What was so shameful about George Foreman and the Toronto Five?

It was dumb fun, and unique part of the sport's history.

It would be nice if some of our modern fighters would actually get in the ring with ONE guy a little more often.

 

What was sad at the time were the demons a still very young Foreman was fighting in front of the world squared as he he was being mocked live on air by Ali. People don’t understand how raw emotionally that Foreman was. He was horribly immature , under developed , a true man child despite serious natural innate intelligence. He was still in shock he lost to Ali and the whole event was based on showing mental strength and stamina and instead it became a circus of sorts. George tried too hard, still showed jagged edges emotionally and it played poorly … the second career George was so much more mature mentally it’s astonishing.

 

I know it’s a little out of the way to mention it but I’d love ten minutes alone in a room with whoever’s decision it was to include the Toronto 5 event in the George Foreman bio film when the Lyle fight was left out. That was beyond heart-breaking.

 

The thing with Patterson defending against Rademacher is to much of the world the Olympics was the most prestigious honor one could win. I know its fictional but in Rocky IV Ivan Drago was a 0-0 Olympic champion.

And yeah it was really a mental health thing set up by Foreman that Ali took advantage to make fun of. But still it was an uncommon thing that a dominant champ who just lost for the 1st time in his career was sort of above. With these carnival fights you always notice its never someone in their prime doing them.

 

At the time Foreman still was seen as a surly thug. It wasn't until after his first retirement from boxing that he learned to manipulate his public image as part of his pitchman work. He was still a domineering and difficult person in private but now in the public's eyes he became almost cuddly while he pocketed tens of millions of dollars marketing the burger grill.

 

It was more Ali bullying Foreman tbh.

 

Cross, I was just going through this thread to make sure there was a comment about Cosell's part in goosing Ali to gang up on George. I'm glad you are on top of it. Thanks for saving me the trouble.

 

It became uncomfortable to watch as Ali was so in Foreman’s head and was taunting him from ringside that Foreman at times lost focus and tried to p,ay to Ali. At times George fought dirty, tried to be funny and wasn’t and came across as a bully. Some of the action was farce appearing. George was still a very young, confused, immature man. Mentally fragile hidden behind the bully like appearance. Cosell was revolting as often the case.

 

I believe that Boone Kirkman was in that mix and he was a badass though on the back end of his career. George had already stopped him but Boone had stopped Machen, Doug Jones, Amos Lincoln, Ron Stander, beat Jimmy Ellis... Tough SOB. Became a mountain climber and a trucker after his fistic career.

 

I wish Foreman had hopped out and got into an altercation with Ali “on da cobbles” (pit stop to KO HC on the way) it was beyond annoying, beyond questionable why anyone stuck him and “Howie” that vampire in there? I’ve read of Ali’s opinions on HC and they were anything but friends and if Ali the murder cult, race separatist and wife beater guy doesn’t like you… when he flirted with Larry Holmes that should’ve been when his life ended.

 

My sentiment exactly and I grew up with it. Give me Don Dunphy any day.

 

Am I the only person here who grew up a little late? I’d say I was pretty damn immature in my early and mid 20s. Can’t say I really became mature and settled until my mid 30s.

mix general immaturity with a meteoric rise and then a quick fall, it’s not that hard to see why he got messed up.

 

No. I'm 42 and have a daughter, and yet I have a boyish sense of humour, still make yo mama type jokes and am not entirely certain what I want to do when I eventually grow up.