Ike Ibeabuchi vs 1974 George Foreman

Ike may well win this one. He is actually bigger than Foreman and possibly stronger with better stamina. Can't see George winning a decision.
Ike is also technically more polished.
However, I think Ike's punching power is a little overrated - Foreman is the bigger puncher for me.
This would probably be a spectacular slugfest with both men going down... and I wouldn't bet who will be the last man standing.

 

Foreman.

 

I don't know. Did Foreman hit harder than Tua? Foreman better end this early, because if he doesn't he'll lose steam but Ike won't.

 

There is just not enough genuine evidence to pick Ike over a prime George Foreman. Yes, the Tua win was a good one. But, Tua lost just about every big fight he was in. In an era with multiple belts, Tua never held a single one. Ike seemed strong, but, he was not that skilled or experienced. And, outside of his razor thin win over Tua, and a stoppage over a much smaller Byrd, Ike did not have a single win over another top 25 opponent. Being big and strong is not enough to beat George Foreman. George pummeled many men who fit that description. I pick George TKO in 5 or 6.

 

Admittedly, those are two highlight reel knockouts. But, Ruiz was green, and Moorer was totally shot at the time Tua fought them. There was no big fight pressure for Tua to deal with. Tua did not seem to handle the pressure of big fights well.

 

I'm not sure what you're getting at. He lost pretty badly to Lewis and lost an eliminator to Byyd by a round or two. Apart from that, he came through except for the Ike and Rahman II fights (I thought he edged Ike and he was fat for Rahman).

 

So it pretty much comes down to Chuvalo who was already stopped early by Frazier. Lyle didn't have a great chin. Ike was the only guy to do that to Byrd.

 

Frazier, Chuvalo, Lyle?

What do you mean "undersized"? I'd rather someone knockout Frazier than say, the Klitschkos. Chuvalo's chin is better than Wladimir's, and Wlad's a big guy?

 

You'd be less impressed with a knockout of Vitali Klitschko than Joe Frazier?

Chuvalo may have had a better chin than Wlad, but he was also a punching bag.

 

To be fair, Frazier is just the better boxer than Vitali. But I was mostly thinking of Wlad during that

 

The problem with Foreman's wins in the 70s is its not clear how they are relevant to fighting much larger men. I don't think Frazier or Norton would do well against Ike.

 

Norton would be a decent sized heavyweight by today’s standards, but his chin was C level at best. If you could knock him out, you might be able to put away guys like Rahman or Maskaev. But it doesn’t prove that the big guys with better chins wouldn’t be able to tolerate your punches.

 

I can't pretend we know for sure how good Ike was. Yea he beat Tua in a good fight but not much else to go on. He had some tools. He had a screw lose and I dont put $ with that.

Foreman could hurt him and he may melt to the canvas or take it and rock back. We never saw Ike even fight for the championship. The pressure of that moment reveals alot. We saw George walk through those moments not unscathed but he handled it.

 

One thing we know, 1974 GF would fatigue and would get weaker, and sloppier as the fight goes on. He'd be facing a bigger, faster, more skilled man who does not fatigue. This wouldn't be like fighting Ali, Young, or Peralta when he was fatigued. Foreman, stumbling, hands down, chin up, lunging, like he did in the Ali, Young, and Peralta fights...A fresh, extremely strong 240 pound man teeing off on a fatigued 220 pound man would be dangerous. Anything can happen in boxing, but it's hard to think of a scenario where 1974 GF could beat Ibeabuchi.