Why was there no Ali-Foreman rematch?

[Thunderstruck]

How many champions have suffered KO losses and have then won back the title in a rematch?

IMO my question is actually irrelevant to Foreman, because I believe he wasn't going to be ready for Ali in 18 months. He needed to do more than adjust his style, he needed to redefine himself.

But of course I am using 20-20 hindsight and stating the obvious to us all now.

I don't think he needed ten years! I believe he could have been ready, should have been ready by '77 but it seems he was still self destructing even three years after the loss.

But I do wonder how many have taken back their title in a rematch, after losing it by KO?

My screen name did it, losing to Saddler in four rounds, only to take it back by UD in what may have been the best fight of his storied career.

I can't think of another off the top of my head. I'll bet without looking there has to be a couple of SRR fights that worked out that way.

But I think it must be a tough thing to do.

Holyfield Ali and Patterson .Im sure there are many cases in the lower weights like Tony Zale ect.

[just the facts]

Floyd Patterson did it.

Yes but in fairness Patterson didn't have to beat Ali to do it.

[QueensburyRules]

Having seen Ali's tactics and the Rope-A-Dope once already you would think Big George could have made adjustments. With a few small tweaks he should have been able to give Ali hell in a second fight.

Was he just too mentally broken by the loss?

- -U don't know Ali ducked the rematch?

Why U never say what grade U in now?

[QueensburyRules]

I always thought it was because he lost the Young fight. I suspect there are many other stories floating around about Ali's intent, but in the end Foreman needed to win the Young fight and didn't.

That year, 1977 Ali fought Evangelista in May and Shavers in September. Foreman lost to Young in March.

With a Foreman victory in March there would have been room for a rematch in '77.

Before Ali, Evangelista never fought outside of Spain, so I suspect he wasn't a mandatory, but instead just another European walkover fight for Ali.

Shavers on the other hand had a pretty good 1976-1977, (having lost to Ron Lyle back in 1975), but there were no wins over any big names.

Ali could have passed on either Evangelists or Shavers in '77 and made room for Foreman; no one would have complained.

- -Disappointed Pep.

Herbert and Ferdie wouldn't let Ali rematch because of the damage George did. Look how feeble he was against clubfighter Wepner who George KOed as a novice.

Ali admits to big offers in playboy, and he and Cosell did a tag team on George when he fought 5 boxers in Canada after he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated demanding a rematch.

George was Ring # 1 and he was fighting on a Puerto Rico undercard needing to beat Young which he did to no credit by Cosell and the judges?

Dum thread, dummer OP.

[GhostofDempsey]

How many champions have suffered KO losses and have then won back the title in a rematch?

Tony Zale vs. Graziano

Physically, Foreman had plenty left in the tank, but mentally he couldn't recover from that loss. Besides, Ali's win was definitive, and I'm not sure there was a demand to see a rematch. Possibly after Foreman's KO of Frazier, but Ali had moved on.

[just the facts]

- -Disappointed Pep.

Herbert and Ferdie wouldn't let Ali rematch because of the damage George did. Look how feeble he was against clubfighter Wepner who George KOed as a novice.

Ali admits to big offers in playboy, and he and Cosell did a tag team on George when he fought 5 boxers in Canada after he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated demanding a rematch.

George was Ring # 1 and he was fighting on a Puerto Rico undercard needing to beat Young which he did to no credit by Cosell and the judges?

Dum thread, dummer OP.

If you take away the Foreman fighting five boxers part, the rest of this post is a combination of speculation, opinion, and outright lies.

[Willie Pep 229]

If you take away the Foreman fighting five boxers part, the rest of this post is a combination of speculation, opinion, and outright lies.

Yea! My Champion.

[Willie Pep 229]

- -Disappointed Pep.

Herbert and Ferdie wouldn't let Ali rematch because of the damage George did. Look how feeble he was against clubfighter Wepner who George KOed as a novice.

Ali admits to big offers in playboy, and he and Cosell did a tag team on George when he fought 5 boxers in Canada after he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated demanding a rematch.

George was Ring # 1 and he was fighting on a Puerto Rico undercard needing to beat Young which he did to no credit by Cosell and the judges?

Dum thread, dummer OP.

At the time I didn't think conspiracy (Cosell) but I do remember that night feeling they were mocking the entire event even before it even had the chance to turn into a farce. Was Cosell the announcer?

I also feel, had Foreman gotten by Young, he ends up destroying the 1977 version of Ali the way we expected him to in Zaire ('74).

They say all great fighters, at the end, have one great fight left in them, so watch out. I believe the 'thrilla in Manila' was that one great fight left in Ali and after that all that was left was the slide down.

Foreman would have stopped a '77 Ali. (TKO)

[QueensburyRules]

Tony Zale vs. Graziano

Physically, Foreman had plenty left in the tank, but mentally he couldn't recover from that loss. Besides, Ali's win was definitive, and I'm not sure there was a demand to see a rematch. Possibly after Foreman's KO of Frazier, but Ali had moved on.

- -Dude, November 1974 playboy interview. U squirreled away in a monastery?

[QueensburyRules]

If you take away the Foreman fighting five boxers part, the rest of this post is a combination of speculation, opinion, and outright lies.

- -Just da facts just got hisself fixed is it?

SI/Canada/Playboy proof enough without including Ferdie and Herbert.