What Are Holyfields Chances Against Foreman (Ali Fight)?

I think people are overlooking some things.

1) Ali had a great chin. Yet despite fighting a cautious and defensive style on the back foot, leaning back, covering up and using the ropes to take the steam off Foreman's punches, Ali still got rocked hard and had to take some serious punishment to the body. There are very, very few boxers who could endure a beating to the mid section like Ali, let alone against a tremendous hitter like Foreman. Chuvalo also had a great chin and that did not save him from being stopped.

2) Which leads to the next point: whether Holyfield fights smart or brawls, his reflexes and defense weren't as good as Ali's. Which, again, highlights point 1) about how simply being tough and having a good game plan doesn't guarantee survival against Foreman. Holyfield is going to get hit a lot regardless of his strategy.

3) No one ever talks about 70's Foreman's jab. It wasn't as good as the 90's, but he still has a very good, heavy jab with underrated accuracy. I don't think Holyfield would appreciate being jabbed at since he doesn't use a lot of head movement (unless he's moving his head into the opponent's), and I really can't think of a fight where Holyfield has an answer for a strong jab. I mean the gunshy, lethargic old version of Pinklon Thomas was able to land dozens of jabs on Holyfield who only occasionally tried parrying or swatting them away (often failing). If Foreman is able to land even half as many jabs as Thomas did, he's going to bust up Holyfield's eye and set up some nasty combinations.

4) Foreman's physical style (framing, parrying, shoving, walking guys into shots, etc) is like lighting a match at a gas station against Holyfield who loved being rough and physical. It's not a matter of "if Holyfield fights smart", it's that Holyfield's tendency towards roughhouse tactics or just straight up fouls plays into Foreman's hands. Foreman would be more than happy to oblige so he doesn't have to deal with Holyfield's superior technique or strategy. The ref would be a major factor in deciding the outcome of this match.



Could Holyfield win? Possibly. He's an ATG with many notable h2h qualities, the most important of which are his stamina and skill advantages. It depends on many factors, which includes if Holyfield can handle the body shots, the jabs, the ropes, and if he could finish what he started making the fight rough and ugly. The more I think on it, the less confident I'd be Holyfield could win convincingly, if at all.

Verdict: I will say that if Holyfield is still standing strong and ahead on the cards after 9-10 rounds, he'd likely get the decision or TKOs Foreman. But if Holyfield gets badly hurt/dropped/rocked a few times early, I don't see him making it past the 5th. Especially if he does decide to slug it out with a guy who hits significantly harder and can be just as rough and wild.

 

Boxer/Puncher Holyfield gets in a war with Foreman too early in their first match and gets hurt and decked. He gets more cautious later and, for the most part, stays that way until the end. The match ends in a controversial Draw Decision.

In the rematch, Holyfield fights smarter and boxes early. He builds up a lead and goes to war later in the fight, as Foreman begins to tire. In their second fight, Holyfield wins a close Decision.

There is no third fight between the two.

 

Bumping this old thread because…just had a thought watching Holyfield recently and usually this hypothetical bout goes the direction of “Holyfield likes to brawl and gets stopped” but I’ve been thinking where did this cost Holyfield a win? Against Bowe (6ft5 235lbs) where he fought through the championship rounds to the bitter end? (He was also only 205lbs) We know Holyfield can take George’s power (at 208lbs) so he’ll be there all 12 when GF gassed so why does it matter? (Also note old GF set his shots a helluva lot better and was over 30lbs heavier) He also proved he could follow a plan without “brawling/ losing his head” a couple times. At 217lbs-220lbs (very likely juiced up which Is a pro H2H) I think in with a guy who will look pretty thin and slow by comparison… those counter shots of Holyfields will look a helluva lot more impactful against the smaller and apparently dehydrated (which is a con H2H) 214lbs Foreman from the 70s - stopping him is pretty much a forgone conclusion IMO.

 

@cross_trainer what do you think of the “Holyfield likes to fight and gets stopped” narrative this bout always takes? (Read above post) just doesn’t seem like a factor here.

 

50/50 type fight, I would expect Holyfield to win it…but wouldn’t bet on it

 

Do we get a real ring with real ropes? Figure a disciplined Holy (a la Bowe II version) has a chance but not if the ropes are droopy and the canvas is like quicksand like the ring in Zaire.

Overall, I’d pick Big George but in a regulation ring under normal conditions (say outdoors in Vegas) I’d at least give Evander a chance to pull it off. Someone mentioned Holy being out on his feet in their fight, but so was Jimmy Young and he rode it out to win.

 

Why do you pick Big G over Holyfield SP? Just curious on your opinion of the bout is all.

 

Foreman would have to respect Holyfield's combinations. Maybe Holyfield wasn't as fast as Ali but his combinations were heavier.. and he could add an uppercut in there.

70's Foreman didn't worry too much over defense.

 

Holy was hurt by Bowe and old man Foreman imagine a younger, faster more ruthless version sadly for Evan he wouldn’t make it past six

 

Buddy… huh?

 

I'd say Foreman cuts the ring off early and makes Evander exchange , Holyfield lands some on George but can't hurt him and Foreman drops him and finishes him in the 4th round.

 

No way IMO. Ali earned that advantage. Holyfield couldn’t & shouldn’t receive it.

 

Holyfield stands a great chance at any Foreman.

 

Foreman was factually in his best performance at 214lbs in footage (I can’t find anymore…) Foreman weighed in vs Norton in combat boots and jeans, I tend to take the lower number after finding that out - but I don’t care he was 220lbs, it doesn’t make a difference lol though for some 200lbs vs 220lbs is a monstrous disparity’s whilst 220lbs and 240lbs don’t matter lol.