George Foreman was a Star. Plain and simple. He made $. Moorer wanted to get some of that. 1st defense then go on to Bowe etc. Just think MM was a good quality fighter
Again...foreman lost to Morrison and received a title shot...over plenty more deserving fighters. Yes he was a “star” but he was far far from an elite fighter in his old age and would have lost to most top young contenders and champions in head to head matchups. Moorer was ok, he beat a Holyfield who was having major medical problems. In the rematch, a healthy Holyfield destroyed him. Moorer had a weak chin. He didn’t face many punchers for a reason. Tua knocked him out in 27 seconds I think everyone knew moorer and foreman didn’t stand a chance against Lewis Tyson or Bowe. Even Mercer.
McCall was a dreadful boxer. Probably one of the 5 worst alphabet HW title holders in history - and there have been some bad ones. But I think he probably outworked Holmes for a narrow points win. Holmes was 45 years old and looked about 60 years old.
I watched the fight a long time ago. I had McCall winning, the only reason I thought it was as close as it was, was because McCall seemed to be unfocused for several rounds, he looked like he was staring out into the crowd at times! Holmes didn't do enough to win, and when McCall finally woke up in the later rounds he really raked Holmes over the coals so to speak. He busted up Larry's face badly, Holmes looked like a victim out of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
McCall was definitely a headcase, with his cocaine addiction, and crying while walking to the ring, and having a breakdown in the Lewis rematch. However he had an ATG chin, very good power, and underrated boxing skills.
I most recently watched it about a year ago or so. I definitely had McCall winning, but it was close.
First time I watched it, I had it 115-113 McCall. Today, surprisingly I scored it 114-114. I think that's the most you can give Larry and It's a bit of a stretch.
I scored it 114-114, though McCall might've just edged it due to Holmes fading down the stretch. Holmes, even at 45, has shown glimpses of his amazing boxing skills and IQ, but his stamina just wasn't there to let him keep the pace for all 12 rounds so McCall clearly took all the late rounds. And one thing you can say for sure is how great Holme's chin was. Much, MUCH better than Lewis'. He took perfectly clean right hand after perfectly clean right hand over and over again in round 9 and didn't go anywhere. Lewis would have been knocked out for 10 years had he took such amount of clean right hands from McCall in a row
I've seen the most typical score for this one being a draw. McCall did his usual shenanigans of spacing out for the first few rounds before realizing, "Oh wait... I'm in a FIGHT!" Whoever you scored it for doesn't really matter as it was a close, tight fight, but what DOES matter is if you scored it something insanely wide.
Only seen the fight once but I thought McCall deserved to edge it and I'm a big Holmes fan. Holmes had the edge in the 1st half of the fight as McCall seemed to be not with it in the early going. But McCall pulled it back in the championship rounds and done enough by 1 or 2 points to legitimately win it IMO.
Nice post its true.. And George set him up for that. he looped his first right on that 1 - 2, and on the second 1 - 2 , George went straight down the pipe with his right as Moorer had his left up protecting the side of his head thinking George was going right back there ,, btw ,, I love the when the old threads get bumped ,, I always see how so many posters we used to chat with got banned .. then I think ya I remember him