BoxRec

Anybody know the name of the celebrity who was near ring side in Zaire and was supposedly George's pal, until spotted actually cheering for Ali?

Foreman said the act of betrayal broke his heart.

Between the voodoo, disloyal friend, unfriendly crowd, spiked water, loose ropes, ridiculous fight time, and mouthy opponent, how in heck could George ever hope to have won?

Don't forget what Frazier and Norton took out of him. Takes a lot out of a man dishing out whuppin's like that.

BoxBuzz wrote:Don't forget what Frazier and Norton took out of him. Takes a lot out of a man dishing out whuppin's like that.

I know your joking, but could someone with mental fragility (such as Foreman) actually be adversely affected by a brutal win?

I think his problems began when things weren't going his way. He speaks to it in his book. He was pretty satisfied with his work leading up the fight with Ali.

BoxBuzz wrote:Don't forget what Frazier and Norton took out of him. Takes a lot out of a man dishing out whuppin's like that.

That hurt.

JDC wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:Don't forget what Frazier and Norton took out of him. Takes a lot out of a man dishing out whuppin's like that.

I know your joking, but could someone with mental fragility (such as Foreman) actually be adversely affected by a brutal win?

It's an interesting question, because Foreman admitted to being afraid of Frazier & Norton.

He actually said his knees were knocking during the staredown for Frazier 1.

He might have saying these things to be diplomatic, but if he is being truthful, disposing of 2 such dangerous foes without breaking sweat might have been the worst thing for him.

Had both of those opponents proved a bit more competitive, he might have been more prepared for what Ali threw at him, although, TBF, no amount of tough fights can prepare someone for the mental onslaught from someone like Ali.

yancey wrote:Anybody know the name of the celebrity who was near ring side in Zaire and was supposedly George's pal, until spotted actually cheering for Ali?

Foreman said the act of betrayal broke his heart.

Between the voodoo, disloyal friend, unfriendly crowd, spiked water, loose ropes, ridiculous fight time, and mouthy opponent, how in heck could George ever hope to have won?

You forgot about him not being able to spar. He once called that the best thing to happen to Ali. Considering the list of shenanigans, thats quite a remark! LOL.

Syntax Error wrote:Foreman was sluggish against Ron Lyle in 1976 & almost got knocked out.

I don't think there was anything sinister going on with Foreman; it was just that Ali took a piece of him in Zaire & mentality, he just didn't have it anymore.

Apart from splattering a totally shot Frazier in '76, Foreman never really looked decent again during his first career.

Ali should be given credit for that, given what Foreman was like pre Ali & what the world all thought about him.

It's no mean feat to take his fighting spirit like that.

i can imagine foreman was more limited than met the
eye. but it took a technician and tactician like ali to make
it show. foreman was strong, but he lacked dramatically
IMO in footwork, defense and tactics. but since he was so
strong, these big weaknesses were not exposed earlier.
some time ago i saw one early fight of his and if i recall
correctly it was all already there to be seen, but he won
by KO nevertheless.

bad defense is a disaster on top level, but you might get
away with it below top for a long time. to me mike tyson
was as well great in defense, especially the lateral body
movement. when he got to cocky that was gone and with
it his career.

i think foreman II had way better defense. he got hit way
less than in his first run. foreman's downfall was that he
had too much success too soon without learning enough.
remember: he was 24 in that ring with ali. and guess
what he thought of his abilities if everyone else though he
was invincible.

though one thing will puzzle me forever: how he could walk
through frazier in the first one as if joe was ... nothing.

scallum wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:yancey....there is a universal constant that I buy into that may help you feel better.

ALL cruelty exported will be matched with incoming. Life is long, and some will say you can't escape this truth even by taking an early train toward your last breath. It will all be balanced. Nobody's gettin' away with anything.

I like this concept but sum barbaric and inhumane acts like those of hitler or truman can never be balanced

?? DId we just equate Hitler to Harry Truman??

dempseyfire wrote:

scallum wrote:[qu

ote="BoxBuzz"]yancey....there is a universal constant that I buy into that may help you feel better.

ALL cruelty exported will be matched with incoming. Life is long, and some will say you can't escape this truth even by taking an early train toward your last breath. It will all be balanced. Nobody's gettin' away with anything.

I like this concept but sum barbaric and inhumane acts like those of hitler or truman can never be balanced

?? DId we just equate Hitler to Harry Truman?? [/quote]
One was much more evil than the other. truman and his evils are bypassed because history is written by the winners

dempseyfire wrote:

scallum wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:yancey....there is a universal constant that I buy into that may help you feel better.

ALL cruelty exported will be matched with incoming. Life is long, and some will say you can't escape this truth even by taking an early train toward your last breath. It will all be balanced. Nobody's gettin' away with anything.

I like this concept but sum barbaric and inhumane acts like those of hitler or truman can never be balanced

?? DId we just equate Hitler to Harry Truman??

We didn't; Scallum did.

I just saw the Hunger games with my 11 year old....Based on her reaction to the movie, it appears she can sort out the difference between the thought process that Hitler utilized as he brought carnage to the world vs the process that Truman utilized.


If you feel the outcomes are the primary issue.......and not the antecedents.......then this next generations is truly lost.


I liked the movie.....it makes me think that some folks, (perhaps the writer of this story) may well understand the difference. Gives one hope.

This thread inspired me to watch this again on youtube & it truly was a farce.

Poor George was bouncing around trying to prove that he could dance & only succeeded in proving the opposite.

His interview at the end was laughable too; claiming that Ali was a fraud because he layed on the ropes & that's no way to win a fight, conveniently forgetting the he himself lost his title to Ali, who did just that (whilst taking all Foreman's best punches & hitting him back btw).

1975 was obviously an odd time in George's life & I am really glad that he was able to turn his life around, resume his career, lay the ghost of Ali to rest & get his title back, because George is a nice guy who deserved to succeed.