George only ever threw arm punches anyway.
Imagine if he put his hips and bodyweight into them ?, scary thought.
Not quite true. He didn't have picture perfect boxing technique but he still put his weight into a lot of shots, otherwise he wouldn't have got so off balance when he missed. Regardless, when tied up tightly in a clinch with a big man, it's extremely difficult to land with any power whatsoever. Not only is your body prevented from moving in its normal manner when throwing a shot, but your vision is obscured as well. If Wlad clinches up Foreman I doubt Foreman could get off with any significant shots.
it wasn't hard to see his punches coming, but george brought some crazy aggression those first few rounds.
it'd be far from the first time i've been wrong, but my gut just tells me foreman's power would carry it
True, though Wlad is often at his best in the early rounds as well. I think George's aggression would be his downfall here. He wasted a lot of energy bombing Ali in the clinch, and Wlad's clinch wouldn't allow him to get off with any real effectiveness at all. Although it's by no means a perfect example, I look at the first four rounds of Wlad Peter to gauge how a possible fight with the two might go. Of course, Foreman is a much better fighter than Peter, but then Wlad is a much better fighter from five years ago too. It's very possible he bombs Wlad out early, but he really can't be the reckless aggressive bull that he was against Ali (not that that was a typical performance by George; Ali got in his head). Of all possible scenarios, I see the most likely one being George stalking patiently after Wlad, getting strafed with jabs and the odd right, coming back with a wild swing or two and then getting tied up by Wlad's clinch where he tries to bully and punch his way out before realising he's wasting too much energy and either tries to go back to boxing or goes wild and attempts to KO Wlad around about the third or fourth. After that, it's a tossup I think.
George's height would reduce the effect of the lean somewhat, but he'd still be reduced to throwing arm punches, the way Lennox did to Vitali. Could get the job done of course but might tire him out and leave him open for the Wlad one two.
George only ever threw arm punches anyway.
Imagine if he put his hips and bodyweight into them ?, scary thought.
He has the power and the range to do it for sure, but not the speed I think. George telegraphed a lot of his power shots and if the fight stays in the centre of the ring then I can't see him landing with much success on Wlad. The ropes is another matter.
it wasn't hard to see his punches coming, but george brought some crazy aggression those first few rounds.
it'd be far from the first time i've been wrong, but my gut just tells me foreman's power would carry it
i agree wlad's chin isn't that bad, but foreman had the power and range to do it imo. wlad wouldn't stay down and probably forces the ref to step in
wlad has the power to put foreman down, but he'd have a hard time getting his punches off early dealing with the pressure. if he makes it past the 4th, i think wlad's home safe.
He has the power and the range to do it for sure, but not the speed I think. George telegraphed a lot of his power shots and if the fight stays in the centre of the ring then I can't see him landing with much success on Wlad. The ropes is another matter.
Lots of big punchers have put Wlad on his ass, the thing is he's nearly always got up from the knockdowns. Even in defeats he's never been knocked unconscious. I wouldn't be surprised to see Foreman get a kockdown or two. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see Wlad get up from said knockdowns and continue the fight. I know it's almost blasphemy to say that Wlad doesn't have a glass jaw, but in my opinion, it's true.
i agree wlad's chin isn't that bad, but foreman had the power and range to do it imo. wlad wouldn't stay down and probably forces the ref to step in
wlad has the power to put foreman down, but he'd have a hard time getting his punches off early dealing with the pressure. if he makes it past the 4th, i think wlad's home safe.
wlad could easily outbox george, the problem is george could just as easily put wlad on his ass.
Lots of big punchers have put Wlad on his ass, the thing is he's nearly always got up from the knockdowns. Even in defeats he's never been knocked unconscious. I wouldn't be surprised to see Foreman get a kockdown or two. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see Wlad get up from said knockdowns and continue the fight. I know it's almost blasphemy to say that Wlad doesn't have a glass jaw, but in my opinion, it's true.
