Ali-Foreman rematch.How would it go?

[porkypara]

An other thread got me thinking about this fight.


After the first fight Forman was the boxer who had made the mistakes that led to his loss.
In a rematch he would have fought with more respect and more of a game plan realising that Ali was not going to be blown away.


But how could Ali have improved on the first fight?

What could he have done different.

He said after the reason he went to the ropes in the first fight was coz Forman cut the ring off so well and he did not have much choice.


What do you think

[El Kabong]

Given Foreman's psychological state directly after that fight I think Ali probably would have won a decision, but Big George may have planned a bit better and paced himself more, but he'd still be landing 2-3 punches less than Ali in the exchanges just due to handspeed. Ali only ever got stopped by Holmes so you just can't say Foreman would have stopped him even if he understood the rope-a-dope...the best Foreman could have done is win a decision and based on his piss poor defense in the first match I doubt you could expect that but it would be a closer fight than the first one

[Saddo]

Forman's biggest weapon was his amazing power... Ali took that advantage away with his amazing chin and his ability to recover quickly.

so i thing it would be like Ali - Liston 2 with Ali going for the kill from the start thus wearing down big George quicker.

speaking of foreman this was one of my all time fav fights...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96KfeAFakak

[BoxingChaos]

Ali-Foreman rematch.How would it go?

Considering the shape Ali is in today, I would have to think Foreman wins the rematch

Next Question!

[InTheNeutralCorner]

Your question is about a rematch held within 5 years of their initial fight, right? Ali will try the rope-a-dope again since it worked before but Foreman will know this time not to fall in that trap. Ali will not exchange punches with Foreman but do a lot of jabs while circling around. He will "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee". But doing that will not wear Foreman down, just one clean punch from him will likely drop Ali like a sack of potato. And Ali will be hit with some of Foreman's punches which will make him more cautious with his moves. This will be somewhat of a boring fight compared to the first with Foreman giving out the most telling blows. Foreman wins by split decision.

[Kel]

Ali-Foreman rematch.How would it go?

Considering the shape Ali is in today, I would have to think Foreman wins the rematch

Next Question!

I think Ali by UD

[ICB]

It would be no different, Muhammad Ali had got inside his head. So he had already won 50 percent of the fight, plus George Foreman lost a little bit of something after that fight aswell. Going life and death with Ron Lyle, then being beaten quite handily by Jimmy Young.

[Jody Lane]

Foreman was still in the slugger mode in 1977 when, if he beat Jimmy Young, he was headed to a rematch wit Ali. Ali was getting well worn out at that point but Foreman had not developed the relaxed and take his time style of the 1990s at that point. So I figure Ali would have not had enough left to take Foreman out at that point but would have gotten the decision.

[JazMerkin]

Foreman has said he was emotionally decimated by the Ali defeat & that it took him about a decade to actually get over it & put it in perspective.

Ali beats him in a rematch regardless because he was in Foreman's head. It might have been a decision or a stoppage, but whilst they were still both pros, I can't see Foreman winning, because he didn't get over the defeat & re-invent himself as a fighter till after Ali had been long retired.

[Spicoli]

Minus all of the pre fight drama,delay and theatrics I think Ali still pulls it out in similiar fashion.Styles and mentality.Foreman was bullish strong but Ali was his puppet master and really exploited him in spots.Turned his strength against him,just too fast and too sharp,too Ali.

[Shamrock]

Minus all of the pre fight drama,delay and theatrics I think Ali still pulls it out in similiar fashion.Styles and mentality.Foreman was bullish strong but Ali was his puppet master and really exploited him in spots.Turned his strength against him,just too fast and too sharp,too Ali.

That quote sums it up for me. Ali had him sussed and once inside Foreman's head would have beaten him mentally in the rematch and that's 90% of the win.

[Dark Lord Al]

Foreman wins easily in a rematch , have you seen how bad Clay is these days ?

[Greig]

Foreman wins easily in a rematch , have you seen how bad Clay is these days ?

Ouch Al - but somebody had to go there!


I think Ali wins a rematch on points. Foreman would have been more cautious second time round, but I don't think Ali gets too bold because he could have always walked into something, and it's those punches that do the damage. I think he'd be aware of that and dance his way to a comfortable decision.

Ali's defence was amazing in the Foreman fight - he took everything on the gloves or the elbows, Foreman landed very little flush.

So that's why I think Ali would be cautious - If Henry Cooper could mess him up with a single flush shot, what could Foreman do?

[jitterjoe]

Foreman only really learned to box on his comeback when he brought in Archie Moore. Did you see some of the tricks he pulled? There was some old school shit in there.

The hand trap to lead uppercut and the shifting uppercut to overhand right that he hit Cooney with? That stuff was beautiful. If Foreman boxed with his noggin like that in his youth then I dont think Ali - at the age he was in the rumble - could have worn him out.