Who Else Could Get A Ko Victory Over Foreman In Zaire??

I don't see anyone to be honest. Foreman was a punching machine in this one. Don't see anyone standing up to that

 

I'd actually favor nobody. Lewis, Liston, Louis, they'd all be a chance but gee who would i favor. Perhaps Liston is the best chance with his tighter punching. Maybe i might make him a narrow fave as i have in previous years.

 

Maybe a prime Holmes? Maybe? His version of the rope-a-dope (pulled on Mercer) seemed pretty damn effective.

 

Vitali Klitschko

 

Only other person I can give a chance is a prime Holmes and a prime Liston. Nobody can pull off a rope a dope because nobody has Ali's punch resistance to the body and head.

 

Tyson Fury

 

Holmes, Holyfield, Vitali, Wladimir, Usyk (dead serious), Lewis, there’s more I’m sure. I didn’t see a fighter with much brain power in zaire v Ali. You need size or good movement to still beat him with a good chin though

 

Well you said it yourself. Ali used a borderline suicidal plan. Taking serious bludgeoning blows to the body in order to avoid head shots. He survived due to his excellent clinching, counters, and rolling with shots at the last second to take some steam off Foreman's shots.

It was also extremely hot and muggy with a spongy ring. Foreman was good at cutting off the ring and Ali abandoned a stick and move strategy after just 1 round.

The only fight in more than 80+ pro bouts where Foreman was hurt early was Lyle, and that was a Foreman coming off a layoff and a loss with shattered confidence and a new trainer having him try different things that didn't suit him. So we can rule out an early KO for Zaire Foreman outside of a 1/100 freak punchers chance.

Then factor in that in Zaire, Foreman was in complete seek and destroy mode like a human juggernaut. Ali landed dozens of dozens of flush right hand leads and combinations to the head, snapping his head back, and Foreman just grunted expressionless and kept attacking with no regard for return fire. So whoever is replacing Ali could not be discouraged and would need to have the stamina to keep their arms up and continue throwing lots of shots to avoid getting steam rolled.

So the candidate must be:

-can take a bomb or two to the jaw
-can take serious punishment to the body
-can adapt to having the escape routes in the ring cut off.
-has the stamina to throw lots of punches every. No pedestrian pace
-can drag Foreman into deep waters late
-patient and doesn't get discouraged
-is good at clinching when hurt.
-has decent enough power to make Foreman respect them.

The list would be very, very short. A focused in shape Lennox or a prime Liston are the only ones I'd have any confidence in and both of them have gotten hurt badly by fighters inferior to Foreman so they would be nail biting affairs. Not sure how Lennox does in a hot muggy outdoor arena with all that extra weight, that's another thing to consider.

Lennox also did that annoying habit of pulling his trunks far above the waist line to discourage body shots and have them count as low blows. If he gets away with it, that could be a big factor but if the ref or Foreman's corner protests it could be a problem. Don't remember Lennox taking many serious body shots.

I want to say Holyfield but he had such a bad habit of mixing it up with punchers that it could lead to his downfall.

 

Liston, Lewis, Tyson, Wlad, Vitali.

 

Holmes was more skilled, but he ain't no puncher.

 

Why would those facing Foreman be stupid enough to use the same tactic as Ali ?!?

 

Well with the spongy, over-padded ring and Foreman’s ability to cut off the ring, the only other real choice is to take it to him and engage him in a war. And that’s about as suicidal a tactic as one could take with George … I mean you’re not backing him up so you just play rock-em/sock-em robots with a monster.