Why is Foreman so underrated?

[bojangles1987]

I think most people properly rate him. Unless you think he should be top 5, then he is overrated.

[Southpaw Stinger]

I guess because he's not a black American.

edit: Oh wait! Silly me, I'm thinking of some Euro bum.

[The_Demon]

Hes not underrated at all,if you really tried hard enough you could make a case for him being overrated,but he deserves all the props he gets because like you said,he was an incredible fighter

[The_Demon]

I feel like the whole "golden age" is overated if anything. Ali basically pushed the exhausted Foreman over. It was sad as hell. Who got that tired in the era's prior? Foreman, Frazier, and Ali are all overated. The casual fan doesn't know, or care about what happened in Africa, or about exactly how Ali became the stand-out in the three way rivalry. All they know, and care about, is that Ali ends up on top, and the other two are great because one beat Ali and the other beat him. George got way too tired to crack the top 5...just too many guys who could, and would, go for much much longer.

Second. ****ing-A Rocco could knock him out. Vingo may have been smaller, and less talented then Foreman, but their skulls have the same density, and Rocky could break said skulls. So Marchegiano has a KO chance against anyone.

Marciano wouldnt be undefeated if he was around during the golden age of heavyweight boxing,thats for sure,so many great fighters around at the time he would pick up some losses.Foreman,Ali and Frazier may be the big 3 that are remembered but what about Lyle,Norton,Quarry,Chuvalo etc-all very good fighters in their own right

[Ivansmamma]

Sometimes i think he should be ranked as the second greatest heavyweight ever if you only think about who beats who. I think on a good night he could beat any heavyweight in history. Only guys apart from Ali that might give him a hard night is Holmes and maybe Lennox and Liston.

[bklynboy]

Foreman was a wide-armed puncher who gassed quickly. Even a young (22yr old) Foreman was completely out of juice, running on fumes, in the 10th round against Peralta.

George had his qualities, a heavy, heavy jab, thunderous hooks, great chin and determination BUT in my opinion he barely makes the TOP 10.

I would have

Johnson
Dempsey
Louis
Ali

as unquestionably above him and

Sam Langford
Harry Wills
Gene Tunney
Rocky Marciano
Sonny Liston
Joe Frazier

as arguably ahead of him.

A case could also be made for

Larry Holmes,
Mike Tyson
Lennox Lewis

[bklynboy]

Marciano wouldnt be undefeated if he was around during the golden age of heavyweight boxing,thats for sure,so many great fighters around at the time he would pick up some losses.Foreman,Ali and Frazier may be the big 3 that are remembered but what about Lyle,Norton,Quarry,Chuvalo etc-all very good fighters in their own right

No, he wouldn't be undefeated but we would have a much better appreciation/understanding of the fighter he was. I would have loved to see him against Frazier and Ali.

There was another thread that discussed him v Foreman. I think that would have been interesting as well. If Marciano bidded his time, fought strategically, brought the fight into the later rounds Foreman would have slowed and Marciano would KTFO. If Marciano came at him in the early rounds as did Frazier I would give a huge advantage to Foreman.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Foreman was a wide-armed puncher who gassed quickly. Even a young (22yr old) Foreman was completely out of juice, running on fumes, in the 10th round against Peralta.

George had his qualities, a heavy, heavy jab, thunderous hooks, great chin and determination BUT in my opinion he barely makes the TOP 10.

I would have

Johnson
Dempsey
Louis
Ali

as unquestionably above him and

Sam Langford
Harry Wills
Gene Tunney
Rocky Marciano
Sonny Liston
Joe Frazier

as arguably ahead of him.

A case could also be made for

Larry Holmes,
Mike Tyson
Lennox Lewis

Foreman fought Peralta at a very quick clip. It was an impressive show of stamina, not a detraction from it. There's not a Heavyweight on the planet today who could've fought Peralta at that rate for ten rounds.

Foreman's endurance, though never great, is hugely over-scrutinised.

[The_Demon]

No, he wouldn't be undefeated but we would have a much better appreciation/understanding of the fighter he was. I would have loved to see him against Frazier and Ali.

There was another thread that discussed him v Foreman. I think that would have been interesting as well. If Marciano bidded his time, fought strategically, brought the fight into the later rounds Foreman would have slowed and Marciano would KTFO. If Marciano came at him in the early rounds as did Frazier I would give a huge advantage to Foreman.

Id heavily favour Foreman too beat marciano down but if rocky managed too survive until the later rounds he might have a chance

[bklynboy]

Id heavily favour Foreman too beat Marciano down but if rocky managed too survive until the later rounds he might have a chance

Foreman would definitely be the heavy favorite. He would manhandle Marciano, wrestle him to the ropes if the ref allows it. BUT if Marciano can make Foreman miss with his jab, make Foreman swing and miss with his clubbing hooks then, if it goes into the later rounds, I can see Marciano coming on strong and KOing Foreman.

Still, if I had to bet on it, I would take Foreman.