Zaire, Foreman's (lack of) corner and strategy

For some reason i am picturing Mickey Donovan and his gas station boner pills.

 

And there was Dundee screaming at Ali to get off the ropes again and again.

 

Yeah, a fighters own power can be a curse in some ways.

I mean, they might even see need to carry an opponent a little bit if they’re looking to maintain match fitness and/or work on other features to their game.

Interestingly, all things considered, advancing age, relative inactivity and less than ideal prep going in, Liston still wasn’t floundering by round 7, even after a highly active round 5.

Even Ali, with terrific inborn stamina and hard training, was beginning to feel the effects of his own inactivity after just 3 rounds vs Quarry in 1970 - reflective of a lack of 100 % match fitness that Ali also took into the Bonavena and Frazier fights.

 

The reference escaped me. I googled and I got more than I bargained for. Running all available virus/malware software right now! Lol.

 

Helluva show, btw!!!

 

I've still not watched it but all my mates say how great it is. I think it's the name 'Ray Donavan' that's been putting me off- it's the kind of name that sounds like he should be repairing broken down boilers.

 

No mate it's great. Gets a little weaker here and there in later seasons but it's a rip snorter overall.

 

He was indeed. Ali knew better.

 

Great post that prudently takes a few steps back in order to properly see the forest instead of hugging some trees much too tightly.

As you said, after Zaire, Foreman was still posting some notable victories over top tier competition. even though George was broken and in the midst of trying to reassemble and reinvent himself as a fighter. If he'd faced Norton again during that period, there is good chance, imo, that it would've been a rinse repeat of their first fight. Who else was likely to beat Foreman during that time? Young just happened to be giving every hell around that time - a nightmare fight for anyone.

 

Never thought much of Dick Sadler,but why Archie and Sandy could not change things is a mystery to me.

 

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."

 

The only reason the Young fight happened was Ali saying he'd rematch the winner. Which he never did. Or rematch the loser for that matter. More like Evangelista fights.

Can you imagine the criticism for Foreman if the roles were reversed? He was the champ and won the questionable decision over Young. no rematch. And Ali being the guy gunning for the Foreman rematch on the sidelines.

And we get---drumroll please.......Evangelista. And then--imagine the additional Foreman criticism for going to a 15 round decision!!!! And that's not including the Inoki and Alzado bouts to take up more title defending opportunities.

Funny sport and interesting how things are.

 

The Ali- Alzado exhibition was in July of 1979 when Ali was 37 years old and had voluntarily retired and surrendered his title in June of that year.