Would George Foreman have had a realistic chance vs Lewis circa 1998

That's probably for the best. If Foreman had gotten the decision against Briggs he would have fought a guy like Botha or maybe a freak show bout with Larry Holmes.

 

No George would have been dominated. Lewis would have his radar up respecting Foreman`s power. Lennox would box and pick Foreman apart. Glad this one never happened.

 

I recall Big George saying that he would not fight Lennox Lewis. His statement carried the implication that he knew he would not win. In fact, around that time he had said that Lennox Lewis was the best heavyweight he had ever seen. I have to go with the prevailing thought here - Big George in 1998 would have only a puncher's chance against Lewis. More likely it would be a sad ending to a great career.

 

Lewis would land every jab and right hand he threw with intent, horrible fight for Big George. I'd favor Lennox over a prime Foreman as well, styles make fights.

 

Sad ending. Lewis had too much speed, power and skill. He'd probably KO Foreman, who wasn't very defensive inside 5 rounds, unless he felt his power and opted to play it safe.

 

I pick LL for probable UD and possibly a stoppage.

However, if old Foreman could have KOd LL somehow at 49 yoa , he would have become larger than life.

 

Not all his opponents were small.
Coetzer.6'4"
Stewart. 6'3"
Cooney. 6'6"
Jaco . 6'6"
Ellis. 6'3"
Jameson. 6'4"
Savarese.6'5"
Grimsley. 6'2"
Briggs .6'4"
Schulz . 6'3"
Morrison. 6'2"
That's basically a third of his 34 comeback opponents.

 

What George accomplished in his second run was astonishing .. methodically charting a course, going the distance in a respectable performance against a prime Holyfield, taking the bombs of a Morrison and a Briggs, both serious punchers and of course defeating Moorer however he would have been crushed by Lennox Lewis , he knew it and he never seriously even considered making such a fight. Like I have been writing on multiple threads as of late, how you chart your course impacts results of the journey .. If Foreman lacked the leverage his marketability afforded him and he desperately needed money he might have had to fight half a dozen guys along the way prior to Holyfield that would have seriously beat him up and our image of the proud and defiant Foremen never sitting between rounds would be replaced by a fat old man collapsed on a floor, a cross between the Willard of Toledo and Butterbean. Such is leverage for the fortunate few that have it and know how to maximize it.

 

which of these did he pursue? which ones were heavier? He did not target those guys. They were selected.

I can go right through the sorry bunch on that list if you want and explain exactly why Foreman was able to use his celebrity and hand picked each and every last one of them. Do you want me to do that?

The guys comeback George actively targeted were Holyfeild, Tyson and Moorer. All smaller than the bald one.

 

Yes I think he has A very good chance

 

Oh Tyson would have flattened him..and at that time George probably even knew that anyway.

I believe initially all he wanted was to do was make money. For his church.

George had watched Joe Bugner, who was from his era, mount successful comebacks and realised what was obvious. That if Joe Bugner could do it (make a noise, win some fights, retire rich) then he couldn’t do any worse. So George copied Bugner.

Bugner called out Tyson too. It all helped build gates for less important fights. Deep down I don’t think Bugner really had any real intention of fighting Tyson. He didn’t have to. Who can say Foreman really did?

Circumstances allowed for Holyfeild to land the title, I do think George was twice as eager For a championship fight when that happened.

It is interesting that when the title briefly passed to Bowe Foreman went very quiet.