Wait….George Foreman Wanted A Comeback At 55 To Fight Vitali Klitschko?!

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Charles White, Oct 24, 2022.


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  1. Charles White

    Charles White Chucker Full Member

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    Just rewatched the Lewis-Klitschko HBO broadcast and George Foreman stated that if Vitali won that night, he would make a comeback at age 55 to challenge him.

    Was this just false bravado or was he serious about this? If so, yikes! I don’t see that going well for him at that age, even though I could potentially see Big George being competitive with some of the lower rung contenders of that time even at an advanced age.

    Researching it more, it sounds like he was training for a comeback around this time but his wife squashed the idea (for the best).

    Around the 11:00 minute mark it is mentioned as well as at 57:10

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    Charles White, Oct 24, 2022
    Charles White, Oct 24, 2022
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  2. Barrf

    Barrf Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Has to be false bravado. I'm sure at 55 he had enough left to knock some no-hope journeymen around, but an actual HOFer in his prime? Get the hell out of h ere.
     
    Barrf, Oct 24, 2022
    Barrf, Oct 24, 2022
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  3. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    He also said Tua. Never made it to day 1 of training for these fights.
     
    NoNeck, Oct 24, 2022
    NoNeck, Oct 24, 2022
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  4. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Seems as though I recall George was wanting to comeback around 53 or 54 years old and was training and sparring some and his family said no, rumor was that although your punch is the last thing to go,,,eventually it does go.
     
    Reinhardt, Oct 24, 2022
    Reinhardt, Oct 24, 2022
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  5. dinovelvet

    dinovelvet Antifanboi Full Member

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    He wasn't necessarily calling out Vitali rather he was claiming he felt fit enough to make a comeback
     
    dinovelvet, Oct 24, 2022
    dinovelvet, Oct 24, 2022
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  6. Charles White

    Charles White Chucker Full Member

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    Wow, I didn’t know about Tua.
     
    Charles White, Oct 24, 2022
    Charles White, Oct 24, 2022
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  7. Boxing Gloves

    Boxing Gloves Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Just false bravado. He knew he had no business coming back in his mid 50's hence why he didn't!
     
    Boxing Gloves, Oct 24, 2022
    Boxing Gloves, Oct 24, 2022
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  8. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    I think Tua was the guy that he was most vocal about fighting post retirement.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2022
    NoNeck, Oct 24, 2022
    NoNeck, Oct 24, 2022
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  9. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    George gets hurt.
     
    Fergy, Oct 24, 2022
    Fergy, Oct 24, 2022
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  10. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Now Deceased 2/4/25 Full Member

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    Geritol can do that to a person.
     
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 24, 2022
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 24, 2022
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  11. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    I seem to recall George saying something to the effect, "If I can't beat Tua, then I can't grill a burger".
     
    Rumsfeld, Oct 24, 2022
    Rumsfeld, Oct 24, 2022
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  12. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing

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    Well he was actually supposed to fight Holmes a year later or so but the promoter couldn’t come up with the south for Foreman or Holmes’ purse so the bout was cancelled.
     
    swagdelfadeel, Oct 24, 2022
    swagdelfadeel, Oct 24, 2022
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  13. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    I believe that was 1999, a good several years before the Tua rumors.
     
    Rumsfeld, Oct 24, 2022
    Rumsfeld, Oct 24, 2022
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  14. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing

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    You're correct. My apologies. But Foreman did want to make a comeback in '04. "Foreman said he had no plans to resume his career as a boxer, but then announced in February 2004 that he was training for one more comeback fight to demonstrate that the age of 55, like 40, is not a "death sentence". The bout, against an unspecified opponent (rumored to be Trevor Berbick), never materialized"
     
    swagdelfadeel, Oct 24, 2022
    swagdelfadeel, Oct 24, 2022
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  15. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    That would have been ugly
     
    mr. magoo, Oct 24, 2022
    mr. magoo, Oct 24, 2022
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