How did Ali beat Foreman when Foreman beat Norton and Frazier in 2 rounds and Ali barley beat them

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Aka, he got outboxed.

 

If u never knew what styles make fights mean, now u know!

 

Because triangle theory is bull**** and styles make fights. Ali was by far the best boxer of all four with by far the best chin. Norton was a case of a bad style match up and Ali didn't have adequate power to knock Norton out. Norton was weak against a powerful opponent and Foreman was weak against more technical opponents.

 

This is gonna be an unpopular opinion but I'm gonna say it: Ali was more physically powerful than George Foreman.

 

Paper beats stone.

 

the biggest misconception is that Ali "planned" to rope a dope which is straight up false.

Ali quickly realized he wouldn't be able to clinch Foreman constantly early or move on him either so sat up against the ropes taking the bodyshots and trying to pot shot Foreman's head (classic Ali, headhunter) then Ali could feel George tire out late and pulled the trigger perfectly.

He adapted the best way possible using his toughness and fighting spirit then ultimatly killer instinct to finish the job. You can see the sudden ferociousness of Ali the second he knows Foreman is wilting.

"Appear weak when you are strong"
"Appear strong when you are weak"

Frazier got mollywopped because he was really vulnerable to Foreman's looping punches and uppercuts, Ali not so much. Styles make fights.

Foreman became complacent really. You can't get lazy or complacent in a boxing ring especially when you start to tire, unless your opponent can't capitalize on it.

People got carried away with the idea of Foreman being a monster...which he was...but he wasn't much bigger than Ali and he definitely didn't have the experience or toughness of Ali at this stage.

It was a battle of attrition really where Ali knew he'd have to be killed to be stopped. Foreman had never really experienced getting put down late whilst low on energy.

Fury AJ would have looked like this fight a few years ago maybe in 2016, Now it would be even more one sided in Fury's favour.

 

Rope a Dope

 

Foreman fought the fight that Ali expected and had planned for, resulting in Foreman playing an important part in his own defeat.

 

What's really going to bake your noodle later on is how did rock win by KO, paper by UD and scissors by DQ?

 

He got inside Foreman's Head....Took Him to deep water and Drowned Him.!!!

 

As you said a common misconception was that Foreman much bigger when in reality he was 6’3.5 and 220 lbs and Ali was 6’3 216 lbs.. The same was omitted when Ali fought Liston where he had a 3 inch height advantage and was only outweighed by 8 lbs.. As for OP it’s been echoed enough that the triangle theory does not work in boxing when multiple guys have different styles..

 

Damn, just beat me to it! I remember Larry Holmes saying the same thing before the first Tyson/Holyfield fight - same concept: bull/matador. Along with all his physical tools, Ali had George beaten psychologically.

 

When george was going beserk trying to destroy Ali Ali was whispering in His Ear..."Is that all you got George"...People seem to forget how great a Chin Ali had and how tough he was....Not many could use that tactic against a Prime Foreman in fact only 1 I think....Thats what makes Him the Greatest in my opinion.!!!

 

Years later, after he’d mellowed and became the “cuddly” George Foreman, he was being interviewed about the fight, how Ali kept saying, “Is that all you got, George?”

Recalling it, Foreman just shook his head ... “I said to myself, ‘Yep’”