Did anyone see George Foreman fight in the UK?

[Mimmy]

just a thread taking a tangent from 'first fight seen' When Big George came to England back in 1990 did anyone travel to the Docklands to see the fight with Terry Anderson?

Sean Murphy W Johnny Good KO 2 12x3
George Foreman W Terry Anderson KO 1 10x3
Colin McMillan W Darren Weller TKO 2 6x3
A M Milton W Ray Newby PTS 6 6x3
Dean Hollington W Andre Marcel Cleak TKO 5 6x3
Mike Morrison L Mark Tibbs PTS 6 6x3
Tony Grizzle W Gerry O'Dowd

I traveled to london for the fight from way up North (near Scarborough) poor showing by Anderson, but a good few fights from Sean Murphy and Colin McMillan

[loaded_gloves]

Was it a poor showing by Anderson? He looked to get hit extremely hard square on the face by one of the all time heavyweight hitters.

[Wales]

Nope, was only 9, but did wonder the other day if big george made enough from boxing to live comfortably, or if it was the "lean mean grilling machine" that secured his financial future. 77-87 without fighting then 87-97 on the comeback trail..

Not many US heavies from his era appear to have made a good living from the game. Was george sensible with cash or did his tilted grill ensure his financial future

[STRATHMAN]

That bill featured the only pro fight of Boy George's brother Gerry.

[Wales]

Eh? I have absolutely no recollection of that whatsoever and I'm at a loss to work out why. What month? I'll look. Weird. What was I doing then? I'm losing it...

Sept 25th, 1990...

[Wales]

Eh? I have absolutely no recollection of that whatsoever and I'm at a loss to work out why. What month? I'll look. Weird. What was I doing then? I'm losing it...

Sept 25th, 1990...

That explains that then, I was otherwise disposed.

Googled it only thing i can find is saddam hussein warned america it would be another vietnam. Can only summarise you were involved in that, somehow.

[loaded_gloves]

Nope, was only 9, but did wonder the other day if big george made enough from boxing to live comfortably, or if it was the "lean mean grilling machine" that secured his financial future. 77-87 without fighting then 87-97 on the comeback trail..

Not many US heavies from his era appear to have made a good living from the game. Was george sensible with cash or did his tilted grill ensure his financial future

He retired hugely wealthy, exactly like Holmes. Foreman and Holmes were tight fisted with their money, which was crucial. They've also stayed married and not had children out of wedlock. Another big one.

The grill has made him astronomically wealthy however - bet Holmes hates him for it!

[Mimmy]

That bill featured the only pro fight of Boy George's brother Gerry.

Do you know why it was his only pro fight??????

[Old bones Ian]

What is the history between Holmes and Foreman, because i can't really remember much going on between them during their careers. It seems to of stemmed after retirement. Holmes really hates the guy.

[Old bones Ian]

That bill featured the only pro fight of Boy George's brother Gerry.

Do you know why it was his only pro fight??????

He had alot of mental health problems, in 1995 he stabbed his wife to death. He was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and sentanced to an indefinate detention in a mental hospital.

[reesy]

I was there,mainly to see Sean Murphy,2 things come to mind, how huge Foreman was and my dad hurling both his crutches into the air when Sean won,he'd recently been in a car accident and had metal pins inserted into his hip,didn't stop him from getting absolutely shitfaced and forgetting about his surgery once Murhpy won. Had to grab him quick before he hit the deck! Lol.

[loaded_gloves]

What is the history between Holmes and Foreman, because i can't really remember much going on between them during their careers. It seems to of stemmed after retirement. Holmes really hates the guy.

Holmes was offered an opponent role vs Foreman a couple of times in the 70s by Don King but declined both times. Decades later he would say he felt he could always beat Foreman at any point. Hmmmm.

Holmes comeback in 88 ended in a brief demolition job and he was booed before and after. Foreman's comeback went on and on and he gained in popularity and national attention, which seemed to drive Holmes mad. By Holmes own admission he bet big on Cooney to KO Foreman. In fact Holmes launched his second comeback after Foreman whacked Cooney spectacularly.

Foreman regained the world title whilst Holmes was unable to. I think Holmes has always been incredibly envious of Foreman's fame and popularity. He's always seemed a deeply jealous and bitter bloke.

[Loynesy]

It's an urban myth about how much Big George made from the grill - he was paid a franchise fee.

That said, first time I met Foreman was before a Naz fight. He was surrounded by bouncers smaller than him, I wandered over and was stopped by the usual steroid orcs, once I'd got through , I asked him why the heavyweight champion of the world (never use the past tense with bona fide world heavyweight champions) needed bouncers. The old George came through as he said to me "don't need them. Don't need them. HBO says I need them".

[Scrap]

It's an urban myth about how much Big George made from the grill - he was paid a franchise fee.

That said, first time I met Foreman was before a Naz fight. He was surrounded by bouncers smaller than him, I wandered over and was stopped by the usual steroid orcs, once I'd got through , I asked him why the heavyweight champion of the world (never use the past tense with bona fide world heavyweight champions) needed bouncers. The old George came through as he said to me "don't need them. Don't need them. HBO says I need them".

I had a Guy on that night. At the weigh in I was about to go through the Door, while George was coming the other way, through it. Stood facing each other for a second, He said after you, I said no after you George. Then I said to Him, George if it kicks of in here, remember Im on your Side. Fight itself, Larry the Ref told me, H dont no why they are Booing, That Shot would have K/Od anybody.

[danconnollyeire]

I was five, that's my excuse.

