George Foreman Vs Muhammad Ali in an immediate rematch

But when did he show this ability? Certainly not against Young. I mean, the best fighter George ever decisioned in his first career was Peralta. There's absolutely nothing to suggest that he could box Ali to a decision win.

I just don't see what he would do. Norton and Frazier did their damage on Ali when he was tired, and to a large part on the inside. Foreman had anything but an advantage in stamina on Ali and was no inside fighter. He couldn't jab with Ali and lacked a straight right, so trying that would just lead to the same disaster. He was also vulnerable to Ali's own right. And he obviously couldn't overwhelm Ali with strength and power like he did with all others. What could he do? I just don't see it.

 

I can't see it either. If the rematch had taken place before,or in place of,Manilla then Foreman would spend half the fight just wondering what Ali was going to do,and what he was going to do to deal with it. Ali would probably have won even more convincingly than he did in Zaire.

 

Yeah. I'm actually baffled by many's analysis of Zaire. Because of the specific circumstances they seem to think Foreman can beat Ali under any other circumstances. But the circumstances made it easy for Foreman to get the fight exactly what he wanted, BUT he still couldn't capitalize.

Why would he be more succesful in any other setting? Especially having the massive physchological disadvantage of having being dominated and KO'd by his opponent?

 

I think Ali would win a decision. The George Foreman of the 70's was open for jabs and straight rights, which were Ali's best punches. Foreman would eat Ali's 1-2 all night long and lose a somewhat boring decision.

 

George was incredibly strong, that could be difference if he paced himself a bit more. I woul never count out Ali though.

 

Ali destroys him again ... at the time Foreman was as emotionally fragile as an egg ...

 

Can't see it. Not only had Foreman less stamina than 75's Ali, he was also vastly inferior technically and tactically. If he slowed down his pace, Ali would exploit it by going on the attack. And since Foreman had absolutely pathetic defence (his only defence was offense, essentially) Ali would rake him with straight lefts and rights. I mean, what's he gonna do? Try to counter Ali? Can't see it happening.

In 76-77 Foreman would have a decent chance, though. By then Ali had not only lost a lot stamina and speed, but also coordination. The gulf in skill wouldn't be as huge and Foreman could therefore get his superior power and strength to bear more effectively. Ali would still have a great psychological advatange, though, as well as advantages in mentality and tactical savvy.

 

Ali wins. Even if you think George beats him by being physically superior, he wouldn't have the mental fortitude to beat Ali after what had happend to him.

 

I think his biggest lack wasn't mental strength (he showed plenty against Lyle), but his lack of technique and one-dimensional approach. I mean, he was made to be exposed by a skillful, battlehardened fighter with good punchresistance.

He had never developed pro skill. He was so used to not having to do more than pin his opponent down and let go with everything he had, not having to pick his spots. And his only defense really was to make the other guy too afraid of his bombs to try and throw anything meaningful himself. Without a question the most unskilled undisputed champ since Baer.

I actually think he might have been lucky (or perhaps unlucky) not to have been exposed by Chuvalo already in 1970. Chuvalo actually seemed to have weathered the storm when the ref stopped it. If it had been allowed to go on and Chuvalo had survived the round (as I think he would) George would have had a very tough fight ahead of him.

 

No matter how mentally strong a fighter is,if you're up against an opponent that you can't figure out,you're going to lose.

 

I think people are generally biased in this poll. Ali didn't want that rematch for a reason.

 

It wasn't the experienced Arthur Mercante who made that call. He responded to Chuvalo's manager Irving Ungerman climbing into the ring to stop it. Ungerman himself was unnerved by Chuvalo's late wife, hysterically overreacting. (A boxer's wife should not be at ringside, unless her name is Joan Antuofermo.) It typically took much more than what Chuvalo was absorbing to make Mercante chose to call a halt on his own. Chuvalo was betrayed (and Foreman saved) by the Canadian's own people.

 

It was only after the third Norton fight that Ali seemed wary about giving Foreman a rematch. He often said that if Foreman had n't vanished into thin air during 1975,he'd have rematched him instead of having the third fight with Frazier. Think about it. Ali had no hesitation in giving Frazier and Norton rematches,and at the time both fighters went 2 - 2 with him. Norton in particular gave Ali an extremely close call in their second fight. Ali beat Foreman a lot easier than he did the other two,so why would Ali be scared of Foreman ?