Did Foreman fight his best fight against Ali?

Foreman in his prime was sometimes too eager and could be out boxed with the right gameplay. As an older fighter Foreman paced himself and was a lot more patient.

Levi Forte, who was the first to go the distance with Foreman advised Ali on how to beat Him.

Levi Forte later gave some advice to Mohammad Ali before The Rumble in the Jungle: “He doesn’t have stamina, keep him punching and he’ll get tired”. Ali replied, “Heh, I’ll keep on the rope… and he’ll be the dope”.

 

I don't think that Foreman ever could have beat Ali. The earlier rounds weren't even all that competitive. I actually think ancient Foreman would have stood a much better chance. He certainly wasn't getting kod by Ali and he would have paced himself better. Ali probably beats any Foreman though, just a bad matchup for big George

 

Foreman would win vs ali 100 out of 100 if they had fought again. He lost that one because he fought like a stupid. Once he learnt that lesson, it's impossible for him to lose vs ali again, imho.

 

40-0(37 KO) 25 year old undisputed champion with 2 huge KO wins vs HOFers. If that isn't prime then prime doesn't exist.

 

Ali-Foreman may have been a fixed fight. Not saying it was, but it may have been.

Same with Ali-Liston 1. Ali-Liston 2 certainly was.

 

That wasn't the question.... Clearly that was Foreman at his peak, but could he have fought with a wiser gameplan? Certainly.

 

OP didn't ask if Foreman could've used a more intelligent gameplan in Zaire, he asked if Foreman was at his best. Unless clarified it could be interpreted in a number of ways.

 

24 Year old Prime Foreman against a 32 Year old aging Ali He had no excuses....Foreman was TKOd for the first an only time in His whole career also....I give credit to an over the Hill Ali for one of His Greatest Win's....

 

He asked both. Look at the thread title.

 

I have watched the Foreman of those days staggering from exhaustion in the later rounds against lesser opposition than Ali. I suspected that that Ali had also noticed Foreman's tendency not to pace himself properly and was counting on it.

Actually his plan was to make it even worse by letting Foreman do most of the punching. Possibly considered the heat as another factor that would work on Foreman's weakness. Once Ali noticed that his evaluation had been correct-all he needed was to execute which he did.

The Foreman who resumed his career after a ten-year hiatus was a wiser fighter who understood the importance of pacing and who also knew his own limitations. That Foreman would not have fallen for that trap.

 

As far as George's gameplan, my opinion has changed over time. While in hindsight he could've paced himself better, he cut of the ring beautifully and took it to an older opponent who was widely perceived to be on the decline. The ferocious attack that Joshua can only maintain for 30 seconds max, Foreman sustained for 7 ROUNDS. Most HWs in history wouldn't have lasted more than a few rounds in that tiny, heavily padded ring vs prime Foreman. This was the guy who was putting holes through heavybags. You have to just admire the physical and mental toughness that Ali possessed.

 

He fought a horrible fight against Ali. I think if you had the 40 year old George brain with the 25 year old body George would have beat Ali, not easily, but beat him. He let Ali get in his head, he fought an incredibly stupid fight and got stupider as it went. The loose as **** ropes helped Ali as well, but that's not the entire story. Ali got George to fight Ali's fight, and it worked. If George didn't let Ali dictate things, he'd have probably knocked him out eventually.

 

Foreman still could have folded everyone in the division with half the shots he landed against ali.

 

Foreman lost against Ali, kinda like Joe Louis lost against the older Max Schmeling in Fight I.
Shouldn't have by all rights, but both did.