George doesn't outbox Wlad the best he can hope for is a pressured KO. As soon as he got close Wlad would grapple him.
Obviously George wouldn't outbox Wlad, but he could certainly remain competitive with his excellent and underrated jab which, whilst it may lack a little in speed, was always thrown his great force and timing. Mercer's few moments of success came with his jab, and he was marking Wlad up around the eyes with it. Foreman could certainly do the same. And if he could get Wlad to the ropes then he could really cause some damage. His worst option, I think, would be to try to go and bomb Wlad out early. That may have worked in the past with the fast southpaw Sanders, but Wlad's defence and evasion skills have become extremely good, as has his counter punching ability. George would probably absorb some terrible punishment in the first four rounds, more than he'd ship out, and if he gassed then it's night night for him. No I think George's best bet is controlled aggression and rough house tactics, combined with sustained body work and never letting Wlad get in his comfortable groove.
wlad could easily outbox george, the problem is george could just as easily put wlad on his ass.
there's lots of great punchers i think wlad would beat. sonny liston. marciano. baer. big george just isn't one of them.
I think Wlad would prevail here. Foreman has no stamina and was quiet slow all told. Wlad is bigger, faster, more technical with better stamina + uses range far better too.
George doesn't outbox Wlad the best he can hope for is a pressured KO. As soon as he got close Wlad would grapple him.
Lets look at this another way: if Wlad had Ali on the ropes like Foreman did Ali would not be alive today. I'm not saying Ali couldn't outbox Wlad but if Ali rope a doped against him it would be a different result.
People keep talking about, "if George can just work past the jab and get on the inside..." Sorry, but the current version of Wlad is almost impossible to do anything against on the inside. He's developed the clinch and lean to a tee. It's ugly as hell and makes for a boring fight, but it also makes Wlad damn near impossible to beat. Saying that, Foreman was an extremely physically powerful fighter, who was often able to bully and push off his opponents with ease. Would he be able to do that to Wlad, who from most accounts is also a very physically strong fighter and enormous to boot? Foreman's best bet, in my opinion, would be strangely enough to try to box Wlad on the outside, use his underrated jab to get Wlad's attention, get him moving on the backfoot, trap him against the ropes and then maul him up with everything he can throw. He should also try to go to the body at every opportunity, break Wlad down with clubbing shots a la Ali in Zaire. Though this is easier said than done given the way Wlad leans on you in clinches with his vice like grip. George's height would reduce the effect of the lean somewhat, but he'd still be reduced to throwing arm punches, the way Lennox did to Vitali. Could get the job done of course but might tire him out and leave him open for the Wlad one two.
Really competitive fight, and way more interesting to discuss than many (including, I think, the threadstarter) believed.
Did Manny forget that he trained Hearns ?.
Training Hearns doesn't contradict the statement - Wlad is indeed much more powerful than Hearns, he's a damn HW.
I don't understand the Marciano comparison at all, but you are overrating Wlad's ability to keep George away apparently, and prime George Foreman knocks out Wlad, no doubt in my mind.
He's the Marciano of our time, only better..
wlad aint got the best of chins as we have seen before....im pretty sure a prime george foreman would take advantage of that...
You talking about the china chinned VLAD that was KO'd by sanders and the ther guy I cant remember. Maybe if he can keep him at the end of the jab. I would love to see him taste one of georges big hooks to the body.
Hmm, bait thread or not, this would be a very competitive fight, though I'd ironically give the younger Wlad a better chance to win. The Wlad that annihilated Mercer was about as good as I've ever seen, incredible handspeed, footwork, fluid combinations that came behind a steamhammer jab and a real cold-blooded desire to lay a beating on his opponent. Seriously, watch that fight and tell me you're not impressed. Of course, Foreman would be a very different prospect for Wlad, who's never faced someone like Foreman. But then he same can be said of Foreman himself. How will he deal with someone taller than him, heavier than him, quicker than him, a better boxer than him, and a murderous puncher to boot?
16y ago
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