Why didn't Ali rematch Foreman?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by wordisbond, May 24, 2010.


  1. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Good to see you back on here Conteh ! Who do you think would have won a rematch ? As I've said before,the Ali of Manila would have beaten Foreman clearly again. Post Manila,Foreman would have stood a better chance. Even though he may have caved in mentally. Ali just took him apart in the mind and body.
     
  2. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    :lol::lol:
     
  3. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    Pretty much the same mate. Foreman had a chance with the Post-Norton III version i think, if he listened to his corner and bit more. It certainly would have been nice to find out as it was clearly the biggest money fight out there after 1975.
     
  4. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It certainly would have been a moneyspinner. It's a shame that Larry holmes did n't turn pro a couple of years earlier than he did. The already top quality depth of the early/mid seventies heavyweights would have been enhanced.
     
  5. Cheese

    Cheese Member Full Member

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    :lol: You're another one that continues to drink the Ali Kool Aid. You hear the name Ali and believe he was indestructible. You act like Ali destroyed Foreman like Foreman destroyed Frazier and Norton. It took 8 rounds with the "rope a dope" for Ali to take Foreman out. Now if you wanna be honest Ali vs. Norton, Norton out classed Ali by jabbing Ali the entire fight and breaking his jaw. That first Norton fight I can only give Ali 2-3 rounds at the most. But people like to forget about that because Ali is God. But in the end Norton and Ali fought 2 more times.

    Ali made America drink the kool aid and he knew it. This is why he came to Foreman's "Five Men in Toronto" fight in 75 and taunted George almost the entire time he was there says something. He and Cosell tried to reiterate the point that George was tired after beating 3 fighters as to why he couldn't beat Ali.

    Ali is a brilliant fighter but Ali knew good and well the "rope a dope" wasn't going to work on Foreman again. Foreman talked about fighting Ali again after his Toronto fight. Ali talked about fighting Foreman again but he never did. And it's no coincidence. I don't blame Ali for ducking Foreman he didn't want any parts of Foreman again. When Ali lost to Norton and Spinks he got rematches in no time. But George loses once to Ali and coincidentally Ali doesn't fight Foreman again.

    Yeah Ali did get the mental advantage, but if Foreman wouldn't of fallen for the "rope a dope" then what would of Ali done? Ali got the mental advantage over Sonny Liston during their first fight but he fought him again didn't he? But he didn't fight Foreman again for some strange reason. Come on. Wake up and smell the coffee.

    Ali is the greatest don't get me wrong, but I'm gonna call a spade a spade. I honestly don't blame him but the fact is he ducked Foreman.
     
  6. Cheese

    Cheese Member Full Member

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    Amen. And this is why Sonny Liston didn't give Floyd Patterson a rematch 9 months after Liston slaughtered him in the first round of their first fight. And why Ali never fought Liston again after he won the belt from him with ease in 1964. He surely couldn't of fought Liston again in a little over a year after he psychologically damaged Liston's confidence in their first fight in may of 1965. :lol:
     
  7. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    As has been said by quite a few,Foreman put himself backwards in the pecking order. After Manila Muhammad was ageing quite a lot as a fighter. He had the monumental battles in rubber matches with Frazier and Norton,whom he had more reason to be wary of than Foreman. After Norton he was really feeling his age,and did n't fancy any more life and death battles. Understanderble,but I'm one of those who wishes that he'd retired after 1975. He would have been more than willing to rematch George in '75. Thing is Foreman went AWOL instead of getting back in the saddle straightaway, As has also been said,Ali and Frazier got right back down to it after their first losses.
     
  8. frankenfrank

    frankenfrank Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    well , there was , ropes , you know ?
     
  9. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    I think the truth is that George didn't want the fight...


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    :hey
     
  10. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I've still got that issue of Sports Illustrated somewhere,believe it or not !
     
  11. Bill Butcher

    Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member

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    I heard it was supposed to be on the cards until George lost to Young in 77.

    Personally, I think it should have happened immediately after Foreman beat Frazier for the 2nd time in 76, he looked revitalised & would have got more up for an Ali fight than a Young fight. Im not sure Ali was ever any good after the 3rd Frazier fight in 75 tho but at the same time seemed to have the physical & mental ability to beat Foreman... it would have been interesting, an Ali points win would be my likely pick, very interesting tho.
     
  12. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I reckon you'd be right on that Bill. Up to and including the time of Manilla,I think that Ali would have stopped Foreman again. Post Manilla,he would have done it on points,as you said. Muhammad messed up George's head so much in Zaire,that he would n't have been sure about what strategy to use on Ali.
     
  13. darling dame

    darling dame Active Member Full Member

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    I just dont think Ali wanted any more Foreman.He pretty well cemented his place in history. What do you think outcome would be???:smoke
     
  14. Cheese

    Cheese Member Full Member

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    This is fantastic Conteh. This magazine says it all.
     
  15. Jear

    Jear Well-Known Member Full Member

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    This was prior to George actually fighting again after losing to Ali

    George didnt really do much to gain another shot at Ali before Young beat him. Ali fought Lyle, Bugner, Wepner and Frazier in 75, George was inactive. Manilla was tough so in 76 Ali took on Coopman and Dunn in soft defences, but also Young and his rubber match with Norton, George beat Ledoux who was on a losing streak and Coopman equivalent John Dino Dennis. George also went life and death with Lyle (who Ali beat the previous year) and destroyed Frazier (again another Ali had beaten the year previous). So had a rematch been considered in 77 George ruined that by losing to yet another Ali victim from 76 in Young.