I was recently watching the Foreman V Johnson bout of this infamous night when Foreman 'fought' 5 opponents on the same night, as listed below.
1975
Apr 26 Charley Polite Toronto Exh 3
Apr 26 Boone Kirkman Toronto Exh 3
Apr 26 Terry Daniels Toronto Exh 2
Apr 26 Jerry Judge Toronto Exh 2
Apr 26 Alonzo Johnson Toronto Exh 2
The tape I have only has the Johnson bout on it and I was wondering why were they classed as exhabitions? It looked like a genuine fight, no head guards, 10oz gloves etc. Were they real bouts but just called exhabitions to satisfy the local Boxing commision?
I have another exhibition bout of George vs Jody Ballard.
This was on november 26th of the same year, and the same goes for this one. Small gloves no headgear. I'm not aware of any other fights on this date.
I remeber this exhibtion against the five guys very well, because my brother got married that day and I kept stalling and almost made him late to his own wedding because I wanted to see them all.
Ali was at ringside cheering the opponents on and really ragging on George. these guys were stiffs, but foreman's stamina problem came into play a little and he was puffing by the fifth match. everyone was wondering out loud what would happen if george got knocked out or just wore out before he got through all these guys. it didn't happen, of course, but george really didn't look all that terrirfic that day.
The Jody ballard exhibition was at a later date...november 26 of the same year and was the only one .
If I remember correctly, Foreman KOed the first 3 guys but Polite and Kirkman went the distance. I also remember Polite blowing George a kiss and Foreman did'nt looked pleased.
Perhaps no headgear was worn in these "exhibitions" so as to make them more like an "official" fight, not aware what the Canadian rules on this might have been and if they differed from US rules. And it is true that Foreman was often lacking stamina at this time in his career and that the opponents, while legitimate boxers, were not exactly contenders. Still, my criticisms here are not really in these areas but in others.
First off, Howard Cosell. While personally having somewhat more respect for Cosell than others have had, still my feeling is that this particular day saw him at far from his best. Unlike those times when he (usually for good reasons) was willing to criticize Muhammad Ali, at the "Foreman vs. Toronto 5" exhibition Cosell just seemed to be humoring Ali and letting him rant at will. Any doubts Cosell had about the way things were unfolding concerned IIRC Foreman and the opponents, not Ali's behavior (about which, more below). Indeed, Ali was probably invited there (by Cosell?) in the first place not as a "commentator" but in order to help create an outrageous "Jerry Springer"-like atmosphere by his trademark mouthing off. If that was the goal, it was more or less accomplished though it was a rather sleazy attainment.
Second, Ali himself. Where did Ali get off knocking Foreman for fighting those 5 opponents when Ali himself, about that time, was fighting the likes (not in an exhibition but a "TITLE BOUT"!) of Jean-Pierre Coopman?! And Foreman has (correctly) defended the event, for example in his autobiography, by noting that such exhibitions were performed by champions such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and...Muhammad Ali. Yes, Ali. Who in fact had faced that very same Alonzo Johnson in numerous exhibitions over the years (plus one official fight) and Terry Daniels (in an exhibition) also. Yet Ali was given a free pass to rag on Foreman for doing what Ali himself had done (and often, though there was no mention of this by Ali, Cosell or anyone else other than Foreman)! Again, I have more respect for Ali than some others have but it was a bad idea to ask for his (disgraceful) participation.
Third, sportswriters who attempted to "weigh in" on the exhibition (at least one did in Sports Illustrated). Again, criticism was directed at Foreman and especially the 5 opponents but little at Cosell and very little if any at Ali. This bothered me, it's like those writers who called Joe Louis' challengers the "Bum of the Month Club." Louis himself disliked the name, as he said those he faced were not bums, they were hard-working professionals. Some better fighters than others yet all trying their best. So it was with the "Toronto 5," these writers whose sole athletic achievement was likely reaching for a can of beer were criticizing the boxers just for being in the ring trying to earn a living! Johnson as noted had faced Ali, so had Daniels (who also fought Frazier), Charley Polite had fought Frazier and Foreman, Boone Kirkman was also a previous opponent of Foreman. Granted, none of them had much success but they gave it what they had. Jerry Judge I'm less familiar with. Anyway, besides this, the point is also that the criticism contradicted itself: "expert" writers either didn't know or forgot that Ali often fought similar exhibitions (against some of the same fighters!) but they gave him a "free ride" (unlike Foreman) for doing so.
I'm surprised that terap, a critic here of Ali and his excesses, hasn't waded into this subject. Would seem a natural for him.
My recollection is that Kirkman hung in there, and was in his day certainly not a bum. How ever the highlight of the night was when Charlie P gave George a Kiss during the staredown.
