Foreman vs. Lyle" Fight of the Year AND a Skilled Affair.

Lol. He wasn't everyone s cup o tea!

 

I love The Modern Martial Artist. His breakdowns of classic boxing fights are awesome.

 

In my own personal opinion it was not a skilled affair of a fight. George Foreman was coming off a ego beating at the hands of 32 year old Muhammad Ali on Oct 30 1974 in Zaire, Africa, thus losing his title by an eighth round knockout in a stunning upset. Foreman thought that he was going to walk all over contender Ron Lyle on national television reaffirming his place among the top challengers. Lyle had other things in mind on Jan 24 1976, he too found a chink in George's armor in terms of stamina. That fight reminded me of the classic bouts of the silver screen like for example the motion picture titled Killer McCoy (1947) starring Mickey Rooney and Brian Donlevy, where both fighters always get knocked down before one of them emerges victorious, Rooney being one of those fighters. George found himself on the canvas more than once as the result of a Lyle right hand, Ron himself also visited the canvas too until he ran out of gas. It was a pure slugfest where George displayed heart in winning.

 

Foreman couldn't have had a better fight than this one after a 15-month hiatus, and losing the title to Muhammad Ali.
Foreman couldn't have had a better way to get back into the ring.

 

“Skilled affair” No

 

As usual

 

They’re not particularly skilled when compared to the vastness of world class boxing throughout history. Champion boxer/Contender or not you would not have your fighter replicate either unless he was so inclined physically and game as a bull lest he have his head punched off or come up short against someone intelligent.

 

Marciano was more fundamentally sound and skilled then anyone of the top guys in the 70s HW scene. Seriously.

 

There fight had more in common with two bull elephants squaring off then boxing. I’ll leave it at that.

 

I'll keep it simple. I also haven't forgotten the Toney thread but my coffee breaks are precious. Anyways, Frazier, Foreman and Ali are all ugly styles varyingly so and very unorthodox. Rocky while he was seen as wide swinging and a small face first type the truth is some of the stuff he did was very text book which we've all come to accept a degree of. Goldman was a clever boxing guy. I'd prefer my fighter to study him opposed to say the similarly built Frazier.

This is very vauge-ish and rushed. He kept a narrow stance, leaned to the side and kept his weight on his right leg to take the jab away and reduce there reach. Rocko cut the distance by circling at the right times or by taking economic shuffling movements to corner his prey, not unlike Louis or GGG for easy examples. He kept his weight where it was meant to be under him. Unlike Foreman, Ali and Frazier no matter what he threw or what situation he was in, Rocky was in a spot to punch they each had various glarying deficiencies.

Rock threw his punches properly each one with real power from proper form and he had a full arsenal with variety unlike the 70s one trick pony's. Let's also not forget there hasn't been a better inside fighter since. But I don't know anything to be honest, this is just some stuff I have noticed or been told and noticed by smarter people then me.

What do you think you "Big" James hating heretic?

 

It was inevitable that the guy with the Napoleon complex would show up to derail the discussion.