Why is Foreman so underrated?

[bklynboy]

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.

Yeah but the Ks aren't the standard of stamina and Foreman, compared to his contemporaries (notably Frazier and Ali), was lacking in that.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Yeah but the Ks aren't the standard of stamina and Foreman, compared to his contemporaries (notably Frazier and Ali), was lacking in that.

I won't dispute that, only to say I think young Foreman's endurance, while never great, is nowhere near as bad as history remembers it.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

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.

Watch Foreman-Frazier I closely. You notice how much Foreman actually misses? A tonne of his shots sail over Frazier's ducking head, or swing wide of the mark --- the point was, anything he landed was so savage, so brutal, so debilitating, Frazier could not survive.

I'm sure Foreman would miss just as much against the smaller, defensively-cagier Marciano. I'm also sure what did land would be enough to get the job done. Marciano may've had a stronger chin than Frazier's, but his heart was no bigger, & the size disparity was even more for him than it had been for Frazier (reach was especially important when Foreman clobbered Frazier, & Marciano had an even bigger disadvantage here).

[bklynboy]

Watch Foreman-Frazier I closely. You notice how much Foreman actually misses? A tonne of his shots sail over Frazier's ducking head, or swing wide of the mark --- the point was, anything he landed was so savage, so brutal, so debilitating, Frazier could not survive.

I'm sure Foreman would miss just as much against the smaller, defensively-cagier Marciano. I'm also sure what did land would be enough to get the job done. Marciano may've had a stronger chin than Frazier's, but his heart was no bigger, & the size disparity was even more for him than it had been for Frazier (reach was especially important when Foreman clobbered Frazier, & Marciano had an even bigger disadvantage here).

You mentioned the two points that give Foreman the big advantage in the early rounds. He will hit Marciano - no doubt about that - and second Marciano will not reach Foreman without taking a lot of punishment in the early rounds.

I give Foreman the advantage - but I think that as the fight goes on the advantage starts moving over to Marciano.

[Heavy Bag]

George Foreman underrated? Is this a joke?