Old Foreman was a much smarter and more skilled fighter than his younger self, for sure. However, the Foreman of 73-74 was physically superior. With regards to Holyfield, the Real Deal would've stood no shot at going toe-to-toe with a prime Foreman due to this. I'll continue in the comment below.
While Old Foreman was technically superior to his 70s counterpart, he no longer had the foot speed to cut off the ring like he did in his prime. So when Holyfield switches to boxing a 24/25-year-old Foreman, he will be heralded to the ropes by Big George's mummy guard and stalking lateral steps. This was what exactly happened to Ali in R1 of the Rumble in the Jungle, which is why he had to switch to the rope-a-dope to beat Foreman via outthinking him; because Foreman's ring-cutting made successfully outboxing him improbable. I enjoy Holyfield as a fighter more due to his tremendous heart, which I believe will prevent him from getting outright KO'd (that and his granite chin). He just has no reliable win-con against the Foreman that demolished Frazier and Norton, leading to him getting stopped early in a similarly dominant manner as those two did. He'll prolly last longer due to his chin being superior to Frazier's and especially Norton, but that's it.
Good post man. I think young George is somewhat overrated, and I think that Holyfield's ability to live in the pocket, his resilience, his work rate and the size disparity not being 'all that' in reality means he survives the early rounds and takes young George into deep waters, drowning him late. Yet your argument is a compelling one. I would counter that Norton and to a lesser extent Frazier were MADE for Foreman if we, as I believe we should, follow the styles make fights argument. I just think Evander's attributes are all wrong for YG. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Peace and love always, Px
To me young foreman seems at the same time overrated and underrated. Overrated by his contemporaries who saw an unstoppable destruction machine. Underrated by our contemporaries who only look at the ali fight and think he was stupid, without craft or one dimensional or something. Foreman had ring craft as @723 said. He forced Ali into a fight that Ali could then turn on him. That was not alis gameplan, his team was terrified. He then punched himself out in a smoldering hot arena in africa with no ventilation or air conditioning and crammed full with people breathing the air away, smoking cigarettes and being riled up to the point they were shouting for ali to kill him. And that after he was refused to leave for months when the fight was postponed. Great conditions
The heat and conditions affected both fighters that night, and Alis adaptation was the difference between a great fighter and a very good one. George didn't have a plan B, Ali had the whole alphabet. Foreman was battered that night, I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Every time I rewatch the fight I see more short, sharp, jolting punches landing remorselessley from a fighter who personified grace under pressure. That fight took a bit of George's soul and shattered his ego. He wasn't just beaten he was beaten up.
You know modern boxing is doing well when the current day boxing section of the forum has fantasy match ups between two retired boxers on the first page.
I do agree, but i don't think the heat played a neutral role. Both were in a different situation there. Foremans energy output was way higher and I think the circumstances played a role. I don't want to take anything away from one of the greatest achievements in history with the most iconic ending in boxing, but I do see how foreman might have ended up there and looked worse than he actually was or would have been under different cirumstances.