Obviously it was a great win, but rate Ali's actual performance, 1-10. Creditable, clearly, are the unanticipated efficacy of the rope-a-dope, planting false expectations that he would primarily dance, and the expert scouting on Foreman's weaknesses. That said, I don't think Ali looked particularly brilliant for good stretches. Once he'd settled into the tactic of letting George punch himself out trying to break or circumvent his guard; he really didn't have to make any major adjustments or even expend much energy. When he did counter, he often did so beautifully, snapping the champ's head several times, but there were also some sloppy exchanges. George had also plateaued at more or less the same level of fatigue and vulnerability a few rounds earlier than the eighth. Again, not sneezing at an eighth round KO of the undefeated champ...but something feels lacking in Ali's execution, if certainly not in his gameplan. Strategically, great win. Legacy-wise, obviously, crucial and iconic win. Performance-wise? Am I alone in thinking not really among Ali's best? Pretty easy and one-sided, taking into context that he knew from early on his scheme was paying dividends, that the occasional partially slipped punch getting by and landing wasn't going to hurt him, and that Big George rated fairly low in adaptability.
It's a ten, of course it's a ten. And I probably rate George lower than every other poster on this forum. Foreman was a great HW champion, absolutley primed, who knew he was fighting one of the defining fights of his career and was absolultey ready. Ali outboxed him over the 8 rounds then KO'd him - and Foreman was seen as close to unknockoutable, and proved this a reasonable assertion in the coming years. Incredible win.
I agree it is a 10/10 performance, everything just fell into place for Ali that night, like the Liston fight.
Perhaps I didn't state my position clearly enough. It's a great win, but watching it with fresh eyes, without the expectation that Foreman would smash him, does it not seem that instead of playing with him for the last few rounds, Ali could have emerged from the ropes and folded him up sooner? Even gassed, Foreman was still landing occasionally. These are the main things holding me back from heralding it as a career-defining performance (obviously it can't be argued as a top win). :think
In hindsight, Ali could have taken Foreman out earlier. It didn't matter. Ali fought a perfect fight. If Foreman made the count, Ali would have destroyed George in the ninth. It would have been wicked shots. Ali was very strong at the end. Of course, George had nothing.
Ali went for it in the 6th (I believe) at the end of the round - I think when he didn't put George down then, he thought he would bide his time and wait until he knew there was nothing coming back from Foreman.
Possibly he could have taken him out sooner. But how is that "more perfect"? I think Ali took him out at literally the most proper time, as soon as it was safe to do so without having to worry to much about what is coming back. He has a long, hard look at Foreman in 5 but decides to wait - absolutley the right thing to do given what Foreman was bringing back. When it was time, he did it.
Another thing. Ali believed in himself and had no doubt that he would beat George. Shows the skill of Ali to make George look like that.
I'd say Ali out-punched him over 8 rounds then KO'd him. Ali's style sure wasn't that of a boxer. He ocassionally poked away with the jab but it was mainly the 1-2's to the head he was working with throughout the fight.
Announcer Bob Chavier (sp) makes the best prediction at the first of the fight stating the high heat & high humidity will have a severe impact on the fighters, and the one that can handle those elements best will probably win the fight. George, why did you ever agree to go to Africa?
Lying on the ropes and countering isn't perfect boxing so its not a 10 out of 10 performance, otherwise it would be Ali at his best and ofcourse it wasnt.
Ali had a strategy and carried it out to perfection. As he got older in his career he was unable to move around the ring for an entire fight boxing and moving, so he did what he knew he had to in order to get the win. It is a strategic masterpiece.
For Ali at that stage in his career it was his best option, which is why I rate it 10/10. If he had tried to box and move the entire time, he likely tires out. That would have been a bad strategy.
I thought it was a great performance. Ideally you don't want to spend that much time on the ropes, but certain fighters are effective off the ropes. Ali took some bombs to the body, but for the most part did a good job at avoiding the big shots upstairs. He countered well and was landing to Foreman's head with consistency all night. I thought Ali was clearly winning the fight before the stoppage.