Ike Ibeabuchi he had a granite chin and was bigger than a young Foreman. We didn't see enough of Ibeabuchi to really make a strong case for him over Foreman but he wouldn't be a bad shout. He certainly has better stamina than Foreman so if he could survive the first 6 rounds it would be trouble for Big George. I think Joe Louis would also beat up Foreman by trading punches with his short sharp lethal combinations.
Many fighters aren't the same after their first loss, especially one who had built such an ego as Foreman, he genuinely never could even imagine losing to Ali. Then there's the "Ali effect", where people harass you constantly after fighting him Frazier was never quite the same after BEATING Ali, how come Foreman can't not be the same after losing? It isn't cope, it's just the truth. The Foreman that fought Lyle was not at his best. It's revisionist to say anything otherwise.
100% spot on! I don't think ANYONE--even Sonny Liston--outslugs Foreman in his heyday! (But Sonny would beat George using the combination of power and superior boxing skill.)
I'm afraid I find young George a rather over romanticised fighter. Yeah he swung, yeah he was powerful, but he was uncultured, he swung wide, he had a suspect engine and he could be hurt. I'd take Holyfield, Vitali, hell maybe a fighter like Parker with good basics and a decent chin to beat him. His record looks great because of Frazier and Kenny who were made for him. Usyk deserves more credit, in my opinion, for beating Fury than AJ because AJ was made for him, if you see what I mean. George beat a great and was beaten by the greatest but his younger self was beatable. Don't get me wrong, only by the best. But I think he's beatable. I think he'd do the same thing to Mikey as he did to Joe, might take a little longer, but honestly, I think a lot of the modern guys beat him.
Honestly, very few could go toe-to-toe and win a pure slugfest with young George Foreman, especially the version from the early '70s. The man was a physical monster: 6'3", 220+ lbs of solid muscle, freakish strength, raw power in both hands and a completely fearless approach. When he was young, he wasn’t trying to outbox anyone, he was coming to break you down, physically and mentally and most simply couldn’t handle that kind of pressure or firepower. The way he demolished Frazier in 1973 is a good example. Frazier was known for being incredibly tough, relentless and durable, but Foreman rag-dolled him like he didn’t belong in the same ring. It wasn’t even competitive. He knocked him down six times in two rounds and Frazier was a top-tier heavyweight, not some fringe contender. Same story with Norton, another solid fighter completely destroyed in two rounds. Liston is probably the only guy from the earlier generation who could have had a chance in a slugging contest. He had similar physicality, a stiff jab, brute strength and a mean streak to match Foreman's aggression. But even then, Liston was smaller, slower and probably not quite as durable. It's not a guaranteed win either way, but if anyone had the tools and mentality to try, it’s him. People might bring up guys like Tyson, but realistically, Tyson’s game was based more on speed, timing, head movement and explosive combinations, not just standing and trading. If Tyson tried to slug with Foreman and didn’t use his movement, he’d be in deep trouble. Foreman’s uppercuts and clubbing shots inside were made to punish guys who didn’t move their heads or tried to fight in the pocket too long. Tyson could potentially win a fight with Foreman, but not by outslugging him. That’s suicide. Other names like Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, or Vitali Klitschko had the size and some power, but none of them had the style to slug with young Foreman and come out on top. Their strengths were more in measured boxing, controlling range and exploiting openings, not standing in the centre and exchanging bombs.
It’s cope that's my position, looked like the same fighter to me he might’ve made some tactical blunders and had some hard fights but he didn’t start a “second career” like I hear after 74 he was not rusty either lol he wasn’t even out of the ring for a year. George had a camp for Lyle and was good to go, it was the first time GF had ever fought someone who could match him is all so he looked less then fans hope… Frazier cleaned out the 60s had multiple tough fights against ranked guys, got hit constantly (Qawi was insulted to be compared to him) he was very small, was dragged through 15 rounds against Ali teeing off on him and he was an alcoholic since the start that’s the difference… GF had nothing but easy fights… very few rounds including as an amateur and then he fell over in the 7th round after spending himself against Ali who was just pot shotting him with right hands and death clinching the big“dope” into submission
That's an interesting name, and brought up a lot to build a case for someone being able to purely out slug prime George Foreman. One problem with that is Ron Lyle did not win the fight. George Foreman did.
Ah yes GF won the only slugging match of his career by skin of his teeth?… So none better than Lyle exist to go further and win? Suppose not right? no disrespect intended Shay but’s it’s a silly thing we hear all about with no evidence… in fact we have only counter evidence “you can’t go right at GF!” …. Expect Lyle did and he wasn’t very good yet he almost won… dozens upon dozens of guys are better then Ronnie so it can’t be that impossible right? EDIT: Is the answer 5ft10 or whatever shot Joe Frazier who was about 210lbs at his best? That’s the argument for GF winning alley way style brawls with say Vitali? A Ruiz? Whyte? Chisora? RIGHT that’s pretty much the stance Classic always takes and it’s a giant logic fail.
Considering Ron Lyle ain’t any higher on the totem pole then SP and Peter’s has a better chin, power IMO, stamina and 30lbs+ on “Big” George why not? GF’s reputation is based on beating a suspect chinned Norton who couldn’t fight more then one way and a shot Joe Frazier who he dwarfed… I don’t see how the evidence suggests this is an easy fight, again back to the elephant in the room named Lyle who was the only physical equal GF ever faced lol it’s possible SP just hulks out and man handles him to a stoppage.