Perhaps it wouldn't have made him less of a man...but it would not have made him Joe Frazier. Joe Frazier was Joe Frazier because of his huge heart and warrior mentality. You can not look at Vitali quitting and say it was okay because it would have been okay if Frazier quit. Frazier didn't quit...and thats one reason he was who he was - and why and how he will be remembered.
Foreman 73/4 by KO early. I honestly believe than Ali was only one of the few ATG heavies that could defeat Foreman at that time. That man took guys out before 3 rounds MAX.
Why don't we settle this quiting question by simply assuming the version that George would be fighting was the V.K. who fought Lewis and be done with it?
Frazier DID quit. Now i think it takes nothing away from the man (he was getting pounded and could not see), but did you see him stand up and scream "NO NO NO" like Vitali did when his fight with Lewis was stopped? Frazier hardly made a move and i don't blame him. No no no, that's NOT what you said earlier. Don't make up new criteria now. You said it was either die in the ring or go ballroom dancing. Unless you take those words back, you think Roberto Duran, Sonny Liston, Julio Cesar Chavez, Joe Frazier, etc should all take up ballroom dancing because they quit. Oh, and you can add Foreman to that list because he could've gotten up against Ali and in no way protested when the fight was ended at the count of 8.
Foreman was stopped by Ali, he was badly hurt, he didnt quit in that fight. You know how quick 10 seconds goes when your knocked down and have to regain your bearings? No need for me to rexplain myself, read through my previous posts particuarly on this page. Vitali was not an established champion, not in a showcase fight after a long career where he fought through plenty of a adversity.