Gene Tunney vs 1973 George Foreman

Something like that. Tunney was iron chinned for the time, but I wouldn't reckon that it would be enough to withstand Foreman.

 

Tunney dies

 

Tunney by stoppage. Foreman was tailor-made for Tunney.

 

How so?

 

Peralta went deep against Foreman twice and he weighed under 200 pounds.

I could see Tunney giving Foreman problems until Foreman catches up to him not a straight forward fight for Foreman though IMO.

But I don't see how you think Tunney stops iron chinned Foreman though that seems very far fetched.

 

LOL. Did you need to make this thread as an emotional support discussion?

I pick Foreman in about four or five rounds, but if you’re making the match, I assume Foreman gets to come into the ring with a sabre & a leashed lion? So TKO2 may be accurate.

Minus those advantages, Peralta twice & Young gave Foreman a hard time using ring science. Foreman wasn’t in his prime for any of those bouts, but they tell me there is a legitimate chance Tunney might win a one-off, & I think his chances would improve substantially over multiple fights. I can’t say I’d favour him, but a lot of the tools needed for Foreman are there.

 

Agreed. Foreman got noticeably better after Peralta (& was better before Young), but those three fights tell me Tunney would give him problems to one degree or another. I like Foreman in about four or five rounds but Tunney would have a chance.

 

To me this one is obvious, Foreman early or Tunney late. By late, anytime after 5 rounds. Foreman was too tense and tired noticeably in the 70s. Even if he was still punching, GF got sloppier as the rounds went on, if GT (haven't seen much of him) had anything to hurt GF or get his respect, GF will tire even quicker and GF will be open for counters. GT has the reputation of being a good disciplined boxer, if he is, doesn't exchange with GF and he makes it through 4 rounds, he becomes the favorite.

I thought Jimmy Young got GF's respect with his punch, and if GT can counter GF off of GF's missed wide punches he should do well. GF would be the favorite early, but each round he would be less of a favorite.

 

It would not be Frazier repeated, Tunney was slick enough to where he'd stay away for a while but eventually George would cut the ring off on him and take him out. 5 maybe 6 rounds. I agree with PatM though, if Tunney weathers the storm and takes him deeper then all bets are off.

 

Tunney was a good disciplined boxer for the time. We also have to keep in mind that Foreman didn't blow his load early other than in the Ali fight, and only had stamina issues in bouts where he was unprepared mentally and didn't adjust to the weather. Not to mention the fact that to replicate an Ali like performance against George, Gene is going to have to absorb extremely heavy amounts of damage, and I wouldn't bet on that happening against a prime Foreman.

I don't think that Young really got George's respect with his hits, he was a notoriously weak puncher that got a flash knockdown on Foreman due to exhaustion and dehydration.

 

For his time? Are you implying Peralta & Young were Tunney’s superior?

 

About 17 seconds before the knockdown, Young reached down and really nailed Foreman with a solid right hand that swiveled his head. I’m on record here that I didn’t and don’t think much of Young, but I give him credit in that I think he really hurt Foreman with that punch and that it wasn’t just exhaustion and dehydration that eventually put him down.

 

No lol. I'm talking in a heavyweight sense. If you wanna put Tunney up against the same Foreman that Young fought, he'd win, too.

 

It wasn't JUST exhaustion and dehydration, but I wouldn't bet on Young being able to hurt Foreman the same in any other circumstances. Go back and watch George's first encounter with Frazier and you can see him just eat left hooks with ease. Jimmy had brought Foreman through a hard fight in the heat, and it was just a matter of accumulation- Young's punches, George's exhaustion and dehydration, the heat, just about everything came together to let Jimmy score ONE knockdown. If you had any other fighter experience the same thing, do you think they'd only get knocked down once, before immediately getting back up?