Rope-a-dope

[zelley]

Ali didn't invent the "rope-a-dope" strategy. Other boxers such as Archie Moore
used the technique. Ali also used the strategy against George Chuvalo in 1972.

[Caesar]

rope-a-dope is not thought against fighters like frazier with excellent stamina, more for fighters like foreman, the energy from the puncher will be forwarded from ali to the ropes where it will be discharged

[right_hand_lead]

It is funny how some people assume Ali was getting destroyed until the knockout.

I find it hard to give Foreman a round in the whole fight. It was a thing of beauty. Ali simply outboxed him that night.

It's even funnier when people say Foreman would have beat Ali in a rematch...how? is Foreman going to figure out how to outbox Ali overnight? Is he somehow going to hurt Ali? Please. Give the man his dues.

[MikeT86]

Give Foreman his dues Ali went to the ropes the first time out of desperation to stay alive. Ali was hitting Foreman back but he did the rope a dope because he had to. Ali probably had to force himself through a concussion when he went to the ropes but he knew how to fight off of them.

[right_hand_lead]

Give Foreman his dues Ali went to the ropes the first time out of desperation to stay alive. Ali was hitting Foreman back but he did the rope a dope because he had to. Ali probably had to force himself through a concussion when he went to the ropes but he knew how to fight off of them.

I'm not taking anything away from Foreman at all.

At what point was Ali desperate to stay alive? He barely got hit with flush shots and was hitting foreman at will throughout the fight. I doubt Ali was in jeopardy of a "concussion" considering he rarely was hit to the head in that match.

[MikeT86]

The first hit that put Ali to the ropes he looked like he was almost out on his feet, but he went into his shell and defended and counter punched. Ali's talked about pushing himself through concussions during his career that is probably one of the times.
Foreman's main mistake was falling for it.