Did anybody have a more 'difficult' run of 5 fights, before challenging for the 'World Heavyweight Title'. * KO 2 Terry Sorrell 4-16-0 * KO 2 Miguel Angel Paez 48-15-13 * KO 2 Ted Gullick 15-5-1 * KO 2 Clarence Boone 3-21-1 * KO 2 Joe Goodwin 1-14-1 No wonder why Joe Frazier accepted George for a challenger.
This is exhibit A of why building a guy up slowly and easily, or in harsher terms, "padding a record" doesn't neccessarily mean the fighter is a piece of ****. Sometimes putting a guy in with opposition like that cultures experience, confidence, and a look at different styles or experience levels... Obviously Foreman's career isn't full of this kind of thing, so it's excusable. It obviously payed off for him and worked for him. There are tons and tons of more examples of fighters with more potential than Foreman that have been thrown out to the back yard with all the big dogs early and never amounted to **** because they weren't ready yet. It's called management. Some fighters have good managers who look out for their fighters, and some have not so good.
Dave, Exactly, The name of the game is get your fighter to the title by taking the easiest road, with the least amount of damage. Primarily, in the heavyweight division. Because your run at the top, 90% of the time is short-lived. George Foreman was an exception to the rule. Duane Bobick's management followed the same logic. They made one foolish mistake, they took on Ken Norton.
So what's the point of the thread? That Frazier and his team should have seen the stylistic nightmare that awaited them, in spite of the pathetically easy road to title defense consideration? Or is it praise for Foreman's team for their great management and timing?
The point is no point. Foreman's management choose the right path for their fighter. Many fights, all wins and virtually all by knock-out. Avoid any big-risk fights, and prepare for one man, Joe Frazier. Brilliant, for a 3-1 underdog. I just thought 1972 and George Foreman was a unique path to a title shot.
That and I sure don't remember very many other managers willing to put there guy in with Foreman back then. The Foreman camp had a tough time trying to get the old names to sign a contract. That was one of the main reasons he had so many fights in small towns and pretty much kept busy with fights regardless--a strategy that is simply not used by heavyweights in recent times. The other thing is that Foreman travelled everywhere for those bouts. He sure didn't hold all those bouts in his backyard, which was what Futch did later with Bobick. I think if a guy cannot get old names as opponents--like almost everyone else does--travelling and staying busy is the next best thing. But having a total of 35 fights that way does leave the door open for a shock/flat performance and is a risky thing. But what else do you do, stay inactive and wait?
George was the best, and his management was too. Brilliant strategy. Once they got into the Top 5 at the end of 1970, they cruised in 1971 and 1972. I'm sure there were a couple of fights that they weren't interested in though. Cris Dundee, Florida promoter did offer Foreman and his camp $50,000 to fight Jeff 'Candy Slim' Merritt (when Merritt was hot) in late-1971/early 1972. No matter, as it was 'perfect-planning', taking Terry Sorrell as a tune-up before facing 'Smokin' Joe Frazier.
that era is known for having a lot of tomato cans most of the top fighters have a resume filled with tomato cans:think
Formula for 'Road to a Title Shot' * Journeyman * Trial-horse * Tomato-can * Bum * Record-padder * Washed-up former contender * One-time prospect * Liquor salesman
Same recipe as with any puncher; easy to hit opponents. Even better is easy to hit opponents with a history of getting stopped.
Foreman may not have built a record of stellar opponents before getting his shot at the brass ring, but there is also something to be said for vast amounts of acitivity.. George kept busy.. It also wasn't like he struggled with these tomato cans either.. He utterly destroyed nearly everyone he fought.. Some of those guys weren't slouches. In only his 4th pro fight, he demolished a household journeyman in Chuck Wepner in no time. He became one of only two men to ever stop George Chuvalo, and did it with very few fights.. Boone Kirkman was hyped as a great white hope, and George stopped him in two.. Peralta was no bum...
That's it. Very easy to stumble and a guy fighting 35 fights is not going to be razor sharp for all of them. And he did not fight with home cooking in his backyard. He took his act on the road. You seldom see guys do that & it is not easy to pull off. I would've liked to have seen a guy like say Cooney try a similar approach. Stay busy and he should slaughter C grade fighters anyway.
This post I started was to compliment George and his management. Briliant strategy. Keep him active and busy. Just lijke 'batting practice' George was one busy dude in 1970. And Madison Square Garden (Harry Markson and Teddy Brenner loved him)
I'd say both Foreman careers were quite heavily stacked with that kind of thing. I agree. And Foreman fought a lot of guys who had "not so good" management.
