Which heavy regaining the title was most impressive?

Floyd Patterson easily...not only was he then first to do it, but he did it so impressively and emphatically! The historical aspects of Ali and Foreman notwithstanding, Floyd was expected to suffer the same fate as in the 1959 match, and why would anybody think otherwise? Bounced off the canvas 7 times in one round, Floyd's recovery and reversal in completely dominating and then destroying Ingo with as picturesque and devastating a left hook that was ever thrown was a testament to a man not only conquering an opponent who so brutally humiliated and wrecked him, but a personal victory over himself. It was an inspiring, totally unexpected , historical and massive career accomplishment. There was no previous blueprint for it. Yes, my vote is for Floyd without a doubt. Neither Ali's or Foreman's opponents, that they regained their titles from had dealt either one of them so devastating an initial defeat (of course, Moorer hadn't even met George before).
@jowcol

 

We fight alone @jowcol, we fight alone.

 

I am going to say Foreman.

A former champion winning the title so long after he lost it is something that many people thought would never happen!

 

George closely followed by ali closely followed by holy

 

I agree that Foreman's accomplishment will never be repeated.

 

Foreman, most likely, because of the long, long layoff and advanced age.

I might peg Vitali as next most impressive. A four year layoff is usually fatal to a fighter's prospects, but Vitali came back straight into a world title fight and absolutely beat the tar out of the reigning champ without so much as a warmup at an age when most fighters are talking about "the good old days".

 

noone even remembered it till you brought it up.

what you did forget was ali-foreman, surely the point of this thread. fortunately u r the only one who forgot it.

 

I think that if you had proposed Foreman's comeback as the plot of a novel in say 1985, it would have been rejected as being too far fetched.

 

I'm suprised there hasnt been a CHristian movie made by him, directed by... Mel Gibson