George Foreman from Gerry Cooney fight vs. Zhilei Zhang from Joe Joyce 2 fight.

Probably Zhang.
But a great match all the same.

 

There's plenty of other examples though of comeback George struggling with subpar opponents. And Morrison did trade with Foreman at times and got hit more than a few times. Not that impressive that Foreman couldn't take him out given Morrisons chin.

Foreman beat pretty subpar competition in his comeback. Certainly Zhang unproven as he is would probably have to be favored over the guys Foreman beat in his comeback.

But realistically I doubt Foreman would ever get in the ring with Zhang given his actual record in his comeback.

 

Could Zhang beat Morrison or Schulz in 100 tries? They both did well against Foreman.

What about Stewart who nearly beat him as well? What did Morrison and Schulz accomplish outside the Foreman fights. Not a lot I can see. Wheres the evidence for this being a poor era? Ducking is rampant but it was in the 1990s too.

Zhang's era had
Ortiz
Povetkin
Pulev
Chisora
Wilder
Fury
Whyte
Usyk
Joshua
Zhang
Joyce
Wallin
Parker
Hrgovic
Sanchez
Dychko
etc.

How is that a poor era talent wise?

 

It was a 'yes' or 'no' question.

 

Actions and reactions. Joyce didn’t give Zhang much to think about or put much out there to deter him. So definitely, not the same fight.

But Zhang can bang, shoot very straight and is adept and knowing when to truly load up and pull the trigger.

Tough fight but George still warrants being the favourite imo - but I would fear the possibility of some awful punishment for Foreman on the way to victory.

 

Zhang would be as tough as and as good as.... Mike Jameson.

 

While I am less impressed by Big bang, than most, I think he might be a notch better than Jameson. (But I do take the point).

That said, on a more serious note, I think it's easy to forget that Foreman '90 was notably more fearsome than he would become, even just a couple of years later.

(Which is not surprise, when you're re-peaking at the age of 41).

 

Foreman in 1990 was a different prospect than that faced by the likes of Morrison, Moorer and Schulz (In spite of his winning the lineal Championship during that timeframe). I don't think he's there to be a punch bag for Zhang.

We haven't seen Zhang tested against a Heavyweight power puncher, so the question remains, how does one think he fares against the leather of Foreman?

When I consider this question I think, Yeah - Foreman warrants being the favorite - especially in 1990.

 

Mike Jameson was one tough son of a gun. Zhang needs to prove a little more, he beating Joyce and making a tough fight with the croatian guy (that is getting overrated by fans) is nto enough to make him "compete" in this fantasy fights.

 

Yes, unfortunately due to HWs fighting less frequently and broadly these days, people are more prone to over extrapolate on certain given wins and/or losses - since that’s all they have to go by.

Though Zhang looked sharp landing the big punches against Joyce, it can’t be ignored at the same time that poor Joe is one of the most easily hit HWs going around - so it basically came down to Joe’s chin vs Zhang’s punch and Big Bang’s power won the day.

Btw, good to see you back posting brother.

 

Again, I take your point about Zhang still being a bit of an unknown. Maybe we'll get to see Big Bang in with one of the genuinely upper-tier guys at some point next year.

 

Easily done, due to these circumstances - and why I tend to try and watch old fights frequently, so as to not fall into the desensitized relativity trap, whereby anything that looks vaguely impressive today translates into high quality, regardless.

I have found some of Zhang's work to be mildly impressive but, at the same time, made to look all the better against a static and easily bamboozled target. I thought the Hrgovic bout was fairly good but seemed to be fought to the rhythm of a metronome that suited both fighters.

That said, all-in-all, I think Zhang is good for the division, in so far as he has enough to expose the significant shortfalls in some of the current crop of 'top' Heavyweights.

Kind of you to say.

I do tend to take regular breaks from posting for one reason or another (usually when distracted by some other interest I dive into for a while). But I'm always back, at some point

 

Haven't you just answered your own question here?

 

Exactly. People are carrying on as though Zhang KO'd a prime Larry Holmes.

It's Joe frigging Joyce FFS. In the annals of heavyweight boxing Joe Joyce is barely even a footnote. Nor is Zhang for that matter.

 

And which of those frauds has the 40 year old, never been in a title fight, fringe contender Zhang beaten?

It's a rubbish era and he's never even been to the big dance.