Is George Foreman the most overrated fighter in history?

Nice! Yeah, could we also entertain a stoppage for prime Ali vs Norton? Perhaps less likely but not implausible. Super speed and the punch(es) unseen can definitely kill.

 

I’ve always favoured Liston over Foreman, prime for prime. No walk in the park though.
It’s a fight that’s right up there among my most desired fantasy matches.

 

Yes a stoppage in the later rounds would be a definite possibility, even a probability if young Ali was in the mood

 

I don’t favor anyone over Liston except Ali. Foreman is live though. As are Louis and Holmes.

 

No. That belongs to either Floyd or Holmes.

 

Yes Foreman was a terror in the ring in those days. His power but also his finishing ability were legendary. I don't think Lewis is quite as strong as Foreman but probably in the same neighborhood as Big George.
I'd give a slight edge to Lewis if I had to bet my last $100 because I like his defense a little more than Foreman's. Lewis did a good job of fighting tall and mastering range. He won't be crouching or bobbing into those devastating uppercuts, and wrecking balls George had...

 

All good points but Foreman also had a bit better chin tho Lewis' is certainly not as bad as some make out. Definite Foreman advantage tho.

Toss a coin really.

 

They're all the same bloke!!!

 

This I'm not sure on. I can see prime Ali still getting very weirded out by Ken's style, but making up for it with adroitness.

I don't see Kenny winning more than 4 or 5 rounds in a 15 round bout, Ali would be moving too well and landing (though I don't think he'd get much for power shots in).

Either way, a far more clear cut decision for Ali than in any of his "real" fights with Norton. Ken couldn't keep up with him, and might even be a bit exhausted at the end with frustration.

 

Pictorial evidence that Rocky cloned himself, allowing for substitutes unbeknownst to the public.

No wonder Rock could take all that punishment each and every time out and still go again 110% each and every time out thereafter.

Almost identical to Rocky, Vingo looks to be the first gen. copy.

 

We can just as easily make the same claim that Lennox Lewis was the most overrated…

His first 11 opponents were nameless. Then he feasted on his share of old, blown-up cruiserweights such as Ocasio, McCrory, Jackson, a 40-year old Mike Weaver, Garry Mason who beat up on a bunch of Mike Tyson left-overs in Ratliff, Tillis, and Biggs. His first big win was Ruddock (already badly damaged after 19 rounds with Mike Tyson) who never won a meaningful fight again. A typically passive 34-year-old Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, (who nearly always found a way to lose when it mattered most). Get’s stopped in two by Mike Tyson’s sparring partner. Stops a grossly overweight Butler, an HIV ravaged Morrison, barely beats (some felt he lost) 35-year-old Mercer, stops McCall in a rematch where he lands flush and can’t even wobble his opponent who is in the throes of having a nervous breakdown in the ring, Akinwande (who refused to fight because a phone-booth sized ring was not his style), Golota who was doped up on lidocaine, Briggs (who prior, really lost to a 48-year-old Foreman), Mavrović (who?), Holyfield I (where he cheated by covering his tender torso with his protective gear), Holyfield (now 37 years old and already was on the slide after a lackluster showing against Vaughn Bean), Grant (who he held and hit which should have disqualified him), Botha (crazy size disparity against a no-hoper), Tua (plodding, 30 lbs over his best fighting weight), Rahman (Lewis blasted out with a single shot), Rahman rematch (as Foreman said of Lewis, he had no business losing to an opponent of Hasim’s caliber in the first place), Mike Tyson (antidepressant drugged out, shot to pieces and 25 lbs over his best weight), Klitschko (already quit against blown up middle Byrd).

 

I can just see that tiredness you mention possibly leading to a stoppage, not necessarily through KO punches as such. Exhaustion and frustration is a bad combination when facing a young and hungry Ali. I favour a wide points win but I can definitely see a scenario where Norton is out on his feet before the end.

 

Yeah, that’s one way that I see it could go also Vic.

Against prime Ali, aside from whatever stylistic issues that might hang tough between the two men, a number of features tip in Ali’s favour in complementary fashion - including his meting out more accumulative whilst absorbing that much less himself.

I still wouldn’t preclude a specific salvo of punches hurting Ken at any point in their own right - as good as Ali was in his comeback, the prime version could really put the punches together - allowing less recovery time.

It would’ve been a very good fight to watch at any rate imo.