Foreman vs Stewart: Was it as bad as it looked?

BoxingPromoter

I sometimes post threads on this forum, asking my fellow boxing fans about fights which I have for some reason not seen but have heard and read alot about.

This fight inparticular caught my attention years ago when it happened and I have recently done some research on it. Looking at some pictures from the fight, George Foreman looked like he got badly beat up in this fight sustaining massive swelling and a broken nose but coming out the victor. He knocked Stewart down several times but was unable to finish the job. My questions to you guys are; was the fight as exciting as the pictures suggest? And if Alex Stewart was able to inflict that much damage on Foreman how come he didn't win the fight or knock big George off his feet? Lastly, does this fight solidify George Foreman's toughness and seemingly iron chin he exhibited most of his career?

BoxingPromoter

C'mon, aren't there any George Foreman fans on this forum?

Foreman

Foreman had Stewart in all sorts of trouble, but let up on him. He even looked to the ref to stop it because Stewart was in that much trouble. That is the one flaw in the "new" George, his compassion and not wanting to seriously hurt an opponent. As a result Stewart got of the hook. For some reason Foreman's face just blew up like a balloon. Sure Stewart was hitting him, but George had taken worse with out getting disfigured.

If anyone would be able to knock George off his feet, it wouldn't be Alex Stewart. Maybe the only person strong enough to knock out George Foreman is George Foreman.

partee

who are the fighters who knocked Big George down?
I count Ali, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young--anyone else?

Foreman

Yep, only those 3 and two of those,Ali and Young, were stumbling exhaustion type knockdowns.

Tiredoldngrey

In that fight George startyed strong and had Stewart down, I believe, 3 times in the first 2 rounds, may have dropped him in the third as well, or hurt him pretty good. At any rate Stewart kept getting up and George was punching quite a bit and got tired about the time Stewart began to clear his head. He featured movement around the ring and a steady diet of jabs and straight hands. He never really sat down on any punches- George had taught him to stay mobile- so as to hurt or kd george. He didn't win for financial reasons. Should be noted that late in thwe fight, trying to catch Stewart, Foreman landed a couple very hard very deliberate looking low blows.

speedbag · 12:53 AM

I saw that fight in Las Vegas. Still got the T-shirt I bought in the Thomas Mack Center. Tiredoldngrey got it right. Foreman beat the crap out of Stewart in the first 3 or 4 rounds, but caved. Stewart survived and started picking George apart in the later rounds. He also hit him with some pretty hard shots, but George wouldn't fall. By the end, George could barely stand and his face was unrecognizable. But the knockdowns probably carried the cards to George.

the most fun was going to Foremans "training camp" in the Las Vegas Hilton. His open sessions were more of a gab fest, and he took questions from the crowd. Someone asked him "Who gave you the Worst beating you ever took?" and his answer: "The Judge in Divorce Court. I still haven't recovered"

Great sense of humor, great boxer, and IMO, a credit to the sport.

speed bag
http://www.speedbagcentral.com

Mr. Ryan

Foreman's face was absolutely grotesque. He looked like a bleeding elephant. But he was a 40 something year old fighter taking on a prime contendor, knocked him down, almost out, took a fearsome assault and finished the fight as the winner. He earned that win and he showed his toughness and courage in the process.

BoxingPromoter

It's fights like this one, that solidifies George Foreman's legacy as being one of the toughest men to ever box in the sport. You just gotta to love GF for what he has done in boxing and in life. A success story to say the least.

Tiredoldngrey

To me this fight was interesting because it showed just how close beneath the surface the mean george of the 70s was lurking. Same with the Morrison fight, in which George landed a couple deliberate looking low blows, and againsta Canadian boxer (this is prior to fighting Holyfield) that George went after with clear malice on his face. Made me wonder how sincere his "transformation" really was.

BoxingPromoter Celtics Nation Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston Age: 35 Posts: 12,529 Rep Power: 90 Points: 6,882,001.35 Bank: 169,402.79 Total Points: 7,051,404.13 Donate	C'mon, aren't there any George Foreman fans on this forum?

partee Up and Comer Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 30 Rep Power: 0 Points: 13,847.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 13,847.00 Donate	who are the fighters who knocked Big George down? I count Ali, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young--anyone else?

Foreman Contender Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 314 Rep Power: 0 Points: 14,032.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 14,032.00 Donate	Yep, only those 3 and two of those,Ali and Young, were stumbling exhaustion type knockdowns.

Mr. Ryan Soprano Underboss Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New Jersey Age: 26 Posts: 27,152 Blog Entries: 3 Rep Power: 21538 Points: 1,019,950,518.92 Bank: 39,576,309,337.83 Total Points: 40,596,259,856.75 Donate	Foreman's face was absolutely grotesque. He looked like a bleeding elephant. But he was a 40 something year old fighter taking on a prime contendor, knocked him down, almost out, took a fearsome assault and finished the fight as the winner. He earned that win and he showed his toughness and courage in the process.

Tiredoldngrey Amateur Join Date: May 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Age: 48 Posts: 15 Rep Power: 0 Points: 11,885.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 11,885.00 Donate	To me this fight was interesting because it showed just how close beneath the surface the mean george of the 70s was lurking. Same with the Morrison fight, in which George landed a couple deliberate looking low blows, and againsta Canadian boxer (this is prior to fighting Holyfield) that George went after with clear malice on his face. Made me wonder how sincere his "transformation" really was.