Who came up with George Foreman’s comeback strategy?

George came up with the strategy. He called it barnstorming.

Go from town to town like the old fighters did. Get the local press excited. Knock out your opponent. Thank everyone for coming. Move on to the next town. Stay busy. All the local buzz will eventually attract national attention.

 

In his autobiography ‘By George,’ Foreman made it clear that he understood the carnival side-show side of the sport — pitch a tent, so to speak, in one small town and you’re the biggest thing going on there and everybody has to come. Then when the show’s over it’s on to the next time.

I think I’m quoting him correctly here: “Boxing has always had an element of Come See the Bearded Lady.”

 

What George did was about as perfect as comeback can be. He did not get hurt to bad. He did not expose himself by going for some Young-like pure boxing matches (Tony Tucker, old Larry Holmes, Larry Donald). He did not mistake dangerous power-punchers with more fragile punchers (Morrison, Stewart, Moorer). And he regained the title after losing about every round against an young champion, wo made it possible by beating the man he previous lost to! He took full advantage of a chance like that. And he fought beatbale challengers afterwards.

The only fight that really went wrong was Stewart. The most dangerous fight he took was imo Briggs.

At George´s age, one or two early comeback fights going wrong can make a huge health impact. Lets say they would have put him somehow in against James "Bonecrusher" Smith in an real ugly banging and mauling, for trying to make a statement due to a potential fight against Mike Tyson. Something like that really can destroy a comeback.