How good was prime George Foreman?

if you was around in 1973 you would have Frazier as the favorite too. What makes you think that if you were there you would have further insight than the majority of sports fans then? Without knowing the result what could you base it on?

ten years past prime? That takes Liston right back to his fourth fight back in 1954 with Martin Lee. That was six years and a prison sentence before Listons prime.

Why were they gullible? Because just like now they could not forecast the future anymore accurately than folks can now?

 

It really was most of the time. The kind of accuracy and radar that george had almost did not require speed so much as another fighter would.

 

George was a monster with tremendous power. In addition, scary enough to give Bill Cosby pause in the beginning of the movie "Let's Do It Again".

 

But Foreman was honest & usually quite ethical in keeping his aggression in the ring.

We found out that Bill Cosby was faaaaar more scary.

 

Foreman was on the wrong end of the greatest performance in modern boxing history IMO.

Foreman couldn't hit Ali because Ali was boxing as flawlessly as humanly possible.

 

Couldn't disagree more. Ali's tactics only worked because George fought so brainlessly. George flailed away aimlessly and ineptly, like a drunk bar fighter until he completely ran out of steam. Ali did what needed to be done (mostly just leaning back on the ropes and holding) until the time was right.

 

Foreman's physical prime was the 1970's, but his mental prime was the early to mid 1990's

The 70's version had tremendous power and limited stamina and smarts.

The 90's version did not hit as hard, but had a better jab and more ring smarts.

 

I am surprised on how cheap Zaire's Ali and George are sold....

I am not saying that Ali was perfect that night. And sure George could have fought in a smarter way. However, even with all their flaws, both still performed impressively.

The rope-a-dope is mentioned sometimes like it was a silly child's trick that was not big deal. In my opinion it was a extremely risky trick that very, VERY few could pull out. Ali sure did, but who else could do it without getting killed by George in the process?


Let's remember that:
a) Afterwards the ROTJ Ali ****ed blood for weeks. His kidneys were never the same. Big George, even fighting a dumb fight, was able to hurt Ali.

b) I remember reading somewhere that Ali admitted that he went for the rope-a-dope because he realized early in the fight that he was not going to be able to run away from Foreman, who was very good cutting the ring. Standing and brawling would be suicidal, so Ali decide to lean on the ropes and bear George's artillery.

Let's keep things in perspective. What Ali did in Zaire was something that only an ATG could do.

And George even falling squarely for Ali's trick was able to bomb him, something that only an ATG could do.

 

Agreed prime Foreman was an incredible fighter. So was Ali.

 

Indeed so.

 

Indeed so.

 

Agreed. Great win for Ali. Selling it "cheap" is ridiculous...

 

He was alright, not very proven against many styles and models of fighters. Certainly not an elite heavyweight champ, but he was a heavyweight champ.

 

When you watch that fight, do you see two elite fighters doing elite things? I sure don't.

That rope-a-dope style would have been curtains for Ali if he had dared to use it against any number of other fighters.