Why didn't Ali rematch Foreman?

I could n't agree more ! Ali dominated Foreman in ALL parts of that Kinshasa ring. As menacing as George was,he was up against something totally bewitching for him on that night.

 

Archie Moore cited Ali's neck yanking tactic as the key factor in causing the fatigue which led to Foreman being knocked out. As George himself employed illegal shoving, kidney punching and other dirty tricks himself, he couldn't very well complain about Muhammad's behavior in a rematch. (By contrast, Frazier was actually a rather clean fighter for his style of boxing, as Mercante acknowledged in his autobiography, hence Joe's success in inducing Padilla to keep Ali's gloves off his neck in Manila.) From long range, Ali's hand speed and straight punching would dominate. In close, he'd once again be wearing out George in the clinches. How does Foreman win a return, especially with Muhammad dictating the terms and circumstances?

Shavers and Lyle fought smart fights against Ali, and couldn't get the job done, neither Ron, with better skills than George, or Earnie, with his superior power. How does challenger Foreman improve from Kinshasa, with a larger and faster ring surface to negotiate, as likely stipulated by Ali and Dundee? Take a look at Young-Foreman again, how Jimmy outscores George by continually retreating behind his initiatory double jab. Then watch how Ali repeatedly slips head shots from Leon Spinks in the early rounds of their New Orleans rematch, significant at that late stage because Leon had far better hand speed than a prime Foreman. No, I do not necessarily buy George as the winner of a rematch, even after Manila, if Ali was in shape, as he most definitely would have been for this opponent.

 

N Liston - Patterson.

 

Under the right atmosphere, the '76 Foreman who was comebacking rather well would've more than likely taken the older and fading Ali that year.......

I thought Ali was drained-out pretty damn far after his 15th round TKO over Frazier in Manila.... Ali later showed his grit and savvy against Norton at Yankee Stadium in Sept., 1976, but Ali didn't impress in winning that decision...... However, I thought Ali looked great in taking and battering Ernesto Shavers at MSG in the fall of '77..........

The close shave victory over Shavers in 1977 is what I call Ali's last great ring effort........

Both fights with Leon Stinks in 1978 sucked the pool stick deep..........

We need NOT go into the "Holmes & Berbick" fiasco's........

MR.BILL

 

Ali duck foreman? Not the way I remember. For people who believe this myth(yet another Ali myth) Let me fill you in on something. Ok, we all know about Alis KO of Big George in 74. Quite a few things happen in the after math, I won't go into details of that, just look up Jear's comment on this issue, he hit it pretty much on the spot. Anyway, After these events in the aftermath, Foreman would have his one chance to rematch Ali but he had to defeat Young in 77 and THEN he had to face Norton for the #1 contender spot. Of course Foreman lost the match against Young and never had the chance to face Norton for the number one contender spot. He retired after the young fight as well. So if anybody is to blame for the rematch that never happened that would be Jimmy Young and George Foreman himself.

 

Because a rematch would have had to be in a legally arranged ring and in a colder environment than the actual fight took place in

 

Muhammad Ali offered Foreman a rematch in 1975. Apart from that exhibition in Toronto,George was inactive during that year.
After Manilla,Muhammad had the rubber match with Ken Norton,and all talk was pointing towards an Ali-Foreman fight the following year. Jimmy Young spoilt the party.

 

D'oh ! I'd forgotten that I'd already commented on this old thread

 

I think ali ducked him!

 

tight ropes

And Jimmy Young

 

I don't think Ali had it in him to repeat one of his career-best performances against Foreman in the fight of '74. Post-Manila I would give Foreman a very good chance despite Ali putting his career on hold and crushing him mentally. I'm glad Foreman got the title back in his 40's which was inspirational but lets not forget that Moorer got cocky and had a questionable chin.

 

I don't think that Ali felt that he needed another fight with Foreman at that stage of his career. He already had his share of tough fights and I believe he wanted to take it a bit more easier. Besides, as hard as he hit, I don't think anyone really cared to fight Foreman twice.

 

And the heat of San Juan

 

He certainly ducked a lot of George's punches !

 

Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Young must have been the only two boxers to have had air conditioners in their corners ! That's how they beat Foreman ! Come to think of it,Kuala Lumpur and Manilla were extremely hot too. Maybe his air con was the reason why Muhammad won the second Bugner and third Frazier fights too.