I think Holyfield beats 70s Foreman is that an unpopular opinion?

Holyfield’s PED usage and their obvious promotion of his performances can be brought up anytime as one wishes, of course.

Raising Evan’s PED usage also presents as a refutation against the ever present argument for the evolution of boxing via otherwise natural, modern training, nutrition and technique.

While one could question the morality of other boxers for actions not related to the plying of their boxing trade, Holyfield’s immorality is inextricably entwined with the promotion of his performances in the ring.

No one is confused re the distinction between non PED Holyfield and PED Holyfield.

We can take the latter Holyfield, he still gets brutally stopped by prime Foreman. We can also surmise that Young Foreman does it that much more easily against a non PED Holyfield.

I recently referenced Young Foreman’s jab, a force and entity in its own right to be reckoned with.

Young George appreciated and put great stock in that jab, using it and working off it beautifully.

Young Foreman’s hands were also crucially that much faster and his pin point accuracy was quite something.

Anyone who has actually watched the Young Foreman fight and knows how to properly analyse Foreman’s use of that jab, also knows that his jab was a significant, optimally employed weapon to say the least.

Very early career Foreman’s jab was already being compared to those of both Joe Louis and Sonny Liston.

Foreman saw notable success with the jab against Holyfield, that success would be greatly magnified as deployed and worked off by the Young Foreman.

Here’s a nice montage showing both Young and Old George using the jab to great success: -

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As to invalid discrediting of Foreman’s more looping, arcing punches - many of said punches successfully found their mark in his first career,

- fast forwarding to ‘91, shortly into round 7 vs Holyfield, Old Foreman found Holyfield very nicely with said punch type - see clip below.

Evander has waxed lyrical far more about Old Foreman’s power than any other fighter.

Evander made it clear how badly Foreman hurt him at various points - whilst also noting that he always ensured that he did his level best not to let on to his opponents how shaken he was, especially in said instances vs Foreman.

In this particular instance, Evander’s hurt reaction is palpably obvious, including the fact that he simply stops punching for a notable stretch of time.

Foreman’s follow up is very good and Holyfield is tough but the follow up of Young Foreman would have been that much more devastating and on point.

Holyfield vs Foreman, Round 7: -

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I apologize, but I thought that this was a boxing forum. Oh dear. The fact is that Holyfield, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriquez were some of the most disgraceful cheats to ever participate in professional sports. When caught using PEDS even Armstrong, Mosley, and McGuire admitted cheating by using PEDs. The fact that a man like Holyfield would be such a coward to not admit that he was a cheated even after caught shows what a bum he is. Big George admitted that he was a criminal and thug growing up poor in Houston, but many can admit bad decisions while young men and reform and admit their mistakes. He lost to the “Real Deal” in 1991, but big George is respected as champion in American society. Holyfield claims that God saved him which is insulting to any ethnical human. The big man is gone but he left respected without defeating Tyson. Everyone knows who and what Holyfield is. Oh dear.

FYI: I do not need to do research on steroids during the 70’s. I knew guys who abused that crap and it was easy to see who was doing it. Most boxers prior to 1980 would not even lift weights let alone e take “steroids”. Joe Louis would have been too big for a clean Evander the Evangelical.

 

It’s hard to compare Holyfield to other great fighters since he was a proven cheat. Don’t get mad at me. He did it. I think a fair question is how would Holyfield do against 1950 heavyweights or ever Usyk when he was a crustier weight. How would Holyfield do against Dempsey considering Holyfields natural weight was less than Gene Tunney’s?

 

I'm on your side in this thread (that Holyfield loses to Foreman) but holy **** man we get it!

 

Even as a fan i often forget how potent the Foreman jab was. He won Olympic gold despite only having had 20 amateur fights ever, going in. Tho raw his jab did plenty of damage in the ams. He'd only had 26 amateur fights when he turned pro, which would help explain the mostly cautious, tho hectic, buildup. He had 37 fights in not much over a year before Frazier.

That jab video is sick.

 

Old mate haNZAgod never disappoints.

Never tire of watching George hit the heavy bag but this link also shows an all too brief moment (go to 1:00) of George jabbing at the bag - well educated and the power behind it is phenomenal.

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His power is insane on the bag, i mean look at the dent. One of those guys with enormously heavy hands no matter what he throws. Shavers was super heavy handed as well and I'd bet money Liston was. The latent power on guys like that is surreal.

The other thing I've always noticed with George that i seldom see in other heavyweights is his use of cadence. I think this is part of what Holyfield talks about when regarding thinking Foreman's punches would be easy to avoid, but, to his chagrin, found out that Georges timing was really something else. Obviously great anticipation and manufacturing of where ones head is going to be after the previous punch is vital as well.

As he moved to the KO of Moorer he was keeping the gap between the left and the right super short and in full speed that KO right hand is landing not much after the jab. Moorer was still processing the jab when the right hand hit home and it was well camouflaged by that left glove.

 

I do not know who would win between a clean Holyfield and any other boxer. It’s clear that Holyfield was a very talented and skillful boxer, but it is also clear that he was roided out and lying immoral person. Foget about Foreman, it’s ludicrous to think that a clean Holyfield is bigger than Joe Louis or could beat Louis if the Real Deal was clean. Note: Joe Louis did not need roida to be a heavyweight.

 

Foreman hit the heavy bag as he did for the media. Banging on a big bag constantly will ruin anyone’s hands.