Ali, and Inoki had occasional success using that advice, I’d consider it even more embarrassing than Foreman’s debacle.

 

You might have, but no one at the time would give your opinion voice.

 

They definitely weren’t schooling or beating up George. Not sure where you think I said that

Ali was giving them advice how to survive against George, as well as on how to fight him (I.E. excessive movement, hitting the ropes when trouble comes) and it usually did work for like a round. I believe that Charley Polite (could be getting his name wrong) is the best example of this, he basically imitated Ali in their fight, albeit poorly. And by this point George was in less of a mood to spar like he was at the beginning, yet Polite still managed to survive using Ali’s advice. George had been in like 2 post- fight brawls with the previous fighters that night and Polite was a cocky douche.

 

I watched it the other day, I loved it!
Should happen more often.

 

I read Mac Foster was meant to be one of the five.

 

I guess not embarrassing per se but it was disconcerting to see that Foreman was apparently not in a good head space - especially allowing himself to be so triggered by Ali’s idiotic ranting from ringside.

Ali certainly wasn’t in a hurry to get back in the ring with Foreman at any rate. Even before Zaire, Ali was pumping hard for Ken Norton to beat George. Ali knew that George was still dangerous, even if it below his best mentally.

Compared to some other shenanigans in boxing, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

 

Realistically, the only "shameful" thing there was Ali's conduct in hijacking the damn thing. Otherwise it was an interesting idea for a freakshow.

 

Ali was most of the reason Foreman wasn't in a good head space to start with, then he shows up and starts ****ing with him at the very event that was supposed to help him get his head on straight? Total mind****. (and from the perspective of Ali definitely not wanting to risk fighting him again, if he can show up, be a clown, and maybe drive Foreman over the edge, might as well do it)

 

It was shameful because Muhammad Ali said it was and at the time America was under the spell of Ali and his charisma.