Which HWs past and present would have had a good chance of beating a 70s Foreman?

[Derranged]

ASIDE FROM ALI. NO SHIT....

For the most part, I don't think there were many fighters that would have had a really good shot at beating him.

70s Foreman was a beast. He wasn't a particularly talented boxer but his strength, power and relentlessness was scary, enough to almost completely make up for the former.

What say you?

[Dickie Smalls]

Hardly anyone...

He liked to brawl alot, so if he got sucked into a slug-fest with an iron jaw and hard hitting opponent like Ike Ibeabuchi (pre-jail), or David Tua; he'd be in trouble.

[Scott9945]

To me it's more of a chance for Foreman to beat anybody ever. But he had too many flaws to dismiss other great heavyweights chances of beating him.

[StarshipTrooper]

Well, a past-prime Ali obviously.....

[Derranged]

Well, a past-prime Ali obviously.....

Edited original post.

Anyone else?

[bojangles1987]

To me it's more of a chance for Foreman to beat anybody ever. But he had too many flaws to dismiss other great heavyweights chances of beating him.

I agree. Foreman has a good chance against anyone, but ATG heavyweights have a good chance against him as well.

Liston and Holmes are the two that come to mind for me. It's really hard, so many ATG heavyweights are bangers, it comes with the division it seems. I can't confidently pick any banger against Foreman.

[fight_professor]

Larry Holmes would have a chance if its prime v prime.

Joe Louis *may* but I think his chin lets him down. His correct defense may however buy him a shot.

Lewis - KO'd.

Marciano, Dempsey, Frazier (evidenced!) - have no chance.

Wlad - no chance. Vitali - maybe, but GF fave.

Tyson - probably loses, but has a punchers chance.

Liston - had a wicked jab, but was mentally a bit weak ala Tyson. It's Foreman by late KO/TKO for me.

Bowe - genuine chance. Quicker, good inside game, good chin. Nice jab too.

[BKM-]

History has forgotten about the Jimmy Young fight I guess. He outboxed Foreman and further exposed his many technical flaws.

It's too bad he retired when he did because I think Larry Holmes would have boxed him silly and we wouldn't be having debates like this.

It's also too bad he never fought Quarry either because that was another problematic style matchup for him.

It just seems like people like to think the younger Foreman could just literally blow his way through anybody except Ali despite the, again, Young fight and the fact that Boxing is so much more than that.

Edit- forgot you said past and present.
In that case the list grows longer. Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Young, Larry Holmes, Jerry Quarry, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston. I also refuse to believe Foreman was so invincible in a punch-out due to the Ron Lyle fight, so whose to say some of the punchers of the past would have had a good shot at beating him.

[Capaedia]

I'd give Liston, Louis and Holmes a good shot.

Liston by out-slugging Foreman due to his better technique and defense. I'd see the ending being around round 3-5. Of course he could try to keep Foreman outside with his longer reach and superior technical skills, but I don't see it holding up long enough to make it to UD.

Louis by keeping the fight where he wants it and weakening Foreman (dropped a few times along the way) and then catching him with one of his picture perfect right hands and hurting him. I think Joe Louis is the best finisher I've ever seen, George couldn't afford to be hurt.

Holmes by moving and moving and moving, keeping George off balance and giving him angles. Not allowing Foreman to impose his superior strength and power with movement. I think his best shot is at a UD, but I wouldn't rule out a late stoppage by exhaustion and not power, a la Rumble in the Jungle.

But I still think chances are all three of them are overpowered and clubbed into unconsciousness.

Liston - had a wicked jab, but was mentally a bit weak ala Tyson. It's Foreman by late KO/TKO for me.

This is the Liston who had his jaw broke and kept fighting for 11 rounds.

Right?

History has forgotten about the Jimmy Young fight I guess. He outboxed Foreman and further exposed his many technical flaws.

It's too bad he retired when he did because I think Larry Holmes would have boxed him silly and we wouldn't be having debates like this.

It's also too bad he never fought Quarry either because that was another problematic style matchup for him.

It just seems like people like to think the younger Foreman could just literally blow his way through anybody except Ali despite the, again, Young fight and the fact that Boxing is so much more than that.

Edit- forgot you said past and present.
In that case the list grows longer. Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Young, Larry Holmes, Jerry Quarry, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston. I also refuse to believe Foreman was so invincible in a punch-out due to the Ron Lyle fight, so whose to say some of the punchers of the past would have had a good shot at beating him.

In much the same way Douglas fought a physical prime but not mental prime Tyson, Young and Lyle fought a physical prime but not mental prime Foreman.

Afro aside, he looks nothing like the fighter that demolished Norton. That was when I think he looked his best, and I would bet on him knocking both men out early if they had fought that Foreman.

He liked to brawl alot, so if he got sucked into a slug-fest with an iron jaw and hard hitting opponent like Ike Ibeabuchi (pre-jail), or David Tua; he'd be in trouble.

There are men that would beat Foreman. They are not the ones who decide to trade with him.

Tua would be overpowered and probably stopped on his feet. He does not have the range to return fire at Foreman. I'd say it would look like Foreman-Frazier but Tua is stronger and has a spectacular chin.

Ibeabuchi would be able to make it look competitive but his chin would be his downfall. Foreman hits a lot harder than him and has a great chin himself. George KO early-mid rounds.

[Scott9945]

History has forgotten about the Jimmy Young fight I guess. He outboxed Foreman and further exposed his many technical flaws.

It's too bad he retired when he did because I think Larry Holmes would have boxed him silly and we wouldn't be having debates like this.

It's also too bad he never fought Quarry either because that was another problematic style matchup for him.

It just seems like people like to think the younger Foreman could just literally blow his way through anybody except Ali despite the, again, Young fight and the fact that Boxing is so much more than that.

Edit- forgot you said past and present.
In that case the list grows longer. Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Young, Larry Holmes, Jerry Quarry, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston. I also refuse to believe Foreman was so invincible in a punch-out due to the Ron Lyle fight, so whose to say some of the punchers of the past would have had a good shot at beating him.

There is a common misconception that Young outboxed Foreman when it was more of a case of George getting gassed out in the second half of the fight. Before then Foreman was dominating and almost stopped Young.