Emanuel Steward talks about Heavyweight History

I think you both made good points, and I was slightly inclined to agree with you that it was largely in hindsight that Foreman seemed to fight all wrong (I think that was the point you were making). If he could do it all over again, of course there was things he could have corrected, but from his outlook the decisions he made when Ali went to the ropes probably isn't as bad as they seem in hindsight.

His fight with Lyle was amateurish, though. But he didn't seem to be really in the right place by then. Maybe it's just an excuse, but that's the feeling you get when you watch his fights in 76-77.

 

I think that was very interesting reading. Makes it hard to claim anything other than this was a very blatant duck job. And if Futch didn't think the best version of Bowe would beat a pre-prime Lewis, that speaks very highly of Futch's opinion of Lewis.

 

I have a lot of respect for Steward, but I dont agree with everything he said. If Steward was training Tyson he would never say those things, and a lot of the descriptions he made recounting those fights with Lewis vastly contradict what he said during, and shortly after the fights.
Tucker and Smith gave Tyson trouble....hmmm, thats interesting, because I dont think Smith one more than a round, and Tucker won a couple maybe. The only trouble they gave Tyson was keeping him from knocking them out.
Trouble would be what Frank Bruno and Ray Mercer gave Lennox Lewis.

Douglas gave Tyson trouble in the same way Hasim Rahman gave Lewis trouble, two unmotivated fighters sleeping on an opponent.

 

Great read ... wished someone would ask him how he feels Marciano would have done against the Lewis/Klitschko/Tyson/Foreman .... with his emphasis on size, I doubt too good ...

 

Im sure Futch was angry about Bowe not fighting Lewis, but dont you think Mr Steward has an agenda since he trained? Id rather hear something like that from Thell Torrance who was Futch's second assistant under Bowe.

 

Of course, Steward hardly isn't the most objective party here. But he is quoting Futch directly and he is also supported by what actually happened. Bowe threw his belt in the garbage, and not for a bigger payday but to fight tomatoe cans instead.

With that background I'm inclined to believe that Futch said something along the lines that Steward claims he did.

 

I have just sent Thell Torrance an email. I hope to get an answer from him and I will post it. Torrance is a very honest and forthright person. I will take what he says as gospel regarding this matter.

 

All of the interview was very insightful, especially the talk of the Vitali where he said Lennox was trying to box tall in the first 3 rounds and then Steward told him to make it into a street fight, get inside and follow through with the jab to keep him off balance. Lennox really did make adjustments to pull that 1 out

 

I think this is only due to 100% hindsight. Going in Foreman was a massive favourite to walk thru Ali, and fast. Ali was considered past it and Foreman was held in awe. When Ali laid on the roped everyone, including Dundee thought it to be suicidal and playing right into Foreman hands.

Foreman himself would have been feeling utterly invincible and believed he could ko any man in history given his last couple of efforts.

The bottom line for me is that i believe no matter what Foreman did he was never beating Ali this night.

 

Maybe if he concentrated on the body, used the jab or elbow to open the guard and fire when he makes an opening, pushing Ali off balance to find an angle in. He did have Ali out on his feet several times according to Ali. I dont think Foreman is savy enough to do those things though. If he managed to snatch the body Alis body though the arms/guard would come down, although he didnt do a that bad job of that given Ali was pissing blood for days after the fight

 

Indeed, but that's why i mentioned the kicker that i don't believe anything he did that night was making a difference. Ali owned him. Foreman could have backed off, tried to pick his shots better, but for me it just makes for a later stoppage.

 

Ali said a lot of things, as did Foreman over the years. The bottom line is foreman did land numerous massive bombs and Ali took them with aplomb. Nobody in history took a better body blow than Ali. Foreman was just never going to win this fight.

 

Yep but why miss punches and hit arms when you could break the body down? Surely he'd do better if he had a higher connect ratio to the body, it would slow and tire Ali. If he goes to the body in combination it can also set up head shots

Frazier said Foreman was fighting silly fight, going to the arms and missing while throwing 90punches a round in African heat isnt the smartest strategy

I'm not saying Foreman wins, and I don't think hes an adept body-head combination puncher to pull some of these things off, but he certainly could have done far better working the body and getting up close to throw bolo style shots he could throw while leaning on Alis body