How Would A Young Foreman Have Done In The 1990s?

I can see that, I think he’d have a hard time building momentum because there isn’t really anyone to run over in 1990 to build hype for the 91 bout with Holyfield I suspect he’d be a soft touch after BD… maybe he’d fight Daliamni? That guy couldn’t punch, wasn’t overly good and had a nice looking record and Douglas would be hanging around still after Holyfield maybe they could throw him a line? Witherspoon was hot and cold, that’s sort of how I imagine his 1990 year before meeting Holyfield and Tyson in 91.

 

Douglas cashed out for Holyfield. He was done once he signed the contract.

Foreman would just need to beat one or two washed up guys (Group A) and then beat a hyped glass cannon (Group B). There are plenty of pathways:

Group A: Thomas, Biggs, Carl Williams, Weaver, Bonecrusher, Tubbs (risky), Dokes, Ribalta, Snipes.

Group B: Morrison, Alex Garcia, Bruno, Mason (not glass, but bad), Cooney.

You could also throw in a “real” contender like Orlin Norris or Adilson Rodrigues.

 

When you lay it out like this I can see the Ruddock like pathway pretty clearly here lol.

 

Ruddock had it comparatively tougher though because he had to do it in the 80s. Weaver, Bonecrusher, and especially Dokes were still pretty good when they fought Ruddock. Dokes was beyond finished after Ruddock put him in orbit though.

 

How about Coetzer? Guy was in an eliminator for Bowe. He fits the profile of a rough guy without the ability to hurt Foreman, who will stand in front of Foreman. Like Chuvalo.

 

Good pick, although I’m unaware if the guy had much hype in the U.S. Maybe Foreman could do a little pitstop in SA and fight Du Ploy and Coetzer.

 

For the first 3 years of the 90s... going off the Ring Rankings he'd be having a hard time of building a legit career, red are losses or highly risky, white decent odds of winning/losing and green are guy's i think he'd likely beat.

1990

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Razor Ruddock
James (Buster) Douglas (Cashed out)

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Old George Foreman (DQ'd by Fergy)

1991

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George Foreman (Dq)

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1992

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(Decent odds of badly hurting Foreman but probably losses, punchers chance)
Alex Garcia (Never watched this guy)

it gets even WORSE when you factor in how much worse people believe he got after his first loss, Tyson and Holyfield in this scenario are destined to fight him in 91 as decreed by the OP. How should he navigate this if he had to fight ranked guys like a real contender? If he had to fight 2-3 of these guys a year... he'd never really get his career going. What do you think of this 3 year span if he had to pick 2 names a year?

 

Tyson by KO

 

I doubt he'd even be a contender by 98 but if he was looking his worst shape which was probably against Lyle? (I don't think he personally looked that bad but I digress) if he was aging and a few notches below a guy struggling so badly with Lyle at this point...

1998

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(Uses him as a keep busy fight?)

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Take the Briggs route? Knock over enough guys that you have a pretty KO record; parlay into title shot. Repeat.

Foreman vs Foreman is risky, but might be the least-bad option eventually.

 

Golota is an interesting one. He went the distance with TRex and Witherspoon in 98, but went on to quit when Grant dragged him into a war.

I’d have to favor Foreman over Briggs and Golota unless he were showing up to fights looking like 2010s Sam Peter by that point.

 

Maybe could get up to a 50 50 with Tua. Short guy. Cross-arm guard. Tends to shell up once he feels power. He's at least a somewhat familiar problem for 70s Big George. The issue is if it becomes a slugging match, and 70s Foreman tended to get into those.

The more disciplined Foreman of the later 70s has the best shot there.

 

Do you think Old Foreman would take it? If Young Foreman got really hyped and then totally taken apart by one of the division’s elite, Old Foreman might like the risk:reward there, but I imagine it would be a mistake.

 

Nope, not allowed we don't get GF vs GF by royal decree of the OP. I think if he's forced to fight 2 ranked ring guys a year he winds up with like a 45-13 record lol key wins are probably... Fat Riddick Bowe (If he isn't outlasted) Tommy Morrison, Razor Ruddock x1? some south african guys... Frank Bruno... I can't factor in the damage he'd take honestly and not see him being steam rolled multiple times around 94-ish.

 

Old Foreman might duck him. Or he may see an easy mark, and be wrong. Or he may take the fight for psychological reasons. How often do you get to fight your younger self?