Which of all his comeback fights were George Foreman's best?

I totally disagree with this.

Foreman was coming back after 10 years in which he did nothing to maintain a boxing lifestyle: bad eating and ballooning up to probably 400 pounds (at least 350) and no training.

Unlike most guys, who come back and take a tuneup or two and try to rush their bodies and reflexes back into shape and then find themselves overwhelmed when they fight a younger, able fighter, Foreman treated his comeback as if he were starting from scatch, like making a new debut, and was very patient.

He fought for 3 years at a very active pace before setting foot in the ring against Holyfield. He fought some cans and some journeymen and some fringe contenders and a couple of really live challenges in Bert Cooper and Gerry C00ney.

He didn't need to be "tested" like someone who had never fought top competition before ... he had done that in his first career. He knew the ropes. He needed to get his older body back into the rhythm of fighting and learn what he could still do, work out his timing and fight himself into the best shape possible.

His goal was to win the title and ultimately he did that. I don't think "old" George was going to beat Holyfield in any case, but he was very competitive ... and that led to him ultimately getting the shot with Moorer and winning it all.

It's the greatest comeback ever, and the reason it was successful IMO was that he treated it as if he was starting a new career and not just trying to cash in for a quick payday thinking he could somehow summon the magic and fight young again ... instead, he learned how to fight old.

 

He looked very good against Cooper who took some nasty bodyshots before quitting at the end of the 2nd.
Against Holyfield, where few gave him a chance, George looked great up until about round 7. That was his last competitive round. But he made believers out of many with a spirited showing where he gave the champ some rough moments.

But for me though George looked devastating versus ****ey. Yeah I know it was billed the 'geezers at Caesars' and that ****ey was washed up and hadn't fought in some time, but ****ey was a big man who could punch. This was not a former cruiser for George to push around.
I think Foreman displayed devastating power and remarkable composure in that fight.
That night I sat up and took notice, and I think others did too.

 

George had his faults but was still going to be a hard guy to deal with on fight night. Those faults were going to be far more glaring when he stepped up against the elite in the division, but I sure never thought for a moment any of those guys didn't have their own shortcomings.

So I think he came back at a time when the division did not have shark infested waters. I thought Foreman would be able to navigate those waters. And I thought Holmes could come back after that Tyson loss and navigate those waters as well.

It was like there just not that many styles out there that would really trouble George or Larry & they would not be matched up against them unless it was a big title bout.

Since that time, I sure don't think other guys that have aged could have negotiated those waters. I know Evander fought on real late but he had losses and he did not negotiate things to the degree Holmes and Foreman did. But what guys since could have pulled off that return to the ring? Vitali and who? his brother maybe, and I'm not so sure about Wlad with his decling reflexes in recent fights if he handles shark infested waters.

 

George retired for 10 years; what he did in his first career should have had no bearing on what he did in career two. He started from scratch because he was, like you said, combing back to boxing after a huge layoff. Therefore, he did need to prove himself because the merit of his past accomplishments had long expired before he returned in 1987. Plus, much of his success (or maybe all of it) was due to Foreman being highly selective of his opponents. Sure Foreman was busy and active, but look at whom he was fighting.

Foreman accomplished a lot and showed a lot of heart and determination (as well as business acumen), but he did everything possible to avoid risking anything prior to fighting for a championship. Foreman wanted that big money fight at all costs -- and he wasn't going to let a bonafide heavyweight contender get in his way. He'd rather fight 25 tomato cans and use the 'I'm more active than any other heavyweight; therefore, I deserve a title shot' spiel......And it worked, so good for him.

 

Thanks for pointing that out -- I guess.

 

I still don't get why many see that Gerry ****ey fight as some big achievement for George. IF that were the 1982 ****ey who fought Holmes, then yes, that would have been a good win for George. But ****ey had not only been inactive, but he had also been through periods of intense drug and alcohol abuse, stints in rehab, etc. He was on the skids for a long time. Then he retired after getting blown out by Michael Spinks. ****ey had not been thought of as being a real contender for many years prior to him facing Foreman......

I believe Foreman and his team knew how far gone ****ey was, but they wanted to capitalize on ****ey's marquee value and name, so they made the match. There were many other good, solid, hard-hitting heavyweights around for George to face, but for some strange reason, he chose ****ey.:huh

 

Well he impressed me with his power and finishing ability in that fight. Yes C00ney was washed up but he was still better than the likes of Anderson or a tiny Qawi or a number of earlier scrubs George had been fighting.
And yes of course there were better fighters out there but we all know George did skillfully navigate around the best heavies of the era, barring Holyfield.
But that is another topic for another day.
Pre-title, I thought the C00ney win was a good win for George.