Foreman 1973 vs Holyfield 1991

I don't see Lyle flooring the 42 year old Foreman that fought Holyfield. It seems to me that he had a better chin in his comeback. I think it was because he had more muscle mass that was like shock absorbers and in general, you have to hit harder to knock over 250 pounds than 220 pounds. Even if Foreman fought a puncher like Ruddock in 1991, I don't see him going down. On the other hand, I can see a Ruddock smash putting a 1970s Foreman on the canvas (though I think 70s Foreman eventually stops Ruddock).

With Toney, it was a corner stoppage. It's not like he was counted out or the ref stopped the fight because he was so out of it, he couldn't continue. Far as Bowe, Holyfield was sick in that fight. Plus, Bowe was a hard heavyweight puncher who hit Holyfield with combinations.

I don't doubt that 73 Foreman can hurt Holyfield and Holyfield certainly can't just plod forward with his chin in the air, but that wasn't his style. If Holyfield fights a disciplined fight, he can counter punch Foreman into oblivion.

 

Foreman said Lyle hit him harder than anyone, including Cooney who he named as one of the 3 hardest hitters he faced. Yet...Cooney did not floor Old Foreman. What does that tell you? That there is more to a fight than raw power, and just because someone has power doesn't guarantee they can floor someone. Cooney might have been able to floor young Foreman because, again, Old Foreman had better defense than his younger self.

If Old Foreman abandoned his defense and didn't pace himself then yes, Lyle absolutely could floor him if he was landing the same bombs he was launching at young Foreman, guaranteed. You have zero evidence someone's chin can get better at 40. Maybe the extra weight and thicker legs helped cushion some of the damage from shots, but the actual jaw itself doesn't improve when you're middle aged. That doesn't make any logical sense.

Holyfield wasn't sick in the first fight with Bowe, and was dropped hard with glossy eyes. Put 70's Foreman in there instead of Bowe, and Holyfield does not hear the final bell. 90's Foreman had Holyfield hurt several times in their match and Holyfield clinched at least 2-3x so hard the ref had to separate them and gave him a stern warning. 70's Foreman was like a crazed shark smelling blood when he had a guy hurt, and had frightening accuracy and power. Old Foreman wasn't as bloodthirsty, was slower, and didn't fight at such an intense pace as his younger self sometimes letting guys off the hook.

I literally said in my original Holyfield could win if he fights smart off the backfoot using defense and counters, but if he just slugs it out like he did with Bowe/Dokes/Cooper, he might literally die.

 

Evander would be game, but George would be too much. Foreman by 3rd round kayo.

 

Evander does not have the footwork to stay away from him. Peak Holyfield isn’t as fast as Zaire Ali and certainly couldn’t stay on ropes like that.

That being said, Holyfields longer arms will allow him to connect more than Joe did and I could see him staggering Foreman only for him to be then overpowered.

Foreman TKO 4

 

I watched it a few weeks ago. In I think it was the second round, Foreman strikes out with a one-two. The jab is so thumping that in the slow motion replay, it looks like Holyfield has been decapitated, so far back does his head snap - & a lucky thing too, because his head jutting so far backward from the impact of that jab just so happens to place his face fractionally out of reach of the following overhand right.

I know that’s just one punch & anything can happen in a ring, but boy oh boy is that one helluva example of Foreman’s power. He’d damn near kill Holyfield, for mine.

 

You are correct, it was indeed the 2nd round.