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Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 00:09
by Taansend
Apologies to the Mods if you don't want this here but this was the first fight I remember watching so I've officially been a boxing fan for half a century.
Ali was tremendously popular in the UK & Ireland even when he was stripped & banned by the Yanks. We still considered him the Champion.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 05:23
by jameswilson
I think he liked us Brits as well. He had several fights over here and appeared on talk shows and made public appearances a lot over here.
On the subject of George Foreman I rewatched his fight vs Ron Lyle the other day. Jesus wept they beat the sh1t out of each other.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 05:31
by DrDuke
Ali outclassed Foreman, but often this fight gets misinterpreted, as if Foreman was beating Ali up and punched himself out.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 06:10
by big lennox
DrDuke wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 05:31
Ali outclassed Foreman, but often this fight gets misinterpreted, as if Foreman was beating Ali up and punched himself out.
I agree. He won using a mixture of speed, timing, defense and guile.
I loved Hugh McILvanney's beautiful words, some of which were read out on Radio 4 this morning:
" We should have known that Muhammad Ali would not settle for any ordinary old resurrection. His had to have an additional flourish. So, having rolled away the rock, he hit George Foreman on the head with it."
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 06:45
by Ezzard
DrDuke wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 05:31
Ali outclassed Foreman, but often this fight gets misinterpreted, as if Foreman was beating Ali up and punched himself out.
Agree. Ali pretty much wins every round. First time I watched it I was expecting some great comeback. But Ali is the boss throughout.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 10:38
by TheLeprechaun
Ezzard wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 06:45
DrDuke wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 05:31
Ali outclassed Foreman, but often this fight gets misinterpreted, as if Foreman was beating Ali up and punched himself out.
Agree. Ali pretty much wins every round. First time I watched it I was expecting some great comeback. But Ali is the boss throughout.
Foreman really got exposed. I'm still not sure how to rate his win over Frazier. Frazier was at his best against Ali in their first fight but he had been hurt in a few fights before that one and he took plenty from Ali that night. I think that fight took a lot out of him. Maybe Foreman just has the style to beat him but I think a prime Joe would beat him myself. The Ali Foreman fight wasn't competitive at all. I thought Ali could have got him out of there sooner. He respected him too much. Perhaps he was comfortable doing the rope a dope and putting on a show for the Africans. Foreman is lucky he got the stationary rope a dope Ali. The fleet footed + insane reflexes version of the Liston fight would have embarrassed him and had him out of there quicker. Still the fastest heavyweight ever seen when he was in his prime. I can't pick any heavyweight to beat that version of him. I wasn't a fan of his politics but was glad to see him renounce that stuff later in life. He made a trip to Ireland in honour of his Irish ancestors which you wouldn't have been able to imagine him doing when he was younger.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 30 Oct 2024, 10:55
by Ezzard
TheLeprechaun wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 10:38
Ezzard wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 06:45
DrDuke wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 05:31
Ali outclassed Foreman, but often this fight gets misinterpreted, as if Foreman was beating Ali up and punched himself out.
Agree. Ali pretty much wins every round. First time I watched it I was expecting some great comeback. But Ali is the boss throughout.
Foreman really got exposed. I'm still not sure how to rate his win over Frazier. Frazier was at his best against Ali in their first fight but he had been hurt in a few fights before that one and he took plenty from Ali that night. I think that fight took a lot out of him. Maybe Foreman just has the style to beat him but I think a prime Joe would beat him myself. The Ali Foreman fight wasn't competitive at all. I thought Ali could have got him out of there sooner. He respected him too much. Perhaps he was comfortable doing the rope a dope and putting on a show for the Africans. Foreman is lucky he got the stationary rope a dope Ali. The fleet footed + insane reflexes version of the Liston fight would have embarrassed him and had him out of there quicker. Still the fastest heavyweight ever seen when he was in his prime. I can't pick any heavyweight to beat that version of him. I wasn't a fan of his politics but was glad to see him renounce that stuff later in life. He made a trip to Ireland in honour of his Irish ancestors which you wouldn't have been able to imagine him doing when he was younger.
He was used by The NOI. They used him to help push their insane ideology. He was easily swayed by sinister identity politics as it manifested itself at the time.
Frazier was, if I remember, his heaviest ever for the Foreman fight. He was emotionally done and lost some of his fire after the Ali win. The way people treated him in victory was difficult for him to accept. And that swarmer style always sees fighters burn out quicker.
Ali would be my pick as #1. Sort of think the best Frazier beats the best Ali. But over the course of a career Ali would win more than he lost.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 31 Oct 2024, 15:36
by Taansend
Having a look at their records & it dawned on me that Foreman had been a pro for over 25 years before he even fought for a World Title in his own country.
That has to be some kind of record.
Re: Ali v Foreman - 50 Years Ago Today
Posted: 31 Oct 2024, 15:43
by veriton
Bunce has a great pod on it this week, talking to Colin Hart. Really enjoyable chat between two old hands about different times and places.
Also a reminder that boxing is always ready to prostitute itself to the highest bidder whether in the congo then or saudi arabia now.