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Imagine if george stayed during the larry holmes era, damn it would have been so much better.
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The only reason i wanted foreman to stay is cuz i know larry is better than him. George knows it too.Comment
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i think 2:30 on the 5th part is the funniest **** ive ever seen in a boxing ring ahahaComment
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Very well put KK and one of the best posts I've ever read on boxingscene. You summed up Foreman perfectly.First off, I would like to thank you for posting these links. This is fhe first I've ever seen the Toronto Affair.
Now, as an observer, here are my thoughts. I've read on countless occassions how George fell into a deep depression after the Ali loss and how he, in fact, was never really sure of "who he was" as a man during his first career because he constantly tried to "be" those he admired, or a carbon copy. For example, his first hero was Jim Brown and he tried to be like Jim Brown, played football, grew the mustache, etc.; and was greatly troubled when he met Brown and got the impression that Jim thought George had it "more together" than he did. Another example is the baleful expression and characterisms he picked up from another hero of his, Sonny Liston. Liston was a bad man, if George could "be" Sonny, he'd be a bad man too, never recognizing his own potential and personality as being enough. When Ali destroyed him in Zaire, George crashed because he was no longer the World Heavyweight Champion and Ali had made a mockery of his tough-guy image and in essence, made him look a fool.
Now, in this Toroto ordeal, you can clearly see Foreman trying to "out-Ali Ali", which can't be done....and backfired when the crowd started chaning "Ali, Ali!" Foreman is made a fool again....Ali's fool; and he did it to himself. George, after this, was "the villain", unloved, unapprecaited, and unsure of "who he was" as a man. If this footage doesn't show a man in personal crisis, I don't know what does. And that crisis culminated in Puerto Rico when the San Juan crowd cheered little Jimmy Young on to victory....and I believe this had as much to do with George retiring from boxing, "dying" in the dressing room after the fight, and being reborn as everything. The Ali fight was just the beginning of an elongated dominoe effect as a man searched to find himself.....which he did during his 10 year absence from the ring. And we got to see the real George Foreman after his trial of fire when he returned. Imagine if he'd known himself the first time around.
Okay, that's enough pyschological hullabaloo.
Thanks again SABBATH.
There's only but one Dogg in the house and he answers to K!Comment
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** Holmes is the one with the inferiority complex. Folk love Ali, Frazier, and Foreman, but never accorded Larry the same respect. Foreman don't have to beat his chest and sound off about all the weak sisters he defended his title against. That's Larry's job description!Comment
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Young was a spoiler who would have given Holmes fits if they had fought.
Young defeated Foreman, Lyle twice, was jobbed against Shavers and arguably defeated Ali and Norton. At his best Young was one of the top 5 heavyweights of the 1970's unquestionably. His problem was a conservative counterpunching style that made it possible to score close rounds for his opponents. The Norton fight is a great example.
Larry had problems with counterpunching boxers and a 1977 match-up with Young would have been a nightmare for Holmes.Comment
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To be honest, the "real" george as Dogg put it was one of the most charismatic fighters ever. He was just the guy that was very easy to like.Comment
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