if Foreman had fought Ali in America..

Well im only 19, so I'm not quite the audience you wanted, but I feel compelled to at least respond briefly to this post.

The heat played a huge factor in the fight, for both Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. George hadn't really needed to go 12 rounds before, and Ali was wearing him down his rough house tactics, and of course, the constant barrage of combination's he was landing on Ali's body was gassing George, also. It's a testament to Muhammad as a fighter that he never wilted under the pressure, and it's sometimes forgot, but a lot of those body shots were landing and full leverage was behind them.

When you consider both opponents were impacted by the heat, and that Ali was actually ahead on points prior to the knockdown anyhow, I don't envision a different outcome in America. Ali was landing the right hand when he threw it, and he seemed tough and able enough to withstand any of Foreman's shots, who would have punched himself out irrespective of the heat.

 

George should have fought Ali in the Astrodome in Houston to give himself the best chance.

Houston is his home town.

 

It would have made no difference. Ali won the fight because his hand speed & right hand lead were VERY EFFECTIVE. This would be true no matter where they fought. The only possible difference could be that Foreman would have gotten up after the first knockdown and taken some more punishment.

I can only see your viewpoint if Foreman was getting the better of Muhammad Ali for majority of the fight and then gassed out. That wasn't the case. Ali won at 7 out of the 8 rounds for me. He outclassed Foreman.

 

He would have got beat in america instead of africa, thats all. Ali was too intelligent a fighter for foreman to beat, no matter where they fought.

 

I am sure the IRS would of loved it if Foreman fought in the USA as well!

The reality was neither fighter was helped by pretty much being held hostage in Zaire, after the Foreman sparring cut (but George did not help matters by taking his pet dog there), but still with hindsight Ali takes it IMO no matter where the fight is held in 74.

 

Do more taut ring ropes play a factor?

 

I think that Ali would find a way to frustrate and beat Foreman no matter the place.

 

Ali would still whup Foreman's ass, Africa, America, Space, Hell.......

 

Maybe in Houston the ref can give him a very premature stoppage.

That's the only way Foreman wins anyway.

 

As has been said, Foreman isn't ever beating Ali. He can lose a UD instead of being stopped, though.

 

I think that Ali beat Foreman for stylistic reasons.

The heat helped, but it was not decisive.

Hold the fight in Iceland, and Ali wins in a less spectacular manner!

 

nice thread sir and some good comments :good

i personally disagree. a quick note: sure the heat took a ton out of george but ali was in there all the same; with the same conditions, same heat and MUCH older. though in america, ali's smart pacing would be less of a factor and foreman's heat exhaustion would be non existent.

still, ali's brains, defense and chin would always see him through to the win. george was never gonna KO ali IMO. that leaves brutalizing him to a decision win. i can't see foreman ever doing that to the 74 ali. those right hands would always land, foreman would always swing for the fences and eventually, george's confidence would erode and he'd lose