Send in your come forward slugger type fighter to beat 1974 George Foreman

He did slug a lot. Much more than Louis. Look at his Holyfield, (1 & 3) Hide & Golota fights. Wild brawls.

 

I love the bomber, man.

 

I guess he used his jab and boxed from a distance with impeccable defense and footwork when he fought Holyfield.

 

To answer the thread question, I don't think anyone is beating Foreman by applying pressure and swarming/inside fighting or slugging.

Tua had a cinder block chin and good stamina for a slugger with a very wicked left hook, but that was pretty much it. He was by Lennox Lewis' own estimation, a left hook merchant and not much else. You can't beat Foreman being a 1 trick pony, especially if you're very short and coming in a straight line with a repetitive pattern. Foreman would frame him, keep him at the end of his jab, and time him with uppercuts. See the Chuvalo fight: simply having a good chin and stamina doesn't guarantee you can drag Foreman into deep waters where his stamina becomes a problem. Tua sorely lacked the versatility and imagination to use these gifts to hsu advantage and would either get beat up and stopped or loses a wide decision.

Dempsey might catch Foreman with some vicious shots early with his speed, but was simply too small at 188-196. Foreman pummels him. If someone is disingenuous enough to bring up Willard who was heavier than Foreman, Willard was inactive for multiple years and didn't have a third of Foreman's skill, ring IQ, timing, etc which is saying a lot because Foreman was a slugger first and foremost. Dempsey nearly went into a coma fighting the crude, wide swinging Firpo and was hurt by multiple fighters who didn't pack as much power as Foreman.

I saw Andy Ruiz name get brought up, but the fat man's belly is going to be as red as a tomato after Foreman hammers away at his body. The Jarrel Miller fight confirmed what I thought, which is that Andy doesn't like getting hit there. He has fast hands, but slow feet, and doesn't move his head. He'd be a stationary target for the most part and Foreman would land with ease eventually wearing him out.

 

Spot on ... it's a matter of styles ... Foreman's wins over Frazier and Norton were insane but stylistically defined ... bigger stronger faster guys with much better chins are a very different match up ... I feel Foreman was on his way to maximizing his personal best but the Young loss blew him out mentally so we never got to see the best the George could be ... his natural power, strength , size, jab, chin, killer instinct were monstrous .. he was learning pace, less wiidness , ect .... People forget Foreman had almost no amateur background, was fast tracked into Olympics and won the gold on natural ability and still cutting his teeth ...

 

Joe Louis would do it fine applying his own pressure and destroy him on the inside 0 doubt.

 

Gogo Joe Joyce

 

Agit Kabayel. He proved his chin in his fight with Zhang. He's the same height as Foreman, he's got a small reach and weight advantage, and he doesn't have that concussive one punch power but he's clearly well above average in power because he breaks guys down. If Usyk is a 5 and Zhang is a 10, Kabayel's got to be a 7.5. He's got the right combo of attributes to give it a go.

 

I think many thought that about Zhang...

 

Zhang? the Chinese mummy? , If many thought that about Zhang think again

 

As I said in another thread Ike Ibeabuchi wouldn't be a bad shout.

He has an iron chin, he's as big as Foreman, and has better stamina/workrate.

 

On paper, Louis has many of the tools that could lead to a win over Foreman. Quick hands, superb technique, good ring IQ, able to counter and set traps, etc.

I don't know if his chin would hold up, and his slow feet are also a potential huge problem as he'd be right in front of Foreman. Louis was also no defensive wizard, so even if he managed to survive a bomb or two, it seems inevitable he'd be suckered into a brawl and he wouldn't last long if that happened.

 

When did his chin hold him back? I’d be more concerned with Foreman’s seeing as Lyle landed one right hand in the opening round of the bout and sent him into a tumbling routine, Foreman’s defence was just too lacking for Louis, Louis’s defence was fine, one of the best at HW and his footwork is textbook perfect.

 

As much as I love "Smokin Joe" as a fighter and as a man--I really don't think even FOTC Frazier could've beaten Foreman back then. It was the worst possible matchup for him!