George Foreman , overrated ?

This thread is funny, like I said before, Ali and King ruined Big George's momentum. Zaire??? Really??? The time change, the constant Bologna that Ali orchestrated?? Put this fight back in the States and this thread would be titled, " George Foreman, the greatest heavy, next to Tyson to ever exist "
Never seen a fight so overly manipulated rather than the one in Zaire.
Gimme a break

 

Chopping.....wrong.

Ali walked into a small ring with a heavily padded canvas.....A PUNCHERS RING and he was fighting the most destructive puncher in boxing history.

George never showed he could handle a top rated boxer. Both Ali and Young beat him badly. Put either bout in any venue and a similar result would occur.

 

Foreman was considered the most destructive puncher in boxing history after just two notable wins? Really? You are banging on about him not having proven himself as an ATG yet two wins make him the most destructive puncher ever? What about great punchers that had exhibited awesome power over many years and opponents? Guys like you beloved Dempsey, Wilde, Louis, Saddler, Liston and so many more.

 

BOO!!!!!!

Someone take the crack pipe away from me I guess, but Foreman knocked off a seasoned Wepner in his first 6 to 7 opening fights, an even more sesoned Peralta x2. Roman who, I actually hold in high regard then Norton and Frazier before Ali orchestrated his personal circus. The first three I mentioned may be laughable but for a kid coming up, I consider those notable.
But yeah, you're right, he should not be mentioned here. Foreman was a hoke, I'm convinced

 

To me bashing Foreman is like saying John Conteh was a joke. Such disrespect to Big George in this thread.

 

Right, John Thomas??

 

Foreman was no joke. He was considered a incredibly destructive puncher. Just no where near an ATG and he was not considered anywhere near an ATG. He was an unfinished book that no one wanted to read..... prior to his comeback that is.

 

His punching power was never in question. It takes allot more than a punch to be called an ATG.

 

George ruined his own momentum. After his surprise knockout defeat by what was then seen as an ageing former champion George was out of the ring some 15 months. 15 months! Who's fault was that? George was seen as a young guy with an attitude problem.

Foremans eventual return was a 5 man in one night free for all in Canada that was was seen as a debacle. Unprofessional. Finally he came back to meet Lyle but he looked far too reckless winning that. then he had the breakdown with Jimmy Young that sent him into retirement ...and jimmy, when all said and done, really was just a nuisance journeyman who could eke out the odd decision here and there. Young was Not a great fighter IMO.

So whilst Foreman had briefly shown great attributes in what was seen as a surprise anyway, he lost a lot of ground after that. It was not the turn around Joe Louis achieved after losing to Max Schmeling nor was it the turn around of Fliyd Patterson. I imagine this was what champions were compared to back then. They did not retire so young.

 

You said, and i quote "the most destructive puncher in boxing history".

 

And he was.

 

That 15 month layoff is interesting. As I mentioned I was a huge Foreman fan in those days. After he was koed by Ali even I forgot about him. Such a disappointment!! I remember maybe 6-8 months after that fight asking friends..."what happened to Foreman? It was as if he dropped out of sight. Later of course we heard about the severe depression he went through after losing. Then came that horrible idea of fighting five men in one night. He went from forgotten to a circus clown overnight. Then almost being stopped by Lyle. Then stringing a few victories against fighters who never had a chance to beat him culminating in being soundly outboxed by Young. Unfortunately when he retired in 77 nobody missed him that much.

 

This seems to ring true for me too. From a slightly different perspective.
I'm not old enough to have been following the things at the time, (the first boxing match I remember at all was in 1980) but I remember when I got properly into boxing in the mid-1980s and reading up on all the former heavyweight champions George Foreman had already become an obscure figure. He certainly didn't have the name recognition and reverence around him that Joe Frazier did by then.
Shortly after this occurred to me, there was a tiny report (a few words) in the sports pages saying George Foreman, former heavyweight champion age 38, was planning a comeback.
He came back fighting in a circus tent in some small town against journeymen, bald-headed and weighing 260 pounds, anyone aware of this expected the thing to fizzle out within 2 or 3 fights at most maybe.

I remember in mid-1987 RING magazine had an all-time heavyweight champions ranking list. I think Foreman was ranked about 19th of about 26

 

The most destructive puncher may be an overstatement John but he was certainly looked at as a destructive force. People were in awe of the way he took out Frazier and Norton. George was an absolute terror in the ring, a reincarnation of Sonny Liston in some people`s eyes.

I do agree that a fighter needs to do it over a longer period of time than a few fights before that judgement can be made.