Foreman vs Ike/Tua

Ike was way too untested to put in the same conversation as a guy like Foreman.

Tua is a poor man's Frazier.

 

I'm assuming this is 1970s Foreman? A 6-3, 217 pound wide swinger who lacked stamina. Ibeabuchi (6-2, 235-45) is just too much everything, strength, speed, quickness, stamina, boxing skill, he'd beat Foreman from the start and it'd just be a matter of how long Foreman would last. Probably less than 6 rounds. Tua (5-10, 225) might have a tougher time the first few rounds since he is shorter. Tua had decent defense and he wouldn't get hit much by Foreman and Tua would be better each round as Foreman tired. Tua would stop him late, maybe by a punch, maybe by fatigue.

Foreman never fought big, strong pressure fighters with stamina like Tua and Ibeabuchi. They are the wrong type for a 70s Foreman.

 

What people constantly fail to notice anout 70's foreman is that he didnt do his infamous "swing for the fences" clubbing shots until AFTER he knew his opponent was rocked or badly hurt.

He almost always started the 1st round observing, gathering data, catching the opponents punches, circling, and sticking out his ram rod jab. Then he'd slowly turn up the heat. Watch the fight with Chuvalo, he jabs his head off and actually uses his defense.

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With his height and reach advantage (especially against tua) foreman wouldnt just mindlessly charge in their and swing wildly. The guy had over 80 professional fights and people always judge him based on the 1 fight in Zaire. He actually knew how to box and pace himself as seen in the frazier rematch and peralta fights.

Again, it only becomes a slug fest if his opponents want it to be. Tua was awfully gunshy against Lewis and I dont find it hard to believe that he'd hesitate after taking a nasty right hand. Ike would be trickier but with only 20 fights and only going the distance once against a much shorter opponent, it doesnt seem logical to give ike the benefit of the doubt and assume he'd have better stamina and outlast foreman in a war.

 

Foreman wins.Tua is almost impossible to be knocked not out but Foreman might get the job done in my view.

 

George All time great take out both these guys

 

Exactly!

 

Foreman knocks out Tua. Foreman having more power, longer reach, and those lethal uppercuts would stop him. Tua's chin is not as granite as some say it is. When Lennox hit him with some big right hands he fought to survive. He made it to the decision because Lennox was content to outbox him. George however always went for the KO and he would get it here.

Ike is a different animal and though I've watched his bouts against Tua and Byrd I will have to watch more of him to make an informed decision.

 

That actually is an insult to Frazier. Tua is wildly overrated on this site. Amazing how much hype Tua gets for im KOing a green Ruiz and Oleg. Hell Tua couldn't even beat Rahman without hitting him after the bell...........and Rahman was extremely limited.

Anyway back to the topic, Foreman KOs Tua and the crazy Ike.

 

Foreman would beat Tua quite comfortably based on stylistic factors. Foreman was very good at controlling range on smaller, squatter fighters. He'd use his height, reach and physical strength to keep Tua at bay with hard consistently-timed ramrod jabs and two-armed push offs, and strafe him with uppercuts every time he came into range. If Tua managed to get inside of him he would tie him up or pull him off centre-line the way he did to Frazier. If Tua proves too stocky and physically powerful to do that to, Foreman would be content to stick to keeping him at range, which would be more than enough to win rounds and discourage Tua from getting too reckless.

Tua's chances rely on him taking risks and timing his bullrushes to catch Foreman out and possibly stunning him and finishing him, but Foreman was tough and the likelihood is that one or two shots alone aren't going to be enough.

Foreman by UD.

 

There only chance imo is if George blows his load trying to take them out early.If he paces himself he wins both by dec.

 

George has too much class here. Although everybody hit George he hit you first and he was a hell of a guy to get away from.

Against great fighters it is fair to bring up guys like Lyle and Young and the inexperience shown against Ali to demonstrate weakness and openings. But this is simply not the case here. Tua was a good fighter but not great. Ike not proven.

Can Ike clip George like Ron Lyle did? Perhaps. But did it help Lyle win? Has Ike or Tua for that matter proven to eclipse Ron Lyle as fighters? I don’t think so. They are a similar level to Lyle. No higher. Challenger level. Not champions.

So I would bet my house on George Foreman. Against both. It really would not surprise me if George knocked out both. As strong as they were. Maybe Tua could last the distance, maybe not. He’s not going to win. Guys like scrap iron Johnson lasted with George so Tua has some hope of lasting like Johnson did at least. Tua could crowd and maul but wasn’t really clever with it.

There simply is not enough to go on with Ike to make a case for him. If Foreman hit Ike half as many times as Tua did its curtains for Ike. I don’t think George gives Ike the room he would need to get going with real power. Ike couldn’t find room enough to sit down on his punches against Tua. Why Foreman?

 

Ike is a bad style match up for young Foreman, stronger with better stamina and at least equal chin.

 

I am not sure there is evidence Ike was stronger than George Foreman. Hitting former middleweight Chris Byrd is one thing, not setting himself properly against Tua to land as well is another reason I cannot buy this. We need evidence. And there is none that I could really trust.

Ken Norton might be a match for Ike. We just don’t know.

We know Norton was no match for Foreman.