Oliver McCall and George Foreman scored two massive upsets against Lennox Lewis and Michael Moorer in '94. Supposing the opponents were switched around ? I still see McCall winning. Not so sure about the ageing Foreman. Thoughts ?
MM was always going to be walking a tightrope as a heavy. Especially as he continued to put on a few pounds. That guy goes up a few pounds and it shows in his legs and mobility. He'd have a tough time with a guy like McCall because he cannot back the guy up. He'd hurt his hands more than damage Oliver. and he very well could get ko'd late in that one as well. I just think him being a southpaw and extremely accurate are what bailed him out even when fighting the Schulz/Botha types. And along w/ Oliver, that is pretty much his level. George was not going to take on Lewis. Ever. Too big and quick for that version of Foreman. At best maybe a very remote shot at Bowe because he was hittable but that's a very tough night's work. Much much easier to take on Schulz and that caliber opponent. So what we had back then was tougher than expected challenges and surprise results sometimes, but not a whole lot of premier vs premier marquee matchups. It tended to be marquee vs. beatable B grade guy and I guess I'm putting MM in that class of B grade guy along w/ McCall.
Which fight specified does evetyone see as the bigger upset ? Foreman-Moorer,for me. Only just about.
Mcall could never beat Moorer and Foreman could never beat Lewis. Mcall was predictable and really landed a lucky shot on Lewis. I dont think he would do that with Moorer regardless of what Foreman did to Moorer. I think Moorer slowly lost respect for Foreman in the later rounds because he was having his way so easily with him. With Mcall I think Moorer would be sharper the entire fight and beat him easily. Moorer was a good technician and a southpaw and Mcall really wasnt that great of a fighter. I would even go as far to say that old Foreman was a better technician and smarter fighter than in his comeback than Mcall was ever in his career.
McCall was a beast on the night he beat Lewis. Ollie was n't an all time great,but I see him beating Moorer.
I dont know about a beast, it was perhaps the strangest punch Ive ever seen to win a title. Mcall threw that shot with his eyes closed. I think Steward gave him really good advice and told him that Lewis really telegraphed his right hand so when Lewis started to wind up his righthand he told Mcall that was the cue to throw his counter right down the middle. It was a great win for Mcall, but he never really showed any kind of savvy counterpunching again. He was pretty dreadful against an ancient Holmes and even worse against Bruno who had nothing left in the last three or four rounds.Mcall just wasnt that great of a technician, but he was big and strong and had one of the all time great chins. I saw Mcall spar with Shaquille Oneill when Oneill was training for that celebrity boxing and Oneill was hitting Mcall so cleanly I couldnt believe it. I think Moorer would have fought Mcall with more respect and I dont think Mcall hit hard enough to put Moorer down for the count, definitely he could put him down, but I dont think he could knock him out and thats the only way I see him beating Moorer.
