1975 in a year in which George Foreman had no fights. and in the year between which he lost the world heavyweight title (1974), and in which he was the fighter of the year (1976); George Foreman had "one" exhibition match: This content is protected Your comments, as well as one question? How were Alonzo Johnson, Jerry Judge, Terry Daniels, Charlie Polite, and Boone Kirkman ranked in 1974, or 1975?
Well, they weren't rated. Mac Foster, who is shown in another thread against Ali, was supposed to be one of the five. He bowed out. That would've been interesting. Foster was a big puncher. Pedro Agosto, who Foreman did stop in four rounds in 1977, was supposed to be one of the five. But he bowed out and was replaced, too. Boone Kirkman was probably the best. He was a guy Foreman had knocked out before he won the title. Kirkman fought Norton and Lyle in 1974 and went pretty deep into the fights with them before getting stopped. Kirkman also beat Jimmy Ellis in 1973. Terry Daniels had fought Joe Frazier for the World Title in 1972. By 1975, he was losing to everyone. Charley Polite was a sparring partner. Alonzo Johnson was an Ali sparring partner (and Ali was going to be there). Jerry Judge was nobody. Here is a photo of Foreman with Four of the Original Five (Agosto, Kirkman, Foster and Daniels). https://editorial01.shutterstock.com/wm-preview-1500/6595699a/2abfe8dc/Shutterstock_6595699a.jpg
This is kinda a tangent, but can someone give me some perspective as to why Foreman was fighter of the year in 1976? He beat Lyle, Frazier (2) and Scott LeDoux. Frazier was a foregone conclusion (sorry Joe), LeDoux a journeyman. I get that the Lyle fight was fight of the year, but it wasn't an especially significant fight. Was 1976 a slow year for boxing or something?
1976 Foreman beat Lyle, Frazier, John Denis, and Scott LeDoux. Ron Lyle was then the fifth heavyweight in the world, and the fight Foreman Vs Lyle was the fight of the year 1976. There is of course Joe Frazier. 4 fights and 4 knockouts for Foreman 1976.
Ok I guess that makes sense. I'm just accustomed to the ring fighter of the year being someone who was top dog in a division, unified in some megafight, etc. I'm looking through and trying to find how many ring magazine Fighter of the Years there have been who didn't hold a major title at all during the year they won Fighter of the Year. Juan Manuel Marquez held only the Interim version of one alphabet title when he won off the back of the KO of Pacquiao (tbh I haven't seen the Fedchenko fight maybe it was a great fight too) in 2012. Just seems a little anomalous for that particular award.
Those were still some good wins and action packed fights though. both Lyle and the Frazier rematch were exciting. Ledoux never materialized into anything special but at the time he was at least a prospect
