ali - foreman rematch

[jameshoward]

if ali had accepted the foreman rematch how do you think it would've went
i think it would be a lot harder for ali as foreman would know his strategy and he might have been able to beat ali

your thoughts

[Goodnight, Irene]

It's been done to death here mate, so you're a little late where this board is concerned.

Without elaborating, I'll just say, given the variables possible, I've always considered it one of the hardest hypotheticals from which to project a winning fighter. I could swing back & forth on it all day long.

[SteveO]

Yes, toss a coin! I think perhaps Foreman would have paced himself better in a rematch although that might have made it easier for Ali to jab and move more - so who know what the outcome would have been. Shame it never happened though.

[John Galt]

To me Ali dominated the first fight. Foreman didn't look better in the fights after the Ali fight. If the rematch had happened in the next 1-2 years Ali should win again.

Of course Foreman was younger than Ali and if he had kept fighting after the Young fight and improved and then fought the 35-36 year old Ali he would have a good chance of winning.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

if ali had accepted the foreman rematch how do you think it would've went

- Doc Ferdie noted that Ali took a huge beating, so the team steered him away from the rematch. Ali himself always remained noncommittal when asked.

Obviously they didn't fancy their chances.

[John Galt]

I just watched the first 5 rounds again and it wasn't as one sided as I remembered. The big advantage Ali had was that he was the only one in the ring who understood that where the head goes, the body follows.

If Foreman had been trained for a rematch by someone who could teach him to combat Ali's technique of controlling his head, his chances would have improved a lot. Ali fought smart. When Foreman started the wide swings with Ali against the ropes, Ali would take one or two on the arms, then reach with his left and pull Foreman forward making most of the others either go around him or have the affect of slaps. Foreman would have to be in great physical condition and he would have to be more disciplined to ever beat Ali.

Ali is so relaxed and cool under the type pressure Foreman used that he was not likely to tire or take a lot of punches in succession. A rematch in six months or a year would have been interesting.

[Robinson]

It would have been interesting to see. You can make arguments for both
camps had it happened in '76 or there abouts. Ali was deteriorating and
Foreman while not on form was still less 'worn'/

Both bested Frazier around that time, and both struggled with Young
many would say they both lost to him.

I would not like to bet on this one, but I will say one thing Ali did look
good in Africa.

[HomicideHenry]

Foreman, imo, does enough to win a close decision over Ali. If he paced himself, that is.

[BoxBuzz]

Ali had his number, first time, everytime. As long as both men go into the ring in good to top condition. In real time Foreman is improving and Ali on the decline, but still has enough left for Foreman and his style. I'd give the odds to Ali but of course with Foreman the puncher's chance dynamic always adds to the loose cannon aspect.

[observer1]

Watching the actual bout, it's not as if Foreman was dominating but gassed out. Ali was actually leading on all three judges scorecards.

Foreman was too slow and for Ali. Ali's chin was strong enough to last, (hindsight, unfortunate for him).

Ali was just the better boxer

[yancey]

Foreman, imo, does enough to win a close decision over Ali. If he paced himself, that is.

Winning close decisions against Ali was not an easy thing to accomplish.

[Syntax Error]

Ali on points.

Foreman was too slow & one dimesional to outpoint Ali & Ali was too tough to be KOd by Foreman.

[funso banjo baby]

tell u what, Ali was throwing some bombs in the first round..check it out

[Goodnight, Irene]

"Winning close decisions against Ali was not an easy thing to accomplish. " - Yancey

Sicc him, Alp...

[allworld80]

Foreman would make adjustments obviously, but would that really suit him? If he tried to box Ali, he's going to lose a decision.
The guy was a two fisted hammer, and his best bet would be a scaled down version of the first fight.

[NazNaci1]

Ali on points.

Foreman was too slow & one dimesional to outpoint Ali & Ali was too tough to be KOd by Foreman.

