Oscar Dela Hoya's favorite fighter was Alexis Arguello. Roy Jones Jr. favorite fighter was Salvador Sanchez. Muhammad Ali's favorite fighter was Sugar Ray Robinson. Sugar Ray Leonard really admired Robinson and Ali. Almost every boxer has admired Muhammad Ali, but during the 80's, most of the heavyweights tried to be literally like him in the ring. Mike Tyson really admired Jack Dempsey, Tyson's boxing knowledge is huge tho and he admired from Ali to Duran, Leonard, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano and Liston. Howard Davis and Mark Breland became boxers and future olympic champions after they watched... you got it right, Muhammad Ali. Joe Louis was the idol of Rocky Marciano. Right now you can see that Ward has a huge respect for Ali, the same goes to GGG to Chavez and Khurtsidze to Tyson.
I think that the younger George foreman looked up to sonny Liston in his early career he walked around with some of the same traits of Liston sugar ray Robinson idolised joe louis he used to carry his bags for him
I m sure i read somewhere once george foreman used to try to fight like ali in training. His trainers even allowed him to fight like that in training. Then when it came to the fight the trainers would say go out there and knock the other man out. Pretty sure george wanted to fight like ali though.
duran followed laguna haye is a big ali fan I don't know if it still available but froch and haye commentating on zaire was interesting. I think it was on bbc radio
