Foreman never hit Ali with his best shot, right?

This is why I am left scratching my head when the idea is put forward that Holmes, for example, could have emulated Ali's performance.

I really don't think anyone else in heavyweight history could have shipped that kind of leather - not even Holmes.

 

Hi Buddy.
Quite right, Ali was a monster, and it took a monster to overcome Foreman at that stage in his career, I went up town to the West end to see the fight on cctv, in a picture house, or cinema as it was later called, the fight started around 4am from my memory, we had been to a pub, then a bar, then a nightclub hours before so I was a little inebriated, Ali started well with lead rights, and was looking good for a few rounds, then he backed off to the ropes, we all looked at each other, is the end for Ali ? we all know what transpired, so no need to go over it again, I firmly believe you had to be there, and lived it, to appreciate how enormous this feat was, almost everyone saw Foreman as the winner, and many feared for Ali's life , I kid you not.
stay safe JT, chat soon mate.

 

Yeah - You've highlighted some premium shots in the few clips posted - and that's just scratching at the surface when you start to look at Foreman's assaults to the body.

Ali just made it look as though Foreman was oversized and under-powered. He was a Man of Steel and this, combined with his tactics, presented Foreman with something the likes of which he had never before seen nor would ever face again.

 

Aye - Truly one of the greatest victories in Heavyweight Boxing history. Great thread mate!

 

“I kicked a lot of asses – not only George’s,” he said. “All those writers who said I was washed up, all those people who thought I had nothin’ left to offer but my mouth, all them that been against me from the start and waitin’ for me to get the biggest beatin’ of all times. They thought big bad George Foreman, the baddest man alive, could do it for them but they know better now.”

...

Ali’s eyes lifted suddenly and he smiled at Aunt Coretta and Lanna Shabazz, who had winced and drawn in their breath as he talked of that fifth round. “Were you scared when I let him punch away at me like that? It weren’t nothin’. He weren’t hittin’ no spots, no place vital where he could hurt me. I was leanin’ back over the ropes with my head out of the way and my arms was savin’ me from real damage on the body. If he’d hurt me I’d have moved. I knew what I was doin’. You know I wouldn’t go in there to let no street fighter mess me around.”

Coretta Clay, a small woman with the firm-boned features of the world champion’s father, abandoned herself to a high, ecstatic laugh at the door of the kitchen. “There’ll never be another like him,” she shrilled when she recovered. “He is the Alpha and the Omega.”

From the Vault: Hugh McIlvanney meets Muhammad Ali, hours after the Rumble in the Jungle | Muhammad Ali | The Guardian

 

I don't think Holmes or any Heavyweight could play the rope a dope game vs a prime Foreman.

But I can see Holmes outboxing Foreman and winning decision, but Holmes did have a tendency to get caught and whilst he did have very good recovery powers. It would be a whole different ball game trying to recover vs a prime Foreman.

 

First off, thanks for the responses. I had this same discussion awhile back, and asked where exactly Foreman landed his best shots, and nobody wanted to answer. Now there's something specific to debate.

So, here's the slow-motion replay of the shot at 35:49 that you mentioned. As far as George landing his best punch flush, I wouldn't rate that near the top in his career. Didn't really bounce Ali's head much, and Ali came back immediately with a good shot of his own. It might have been one of his better shots in this particular fight though. To be fair though, not sure that was the absolute best angle on the replay.

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The right hand at 25:33 is by far the best argument there is, IMO anyway, that George actually got his best shot in vs. Ali, although I still say it doesn't quite compare to several of the shots that Frazier took, or the one that KO'd Roman. Very good shot by Foreman though, his best of the fight from what I saw. Here's that one...

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The uppercut at 23:41 happened while Ali was pulling on the back of George's head, which had to take some of the steam off of that. The one you mentioned at 26:25 landed, but clearly wouldn't qualify as Foreman hitting Ali with his best.

The specific punches that you pointed out were clearly some of the better head shots that Foreman landed in this fight, but it also shows that there wasn't much to choose from. 25:33 is the best possible argument, but I still say it wasn't George's absolute best.

FWIW, there is one other that George landed solidly, but it was in the 8th, and George had lost some steam by then. Here's what that looked like...

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You seem like a nice and stable fella.

 

Agreed, those body shots were murderous,

 

I believe George tagged Ali with some of those clubbing shots that would have made many Heavyweights hit the floor, and possibly stay there. George Foreman could really HIT! And Muhammad Ali was very DURABLE, maybe too much so for his own good, What a will to WIN that man had!