Ali badly deteriorated by this point, logic almost states that GF should turn it round. My main negative for GF is what he did ( or didnt do) in the Young fight. That fight showed that either GF hadnt learned the lessons of Zaire OR Zaire had took away what he previously had OR even that the Frazier and Norton blowouts made him look better than he subsequently managed to be. OR a combination of any or all of those. If Young beats him then maybe Ali has just enough left, maybe on points in a fight that doesnt match the first for excitement.
I think Foreman wins by unamimous decision. Gil Glancy comes up with a smart game plan not to let George punch himself out. Post Manila Ali cant dance for 15 rounds, I think he goes back to laying on the ropes. Foreman lets Ali stay there, but doesnt load up trying to ko him. Instead Foreman jabs more and basically outworks him. I think this fight is a bit of a snoozer, Foreman outworks the older post Manila Ali to a decision.
Gil Clancy came up with a smart game plan for the Lyle fight i remember reading he also came up with another new one for the Young fight.
Fortunately the fight did not happen Why do I say fortunately, because today Foreman is in good health, alive and enjoying life, and as far as I know everyone else of that era is dead.
Foreman 9 Age 68 ) is fine, partly because he lived a clean life outside of the ring. He and Chuvalo are the voice of the 1960's. But suppose he wins the rematch, his stock goes WAY UP, and Ali's a bit down.
Tho Foreman was drained, both mentally and physically after Zaire (he was the HW champ, should have been fought in the Astrodome but, of course, Ali held the cards.) Bottom line: I personally think Ali was the greatest but does it surprise ANYONE that he never gave Foreman a rematch?? He was in the middle of his second 'reign'. All his fights were carefully orchestrated after Zaire.
The BIG issues were not the heat or the fact the ropes were made for a larger ring (this is why they appeared loose). The big issues were the ring was a punchers ring. Small in diameter and with a thickly padded canvas. This made every side to side move by Ali exhausting and allowed George to corner Ali with little effort. Ali did not plan to lay on the ropes but the circumstances made him realize he had to change his game plan as he would have exhausted himself quicker than his opponent and in process leave himself open to a ko blow. Ali's decision to switch game plans as he did here is one of the most remarkable in boxing history. Put Ali in MSG in 76.....air conditioned but I am sure in a more traditional ring size and padding. Less of a need to lay on the ropes and in fact George would be laying back conserving himself. This would allow Ali to land better at distance. Late round ko for Ali.
George was Fighter of the Year in 1976. Ali was being outboxed by Young and Norton, and wasting time and energy on Antonio Inoki. Foreman would have fought wiser and beaten him.
Ali would beat George every day of the week, rematch would be a unanimous decision, if George was still standing after 15
Please do your own research it's all over the Internet. Very well known boxing history. The ref Clayton as well as Dundee spoke of Ring size vs rope size. The canvas being heavily padded Ali himself spoke of. Many others spoke of it. Boxing 101.