Why was the Ali-Foreman fight stopped?

[CHOWWOKKA]

What's impressive is Ali's timing, he waited until the last 20 seconds as if he knew Foreman was going down.

[damuttz112]

I remember in an interview they suggested that he looked to his corner and they gave him an indication not to continue. Foreman walked to his corner and the rest is history. Even though Ali was past prime that last 1-2 was lightning quick. Incredible handspeed.

[ADP02]

That was the announcer that you were hearing not the ref.

Foreman went down at the 11 second mark (maybe 10.5) and got up when the round was over .... nothing shady from what I saw in that clip.

Either way Foreman was toast. He wanted no part of that fight once he went down.

[CHOWWOKKA]

That was the announcer that you were hearing not the ref.

Foreman went down at the 11 second mark (maybe 10.5) and got up when the round was over .... nothing shady from what I saw in that clip.

Either way Foreman was toast. He wanted no part of that fight once he went down.

Are you using the fight clock to indicate a 10 count?

[Rossman]

The ref could have let him continue but I think Foreman was spent.

[Black-ops]

Foreman was beaten .he didn't complain to the ref so he must have known himself he was beat

[Daddy T]

ref would have been within his rights to let it continue but either way Foreman did seem finished by that point and would likely have gone down in the next ...

HOWEVER you'd think that if the knockdown 'knocked' some sense into him he might have had the sense to take a breather in the next round he might have gotten a bit of a second wind and lasted a few more before being stopped in the 10th or 11th or something. I'm not sure if Ali had enough left to lay a continued beat down on him, it was more like cover up let foreman tire himself out and then throw a couple, if george survived the 8th and then stopped throwing (other than the odd jab) it would have been interesting anyway. (unlikely scenario btw just throwing it out there)

[Ray Corso]

Ali set up young George then closed the show when he saw George falling over himself when he punched!! Ali is never talked about as a great closer but thats exactly what he was!! When he got someone in trouble he is one of the best closers in any division!
Beating a 24yr old Big George Foreman was considered an incredible win for Ali considering Georges dismissle of all his opponents to date!!

.......Ali Ali Ali Ali..........................THE Greatest of ALL TIME!!!!

Ray.

[SBleeder]

Because the referee is in a better position than we are to determine if a fighter is fit to continue. Just because a fighter isn't staggering doesn't mean he's ready to keep fighting. This happens in hundreds of fights. There was obviously something about Foreman that said "I'm done".

Nothing controversial about this. Foreman got KO'd, end of story. Similar to what happened to Taylor against Chavez: Taylor was done and the official exercised his discretion.

[Anthony342]

Yeah both good stoppages. Taylor only should've been allowed to continue if he would've responded. Since he didn't, Steele really had no choice. Too bad as Meldrick was so close, I always felt bad for him after that when I would hear about him, especially after seeing what became of him on Legendary Nights. I guess he never really had that career defining win?

This one was obvious. Actually though, I always thought this was a TKO win for Ali, not a KO, so the ref actually counted to 10 before Foreman got up? Either way, Foreman was done. He might have been able to continue, but it didn't seem like he wanted to, Ali not only beat Foreman physically, but mentally, as has been said countless times before. But this is technically a KO right, not a TKO, Ali/Foreman?