Out of interest was Foreman's conditioning suspect going into the bout? Or was it simply the heat and Ali's tactics that wore George out? After all round 8 in a 15 rounder is quite early to totally gas out no?
As you outlined, Foreman's gassing is usually put down to the heat and George swinging for the fences with each and every shot. I haven't heard/read that his conditioning was in doubt but it's a fair question. The fight was delayed due to Foreman's cut eye and George was despondent due to his being made to stay in Zaire during the interim. In all possibility, he might've come down a bit off his best possible form. Call me crazy, but he did already look a bit puffy in the face and overheated before the first bell.
It was on "the fly"! He soon realized that he couldn't move like he did in his prime...(1963-1967). He laid on the ropes and hoped his opponent punched himself out. Certainly not a brilliant strategy by any means! He was lucky he was able to take his opponents punches...but in the long run...look how he ended up!!!
Big George had this to say " what alternative did he have " he never bought the " rope a dope " pause for thought. stay safe guys.
His pacing was reckless to the point of stupidity due to his limited pro experience- he had limited sparring due to a cut and also simply wasn’t intelligent enough to fight with Ali on the ropes.
The strange thing about George was that he never was able to figure out what to do when the opponent was on the ropes. when he fought Joe the second time, and Joe was on the ropes,he sort of just looked at him stupid and didn't know what to do
George Foreman was a glorified amateur. He didn’t have enough experience in the pro game but his team managed him the best they could.
Interesting point Mike. George did force Ali to the ropes by his own design before the first round was out. Easy enough to comprehend that Ali might’ve figured, well, I’m going to end up there anyway (on the ropes) , best if I preempt that, set myself up and block/fight George off the ropes under my own, best possible conditions. Many conjecture if George didn’t throw mindlessly and boxed patiently, using the jab to set up - that he might’ve won. However, in my mind, if George had done that it, it would’ve removed a lot of pressure from Ali and opened the door for Ali to do a lot of other, more conventional things to see George off. Smart or not, the pressure Foreman put on Ali for a number of rounds was off the charts - subject to same, many fighters besides Ali would’ve fallen otherwise, imo.
I think that the "rope a dope" tactic was not a plan, but that Muhammad Ali adapted to the situation.
It's all here in this contemporaneous account. Ali wanted to go to the ropes when he was still fresh and could fight off them: This content is protected
Ali was working on the rope-a-dope as early as Liston. He knew a situation could occur where he was no longer able to stay ahead in the way he needed to for the plan to work for 15 rounds. The older he got the earlier he would need it.
