The Rumble in the Jungle: How did you score it?

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 14 Jun 2007, 17:39

-shrugs- you could be right. Foreman did lose something after having lost to Ali, but I do think he felt he had something to prove, and that might have made the difference, just the Young fight made him break down completely and it took 10yrs for him to reinvent himself.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 14 Jun 2007, 20:09

I think how Ali-Foreman II goes depends on whether or not it happens before Manila. If its before, then Ali might still win, though it'll be closer, maybe a lot closer. He would still have George's number in a lot of ways, even if George would probably fight a bit smarter and might be a bit better prepared. Still, how different would George be? George's style didn't really change much after Ali, if at all, so I don't know how much it changes if he gets a rematch. Ali didn't just beat Foreman with the rope-a-dope, either, it was a lot more than that. And whose to say George handles the rope-a-dope itself all that much better? He won't approach it the same way, but that doesn't mean he'll have it figured out. Frazier knew exactly how to handle the rope-a-dope, and he still lost. Regardless of rope-a-dope, Foreman likely isn't going to stop Ali, and I don't see Foreman winning a decision. Foreman might fight better, and might even make it to the championship rounds, but I think that's where Ali wins the fight. George's stamina still won't be as good as Ali's was if they have a rematch. And that's where Ali won a lot of his fights, in the championship rounds. Ali kicks the hell out of George in those rounds. If its a close fight, Ali earns the decision in those last five rounds, or he might knock George out again in those rounds. That was more or less Ali's plan in the first fight, to get George into the late rounds, but George was done once they reached the 6th.

Still, on that note, if Foreman gets Ali in 76 or 77, and Ali is coming off Manila, he won't be the same and Foreman would probably win. It's not impossible that Ali wins, but I would definitely favor George in those years.

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 14 Jun 2007, 20:24

I can agree with that assesment.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 14 Jun 2007, 20:27

HomicideHenry wrote:I can agree with that assesment.

Problem is you still have to account for George's broken psyche. He had to take a decade to heal his ego. Any real time victory options sort of melt away because of his personal instability.

jezzamundo · Post by **jezzamundo** » 17 Jun 2007, 08:57

I think how Ali-Foreman II goes depends on whether or not it happens before Manila. If its before, then Ali might still win, though it'll be closer, maybe a lot closer. He would still have George's number in a lot of ways, even if George would probably fight a bit smarter and might be a bit better prepared. Still, how different would George be? George's style didn't really change much after Ali, if at all, so I don't know how much it changes if he gets a rematch. Ali didn't just beat Foreman with the rope-a-dope, either, it was a lot more than that. And whose to say George handles the rope-a-dope itself all that much better? He won't approach it the same way, but that doesn't mean he'll have it figured out. Frazier knew exactly how to handle the rope-a-dope, and he still lost. Regardless of rope-a-dope, Foreman likely isn't going to stop Ali, and I don't see Foreman winning a decision. Foreman might fight better, and might even make it to the championship rounds, but I think that's where Ali wins the fight. George's stamina still won't be as good as Ali's was if they have a rematch. And that's where Ali won a lot of his fights, in the championship rounds. Ali kicks the hell out of George in those rounds. If its a close fight, Ali earns the decision in those last five rounds, or he might knock George out again in those rounds. That was more or less Ali's plan in the first fight, to get George into the late rounds, but George was done once they reached the 6th.

Still, on that note, if Foreman gets Ali in 76 or 77, and Ali is coming off Manila, he won't be the same and Foreman would probably win. It's not impossible that Ali wins, but I would definitely favor George in those years.

Excellent post, I entirely agree with all points made.