Why people romanticize past fighters over present fighters

Foreman was held in awe in his day until he lost to Ali and Young. It was thought by many that Ali might be killed in that fight. Nobody expected Young to beat George. After his weaknesses were revealed he went from overrated to underrated. When he fought five guys in one day, he became an object of ridicule, which he remained until he knocked Cooney out. By then Foreman had learned to have fun at his own expense. That combined with some good wins brought him respect. The public is fickle until the athlete retires and the book is closed.

 

Brother you can’t just say people who are fans of Gene Tunney are racist I know, I know… you have some oblique way of explaining why you say it but cmon. I don’t want ya banned, I like your presence here.

 

It’s funny how you phrased all that because Foreman fans basically only live in the years 73-74 they’ve moved to Zaire slowly but only if they can say NO ONE but the greatest HW of all time could have survived the “hellacious” punishment. Nothing else counts and it’s the only interpretation of the fight via the ancient texts of Ali’s ghost writers and the fans, film is optional. With the dust settled Foreman was a great HW with a prominent heel, it isn’t a terrible thing it’s a human thing.

 

I don't necessarily disagree with you here, but Foreman in the 70s was actually what people thought Wilder was in the 2010s. The adulation Wilder got was incredible to watch, a lot of people have revised their opinion since. He bulldozed horse**** for his entire career and aside from a 86 year old Luis Ortiz, who stilll had him out on his feet, and got slapped from pillar to post by every actual solid fighter he faced.

Foreman absolutely walked through Frazier and Norton, two fighters who were top 5 at the time, he made them look like amateurs, it was terrifying what he was doing to A-grade names, he obliterated both in under 5 minutes. Some probably would've wrote him off as crude, but no other HW in history has knocked out other prime A-grade heavyweights essentially back to back with such ease. Often with the older fighters it's the quality of their opposition and the way their resume has aged which sets them ahead of the modern fighters, but that said, Usyk and Klitschko would've competed in any era.

 

The Foreman who retired for the first time in 1977 still had a lot to prove. Sure he bombed out Norton and Frazier (twice) and lots of lesser foes but he hadn't developed into a fighter who could go hard for ten rounds. That weakness revealed itself when he fought Gregorio Peralta in 1970. The fight with Ali reminded the world of that weakness and Jimmy Young drove the point home. I would argue that not until he lost a blistering 12-rounder to Evander Holyfield twenty-one years after Peralta did he prove otherwise. That's really when he earned the public's respect as a truly great fighter.

 

Why should any enjoy such protections?

I would understand if my argument wasn't academic, but it is.

 

I see, Ali was a black separatist in a prison gang turned murder cult… what are Ali fans?

 

Guys, I've been working on my impressions lately. Would anyone like to see my Jake LaMotta impression? It's very specific. I would explain it before I did it.

 

Fans of a black nationalist.

Should you explain black nationalism's control over boxing I would give it the 1:1 I think you are looking for. As far as I know there was no control structure to keep non-black nationals from any titles so I can't hardly claim unfair infrastructure but if someone did show it I still hold all unfair era champs are less than fair era champs. Regardless of the nature of the propaganda.

No to the crown's bull

No to the slave owner's bull

No to the facist's bull

I say no to Ali's bull too its just his didn't stop anyone from getting title shots. If it did then no and **** him too



Why would i protect smoke and mirrors?

 

I would love that, please do.

 

Okay, yes, nice, good. Okay, so this one is Jake LaMotta, aged 91, rattled awake at 3 in the morning by anyone, totally caught off guard and legitimately unrehearsed:

I fought Sugar Ray so many times...I got...sugar diabetes...źzzzzzź

 

BRAVO Would you like to hear my impression of his neighbour Carmen Basilio?

 

Please...

 

Same scenario different character…“I can’t concentrate on Golf or Bowling zzz…”