Where would you rate Ali and Foreman if Foreman won a rematch and retired?

A more likely scenario was Norton getting the decision he deserved over Ali in their 3rd fight and then defending against Foreman. George then rematches Ali, I believe that version of Ali was a shell and a more disciplined Foreman beats him. Would it change my opinion of either man? Not really

 

For me, it would raise my opinion of Foreman quite a bit. I currently think he is often quite overrated as I have him on the edges of my all-time top ten. I could see him being bumped up to seven or eight.

I thought Ali would lose to Foreman when the fight took place and I was never more happy to be wrong. I probably would have picked Foreman to win a rematch anyway so my opinion of Ali would not really have dropped too much.

 

That would then mean that Foreman had a better first career and the same second career. Foreman would add Muhammad Ali to his resume, and that is very important. And he would become a three-time lineal champion, which is also important. That would happen before the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks rivalry.
IMO Foreman would move up on the ATG list; at least one place.

 

That something fishy was going on because Ali is a terrible matchup for Foreman, so a loss for Ali would mean he threw the fight.

 

Foreman would go right up but then people would say, that Ali was past it.
Swings and roundabout s..

 

Losing to Jimmy Young did Ron Lyle's title shot no harm, so it seems fair that a former champion was afforded that same treatment....losing to Lorenzo Zanon did Alfredo Evangelista's shot at Ali's title no harm either... and that was in 1977 too, so in this scenario George's title shot while 'generous' isn't quite 'uncharacteristic'.

Ali's rating would about be the same, Foreman's a little higher, due to that 'decent' win.