Old Foreman gets mauled, young Foreman wins a tough decision. Ray gives George trouble as long as he's not coming into the fight with **** conditioning.
Would be interesting because any type of George hated movers but Mercer would actually come to fight.
Young Foreman eventually begins to massacre him, but not without a tough fight early doors, but them bludgeoning uppercuts and hooks around the guard become too much to just block and Mercer succumbs and the ref stops it after a war. Mercer has success early on with his jab and underrated handspeed, but Foreman’s physicality, relentlessness, power and combinations from all angles become too much. Foreman is actually bigger than Mercer naturally, when Mercer was heavier than prime Foreman, he was soft, he was mid 210s in some fights and that’s when he was lean.
Foreman pounds away to a decision. Mercer would be right there to get hit and his defense was too porous not to get hit a lot. He did not throw enough to win a decision, and George had just enough skill, height and reach and power jab and uppercut, push off, to keep him at the end of his punches. That said, Ray’s iron jaw makes him one of the few who probably lasts the distance while getting pummeled, but likely is never the same after that.
Mmm. I might go against the grain here and suggest an in shape, motivated Mercer beats young George...maybe in a similar way as to how he beat Morrison; and no, I'm NOT comparing the two, just suggesting George might come out fast and get very excited about clearly catching Mercer, believe that NOBODY can stand up to this kind of assault, because it's NEVER happened before, and empty his tank enough to be stopped sometime after eight. I think the best Mercer likely outpoints Old George in a somewhat exciting affair. Ray had a great jab and heavy hands if not consistent fight ending power. Old George paces himself considerably better than most heavies and might, might come on down the straight making this a harder fight to call than versus his young self. He could even nick it. And before someone says 'Tommy Morrison' beat Old George, Ray can't box like Tommy, not as mobile, not as elusive.
Prime Foreman by TKO same way he did to George Chuvalo. Old Foreman wins tough decision with his face looking like potato while Mercer would look like a hit by truck.
Mercer comes with the same sort of idea that Foreman has, except for that he's smaller, hits less hard and has a lower workrate. You have to favour Foreman in this. The one caveat I might add relates to Philosopher's post above: a younger Foreman runs the risk of blowing his wad trying to get Mercer out of there and then the late fight is all Ray.
Young Foreman: W TKO in 10 Old Foreman: L via Controversial SD Young Foreman will have his hands full with the tough & durable Mercer (who also packs a punch). I see it being similar to the Lyle fight, but with Mercer lasting longer & standing on his feet at the time of the stoppage (either via corner & referee). Old Foreman loses a Controversial SD. Looks very similar to Briggs fight - with many feeling Foreman was robbed.
George. Mercer will never bother to get in anything but half-assed shape for a 40 year old. He never trained all that hard in any bout and he is not getting razor sharp for a guy in his 40's. So he brings his B game and loses a bout he should win; Mercer being Mercer.
Any boxer who stands in front of old George and tries to trade for the duration of the fight is going to lose. Mercers chin means he will probably avoid being spectacularly KO'd so Old George will settle for late stoppage (with Mercer still on his feet) or a UD. Either way, Mercer looks like he has had a fridge repeatedly dropped on his face. No real route to victory here for Mercer, as most of what he can do, George can probably do better or more of it.