For me, Ali over Foreman. Frazier got the win over Ali on the back of Muhammad's exile, nonetheless it was a high quality win. By the time Foreman got to Frazier Joe didn't seem to have quite the same hunger, had pretty much sat on the title for the best part of two years. Ali's win over Foreman was just mind-blowing, considering how invincible George looked at the time. The other two are still all-time great performances, but Ali's win over Foreman edges it as far as I'm concerned. Probably the greatest heavyweight achievement I've seen (bearing in mind I'm only just getting on to the Larry Holmes era)...
Ali over Foreman Frazier over Ali Foreman over Frazier. Ali's win over George was the most incredible. Muhammad beating George in the way he was n't supposed to. Nuff said !!
Joint 1st Foreman over Frazier - Knocking out the heavyweight champion who had previously beaten Ali in just 2 rounds is an unbelievable accomplishment and I don't see why it's so overlooked by everyone on this forum. I'm sure if it was Ali knocking out Frazier in 2 it would be the best win out of the three, no questions asked. Joint 2nd Ali over Foreman - This win was incredible no doubt, but not in the same fashion that Foreman took Frazier out in. Also take into account that the way Foreman fought meant Ali had everything in his favour - the ropes being ridiculously lose and the searing heat in Zaire Joint 2nd Frazier over Ali - an incredible win for Frazier against arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time in convincing fashion. Ali never had the fight in his hands at one point and it was Smokin Joe all the way. The knockdown in the 15th was just the icing on the cake.
I think hindsight went to town on this one. Given that it was suggested Frazier lost the eye of the tiger for a bit after the Ali win, and defended against two men who shouldn't have been fighting for the belt. Throw in the fact that some would see it as a good style match-up for Foreman and all of a sudden they may not see the outcome in the same light as you.
Foreman over Frazier. It was a repeat performance that left no doubt. Ali beating Foreman was possibly a fluke and he might not have been able to do it again at that age. Frazier beat Ali, but it was no knockout. It was a close decision which Ali avenged twice, and convincingly in their third and final bout.
Yer good post Baz, I've had similar replies to this over my time here at ESB, but I still think the fact he beat Frazier in just 2 rounds was just incredible and considering he was the underdog as well. I think you can clearly make a case for either one of the wins being number one, but surely you could say in hindsight that if Jimmy Young was able to school Foreman then how good of a win really was it? I know you could go into how Foreman was never the same fighter etc but that's the same excuse for Frazier. Maybe I should re-consider my rankings and have all 3 equal :huh
Yeah, I can't imagine the furore at the time, to see a quality Heavyweight champion destroyed in two rounds in that manner. Certainly a rare sight. I think the Foreman that faced Jimmy Young was visibly different. He was far more cautious. His relentlessness (some might say recklessness) was one of his best attributes. He had complete disregard for people like Frazier and Norton, just walked through them, then Ali humbled him and I think that fight stayed with him. As you say all three are great wins. The defining point for me is; The Ali that Frazier beat had just had a long spell out and didn't look so hot for large parts of his prior fight with Bonavena. The Frazier that Foreman beat had been inactive and fought two poor standard challengers over the two years from the war that was Ali I to Foreman I. The Foreman that Ali beat had just assaulted Frazier and Norton, undefeated, like I say relentless, strong, powerful, younger and fresher too. He had no real blemishes.