I was a month and a day

[lillywhite14]

I was five, that's my excuse.

I was a month and a day

Kids...always with the excuses!

[loaded_gloves]

It's an urban myth about how much Big George made from the grill - he was paid a franchise fee.

Absolute nonsense. Urban myth? It's widely publicised that Foreman has made hundreds of millions of dollars from the grill. There's such a high volume of information out there on the precise nature of his deal and the revenue he has made.

I can't fathom why you would write such a thing. Are you one of those suggestible types who uses youtube comments for information?

[Mimmy]

As I started the thread, I remember this fight as the only fight you could walk around freely. The programme I bought was full of autographs, Chris Pyatt, Frank Bruno, James Oyebola, Barry McGuigan, Jack 'kid' Berg (always remember that guy in his brown brogues) Big Georges, brother Roy was talking to me for a good while before the fight, a lot smaller than George and always laughing. allegedly and his crownies but still got him to sign the programme. Boxing has all changed now can't walk anywhere in the arena and have to stay seated. Got Jimmy Tibbs to sign the programme too.

I have the fight on VHS in the attic, but again proberly will stay there for eternity until I get something to transfer it over to pc.

[mickey1975]

It's an urban myth about how much Big George made from the grill - he was paid a franchise fee.

Absolute nonsense. Urban myth? It's widely publicised that Foreman has made hundreds of millions of dollars from the grill. There's such a high volume of information out there on the precise nature of his deal and the revenue he has made.

I can't fathom why you would write such a thing. Are you one of those suggestible types who uses youtube comments for information?

Your picking on the wrong guy there, mate! If you have read any of Loynesy's posts over the years you would know he is probably better placed than most to make these sort of statements and also the least likely poster on here to get his info from Youtube!

[ILikeBeer]

I read an article in the newspaper about George Foreman several years ago. His business ventures have kept him very wealthy. I think it even stated he made more from his grills then he did for his whole boxing career combined.

Also, it was listing a lot of business ventures he had in America that hadn't made it quite as internationally as the grill has. From memory I think he had a clothing range for larger gentleman, and also a George Foreman brand of sausage. (Presumably for use with his lean mean fat reducing grilling machine).

Not sure how well these other ventures did, can't remember now. But, put it like this, the guy aint skint.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Holy shit, I had no idea George fought in the UK. A six-year-old me probably wouldn't have cared much at the time, but someone should probably have told me out of courtesy still.

[Bricks]

Nope, was only 9, but did wonder the other day if big george made enough from boxing to live comfortably, or if it was the "lean mean grilling machine" that secured his financial future. 77-87 without fighting then 87-97 on the comeback trail..

Not many US heavies from his era appear to have made a good living from the game. Was george sensible with cash or did his tilted grill ensure his financial future

Georges comeback had been a great financial success by the time he lost to Holyfield. He could have retired by than. The holy and cooney fights had been lucrative ones for him. Of course he hung around intially for the tyson mega payday than Tyson went to jail, George would have fancied his chances in the mix even if holy had his number at this time.
The subsequent fights even with middling fringe contenders like coetzer, stewart, and the morrison fight, were all decent paydays, and the moorer win and the reign as linear champ lined his pockets well. If he had retired either in 91 or anytime after 95 without the grill thing ever happening he would be a rich man. The $110 mill or so he made on the grill was just an extraordinary 3rd fortune.

In regards to your general comment "Not many US heavies from his era appear to have made a good living from the game the irony of this is that, during the 1970s it was Don King who ushered in via the incomparable Ali the era of the HW divison as a megabucks laden one improving the heavyweight champ and contenders lot, than in the 80s he was the same one who invariably screwed the fighters. The FOTC aside, it was really Kings involvement that bought in the huge bucks internationally and for Heavyweight title fights per se in the 70s.

There is strong evidence King, ripped off many of his monopolistic stable of HW fighters in the 80s via things like charging them twice for having his son Carl as a manager and himself as a promoter and than screwing them further with his daughter running for example the Tyson fanclub and being paid $200,000 a year to do it. Add the IRS who always wanted their sum and shyster lawyers who were spoiling to get into the HW fighter management business in the 80s and u can see how so many ended up with little of their supposed big purses. At the same time tho many of these fighters did blow huge sums on women, drugs, cars, jewellery which theyd buy for $90,000 than when they needed quick cash sell for $20,000 etc. They would also take advances from King and than complain when he deducted plus interests on the payday.
By the 90s i think guys like mainevent made things better. But sadly most fighters of the era did not understand contracts did not understand how to find and use good accountants.

[stujones]

Tyson vs Foreman would have been at its biggest financially following George winning the world title and Tyson return from jail.

I think Boxing Monthly wrote something about them two being in the top 3 most recognisable faces of active sport stars in the states at the time. Michael Jordan sandwiched between them.

The Baddest Man on the Planet, vs the loveable grandad with a sledgehammer of a punch. Would have been a horrible fight, but the biggest PPV ever .

[mickey1975]

Tyson vs Foreman would have been at its biggest financially following George winning the world title and Tyson return from jail.

I think Boxing Monthly wrote something about them two being in the top 3 most recognisable faces of active sport stars in the states at the time. Michael Jordan sandwiched between them.

The Baddest Man on the Planet, vs the loveable grandad with a sledgehammer of a punch. Would have been a horrible fight, but the biggest PPV ever .

The popular story is that Mike was terrified of him.

[ILikeBeer]

The popular story is that Mike was terrified of him.

I always doubted that was true.