Spot on

[My2Sense]

if ali had accepted the foreman rematch how do you think it would've went
i think it would be a lot harder for ali as foreman would know his strategy and he might have been able to beat ali

your thoughts

At what point is this rematch taking place?

If immediately after the first fight, then I'll take Ali again (Foreman didn't want an immediate rematch anyway).

If a year or so later, then it's hard to tell. Ali had gotten older and faded in that time, but Foreman lacked the fire and confidence that were crucial to his success earlier in his career.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

At what point is this rematch taking place?

If immediately after the first fight, then I'll take Ali again (Foreman didn't want an immediate rematch anyway).

If a year or so later, then it's hard to tell. Ali had gotten older and faded in that time, but Foreman lacked the fire and confidence that were crucial to his success earlier in his career.

- You and so many others transpose the names and fudge history. Almost every interview Foreman gave from post fight forward he's not only gung ho and ready to rumble, but he's pushing the rematch.

From the post fight to the last interview before retiring, Ali is loathe to even mention his name and almost always noncommittal, preferring to talk about retirement or his next fight, not Foreman.

Absent the actual rematch, you may argue who might win, but the tapes of the era tell another story about who wanted the fight. Ali even made a special trip to Canada to taunt George and scream he was never gonna get a title shot again, this during George's highly publicized exhibition after his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated calling out Ali.

Ali's first title defense even rubbed salt into George's injury by fighting a guy George KOed in his 4th pro fight as a novice, Wepner. When the smoke clears in Manilla, 3 of the 4 Ali defences had already disposed of by George in less than 13 rds.

So, as to the question of ""At what point is this rematch taking place?"" Never is the short answer. George was frozen out of the rematch plain and simple.

[Collins2000]

"All I have to do is dream."

[SteveO]

So, as to the question of ""At what point is this rematch taking place?"" Never is the short answer. George was frozen out of the rematch plain and simple.

Ali had agreed to fight the winner of the George Foreman-Jimmy Young contest. Well we know what happened there and the rest is history............

[observer1]

So, as to the question of ""At what point is this rematch taking place?"" Never is the short answer. George was frozen out of the rematch plain and simple.

Ali had agreed to fight the winner of the George Foreman-Jimmy Young contest. Well we know what happened there and the rest is history............

Don't waste your time, im telling you, the guy is a bot, you cant teach him anything.

[gregor]

As bad as Foreman looked against Ali, one have to remember there was a number of things going into Ali's favour (which probably wouldn't be the case in rematch). Very loose ropes, high temperature (yeah, I know they were fighting in the same ring, but they have different styles and it was Foreman who had stamina problems) or some other minor things.

Again, I am not saying Foreman would have won, but Ali certainly had his reasons not to give him rematch. If you look into his career, Ali was fighting someone only if he either lost (Frazier, Norton, Spinks) or if he was sure to win again (Liston).

As mentioned, it was difficult to get close decision against Ali, but it looks he never tried to take a chance anyway. Opponents who gave him enough trouble (like Young, Lyle) could forget about rematch.

[Raff The Frenchman]

So, as to the question of ""At what point is this rematch taking place?"" Never is the short answer. George was frozen out of the rematch plain and simple.

Ali had agreed to fight the winner of the George Foreman-Jimmy Young contest. Well we know what happened there and the rest is history............

Don't waste your time, im telling you, the guy is a bot, you cant teach him anything.

yup don't try to argue with BRR, the guy just hates Ali and will make you believe he doesn't even belong in the HOfame.

[SteveO]

Don't waste your time, im telling you, the guy is a bot, you cant teach him anything.

Yeah, you're probably right - at least I tried :-)

[SteveO]

[quote="gregor"]If you look into his career, Ali was fighting someone only if he either lost (Frazier, Norton, Spinks) or if he was sure to win again (Liston)[quote]
Can't agree with that. Ali avenged his defeats against Frazier and Norton but then fought them both for a third time. He could not be 100% sure that he would win any of those contests or the Liston rematch either!