The fight where Foreman looked agile, fast and powerful; where he threw more combinations, hooks , straight rights and body-shots. I say it's his fight with Tony Fulilangi. George was really at the peak of his comeback in this fight. He was on the downside of his comeback when he fought Holyfield. It's amazing what two years can do to a fighter. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj6t_eI8nH0[/ame]
The Qawi fight. George was a comparatively light 235 pounds,and he looked the sharpest he'd been since 1977 up to that point.
Just watched the Qawi fight, George looked awesome!! Any reason (other than age) as to why he didn't keep the same weight for Moorer?
Watched the first part of the fight with Qawi and George just didn't look as quick as he did in the Tony Fulilangi fight. It could be that the FUlilangi fight was seven months later.
Foreman looked slow and ponderous against Qawi and got hit way too much. His best showings pre Holyfield were Cooney and Rodriguez
His best wins during this time were Qawi KO7 (1 year into his comeback), Cooper KO2, Cooney KO2, and Rodrigues KO2. He probably looked better when he beat lesser fighters like brothers Tim Anderson KO4 and Doc Anderson KO1. He also looked good beating Rocky Sekorski KO3, David Jaco KO1, and J.B. Williamson KO5 among others.
the cooney ko was scary. in the video above, george looks really good. george was still thought of as a side show or a joke on his comeback during this time. personally after the cooney ko, the joke was over for me. i think him returning 20 years after losing the title to win it back is the most remarkable feat in boxing history. what a great story.
Qawi?? No. He got hit far too much and allowed a 5'6" heavyweight to boss him somewhat in that fight to warrant that kind of praise. The Cooney win was pretty emphatic.
I have to check out some other comeback fights, but the Cooney fight always gave me chill. George got moved in the first round from a left hook, then demolished Cooney in the second. When Cooney got up the hook/uppercut George landed was damned brutal. People started taking George seriously after that fight. 235 sounds nice for George, I feel like he was 250 to 260a later in his comeback.
In terms of best opponent, it would have to be Adilson Rodrigues, as Rodriguez had a little skill, had been active prior to fighting Foreman, and had been in with a few decent guys. The Cooney win was a joke: Cooney was a recovering alcoholic who had been inactive for nearly three years and who had been knocked out by Michael Spinks in his last fight. Totally meaningless win. Had any other top ten heavyweight fought and beaten Cooney at that time, the win would have been laughed at. But George does it and all of a sudden he's this big threat?
Cooney was a big man who could hit hard and George took his left hook flush and then proceeded to break Cooney's head. Great win but,the Copper win was good considering how hard it was for Holyfield and Moorer to beat Cooper. George made Cooper quit! Cooper gave the young guys hell and even staggered Holyfield but Foreman just destroyed him.
Even 275 for some of those fights. As big as he was,he didnt really look half as bad as Chris Arreola or Chauncy Welliver. George looked half decent even at 260. He had huge biceps,his chest was pretty solid and his legs were chiseled. He just had a round belly but make no mistake that there was serious muscle in there.
I have a 1987 issue of the ring (it's right after Hagler-Leonard) that rates the all time heavyweights. It does not include active fighters as their place in history had yet to be determined. The exceptions were George Foreman and Leon Spinks both of whom were active but incapable of doing anything at that point to change their rating...
Foreman peaked with his KO of Cooney in 1990........... However, I liked Foreman at 244 with his TKO over Sekorski in 1987......... MR.BILL