Foreman's comments on Ali's power...

Its worth noting that many journeymen like O'Halloran are terrific punchers. Their problem is they just aren't fit enough or fast enough to land cleanly more than once or twice in a fight.

 

Yup. I know I was hurt the most by a simple, light, jab that I literally walked into. Aparrently I forgot that when they are holding their hand out...don't walk straight into their glove face first when their arm is extended and stiff.atsch I never did that again though.:!:

 

Foreman has said alot of outrageous things though :good

Honestly though, Foreman's problem was never his chin, it was his balance. The man has taken some HUGE shots during his career, and with the exception of the Ali TKO and the Lyle fight he was never really in trouble...

Just because a punch wobbled him doesn't mean it was one of the hardest punches he'd ever taken, especially the young George that often lost his balance He may just be recounting the punches with the biggest effect of his career, as opposed to the hardest shots he has ever taken.

I don't think anybody could knock Foreman out with just one punch, especially when he is planted and bracing for it.

 

..in the first round of the first fight with frazier, smokin' joe hit foreman with one of his solid left hooks. When Foreman went to his corner he said , "THAT'S his hook?"

the comment made here about Foreman's balance making him look wobbly is, I think, a very astute one. And I agree....when he was in good stance form I don't think he could be kayoed, at least not by one punch.

 

can anyone verify this? someone told me that foreman said he was hurt in the frazier fight (foreman is full of **** - good thing ali kicked his ass).

how do you explain ron lyle knocking him down? it's debateable if it was one shot - but i wouldn't call it an accumulation either. the kd was not off balance and foreman was hurt.

 

Did this really merit its own thread? Seems like it could've just been added to the "Ali's power" topic.

 

nah, it deserved its own thread. besides, since when was there any sense of forum modicum around here? for us to worry about trivial issues.

 

Great read.

 

Now that was pretty funny from Georges

 

I have read the same thing in different publications. The story varies a little from time to time, but the overall picture was that Foreman was rather disdainful about Frazier's hook. Looking at the footage, I guess we can see why.

In the Champion's Forever documentary Foreman changed his tune. He said Frazier's hook was like a rifle shot and that he had to get him out of there quickly or suffer a KO himself.
However, I got the impression George here was being nice and did not want to tarnish a legend.

 

George changes his mind every year. One day Lennox Lewis is the greatest heavyweight of all time, the next Ali is. He's a bit of a phony IMO. That smile looks fake to me.

 

Hobgoblin - Happy Halloween. "Verify" is always a sensible request. Here's how I remember the "left hook?" Foreman response : have to go by memory but one tv commentater shortly after the fight said he heard Foreman say it. The commentater said he was at ringside. i also read it in a magazine that covered it. It may have been Sports Illustrated. Plus, Dick Sadler who was working the corner told a writer the same thing. So, I think Foreman no doubt said it. As for his year's later, the smiling Foreman, saying his legs were shaking when he was waiting for the bell he was so scared...well, by this time he has created a whole new persona. He sure didn't look scared when the fight started!

I saw the fight on live tv and have looked at it many times since, and have it on two different camera angles. On both he is saying to Frazier's corner very clearly, "I'll kill him", his way of warning them they better stop it. On the oter angle it's not quite as clear. the first one is the one I remember from the braodcast.

Yes, as pointed out, big George does have a way of expressing various viewpoints at odds with each other.

As for his being knocked down by Lyle ...indeed he was and when i watched it I thought he was out. But, he got up. Note I did not say he couldn't be knocked DOWN by a single punch (which he was ); i said I didn't think he could be knocked OUT by one.

 

Halloween is tommorow. Its on October 31. Tonight is mischief night :hey.