Why Didn't Ali Give George Foreman a Rematch?

[Phenom]

How did the Foreman fight take anything away from Ali? Ali got hit in the stomach but nothing that bad. And he went to war with Frazier after that. foreman took a year long lay off after the Ali fight, then he fights Lyle,who Ali already TKOd, and didnt look that impressive, even though being an action packed fight, then he fights Frazier again after Ali just TKOd Frazier, then retires like a year later after losing to Young.

Foreman literally fought for one year after the Ali fight, then retired. Mentally Foreman was just not there anymore.

Yeah I read Foreman went through serious depression after the loss , the whole world were against him and for Ali specially the people in Zaire

[lopetego]

Same reason JMM-Pacquiao 5 didn't happen

Because Ali didn't think he could win a rematch

or because even if he did, it would be very hard to top his original W, one of the most iconic of all time

[Damn Wicked]

I don't think the fight was pointless. The fight against Foreman took a lot out of Ali too and he had also started to slip. Regarding Foreman It was a slugfest against Lyle, they went toe to toe and Foreman knocked him out. He also knocked out Joe Frazier for the second time. I think a rematch should've happened.

I agree. Foreman fought really stupid in that fight and he admitted that his strategy was really foolish. There should have been a rematch. Both Frazier and Norton had 3 fights each with Ali. Foreman was a younger, bigger and more dangerous champion than both those guys. Big George actually became a much smarter fighter when he revived his career in the late 80's.

[Damn Wicked]

Same reason JMM-Pacquiao 5 didn't happen

Because Ali didn't think he could win a rematch

or because even if he did, it would be very hard to top his original W, one of the most iconic of all time

Yeah, and the same reason Lennox didn't rematch Vitali.

[muslimer12]

I agree. Foreman fought really stupid in that fight and he admitted that his strategy was really foolish. There should have been a rematch. Both Frazier and Norton had 3 fights each with Ali. Foreman was a younger, bigger and more dangerous champion than both those guys. Big George actually became a much smarter fighter when he revived his career in the late 80's.

But Foreman retired so quick. He lost to Ali, then took a one year break, fought for one more year, then retired. He was mentally unstable at that time. When Ali lost to Frazier, they didnt rematch until 3 years later. It wasnt like Ali was not open to the idea to fight foreman again, he even said he wanted Foreman and Frazier again in one night. foreman lost in 1974 to Ali, didnt fight after that till 1976, then retired at the start of 1977 when he lost to Jimmy Young.

[MrRolltide91]

I always wonder this too

[VatoMulatto]

How did the Foreman fight take anything away from Ali? Ali got hit in the stomach but nothing that bad. And he went to war with Frazier after that. foreman took a year long lay off after the Ali fight, then he fights Lyle,who Ali already TKOd, and didnt look that impressive, even though being an action packed fight, then he fights Frazier again after Ali just TKOd Frazier, then retires like a year later after losing to Young.

Foreman literally fought for one year after the Ali fight, then retired. Mentally Foreman was just not there anymore.

Foreman didn't look impressive against Lyle didn't really mean anything. Just like Ali didn't look impressive against Wepner in his first fight after the Rumble in the jungle, Wepner even dropped him. Foreman was still a beast and knocked Lyle out in five rounds and then KO'd Frazier again and KO'd three more fighters inside five rounds. Unfortunately he lost to Young and retired but that was the fight that I'm sure the general public wanted to see again.

I wonder if Foreman was pushing for a rematch after his lay off and how Ali thought about fighting Foreman again. Too bad the fight never happened because It would've been very interesting to see how the rematch would've played out.

[muslimer12]

Foreman didn't look impressive against Lyle didn't really mean anything. Just like Ali didn't look impressive against Wepner in his first fight after the Rumble in the jungle, Wepner even dropped him. Foreman was still a beast and knocked Lyle out in five rounds and then KO'd Frazier again and KO'd three more fighters inside five rounds. Unfortunately he lost to Young and retired but that was the fight that I'm sure the general public wanted to see again.

I wonder if Forejman was pushing for a rematch after his lay off and how Ali thought about fighting Foreman again. Too bad the fight never happened because It would've been very interesting to see how the rematch would've played out.

Lmao you saying Ali was knocked down by wepner means you havent seen the fight. Who said Ali didnt look impressive against Wepner? He beat him up, it just didnt mean much since it was Wepner. But it inspired Rocky so its cool. Foreman barely got passed Lyle, then KOs frazier someone he already KOd worse before, and Frazier after the thrilla in Manila was a shell of himself. Then KOs a bunch of bums, and loses to Jimmy Young. He had a bad career after the Ali fight cuz his confidence was completely gone. Just watch his biography. Rematch would of been worse for Foreman. And Foreman was only active for 1 year after! Ali actually fights all the top guys in the division, Foreman should of got it together and kept fighting. Ali waited 3 years to rematch Frazier, and fought all the top guys not named Frazier in the mean time. Ali had no problem fighting Foreman, but when foreman has a year lay off, the a year of unimpressive wins, loses to young, then retire after, its not easy lol Just read the history

[firstborn]

Lmao you saying Ali was knocked down by wepner means you havent seen the fight. Who said Ali didnt look impressive against Wepner? He beat him up, it just didnt mean much since it was Wepner. But it inspired Rocky so its cool. Foreman barely got passed Lyle, then KOs frazier someone he already KOd worse before, and Frazier after the thrilla in Manila was a shell of himself. Then KOs a bunch of bums, and loses to Jimmy Young. He had a bad career after the Ali fight cuz his confidence was completely gone. Just watch his biography. Rematch would of been worse for Foreman. And Foreman was only active for 1 year after! Ali actually fights all the top guys in the division, Foreman should of got it together and kept fighting. Ali waited 3 years to rematch Frazier, and fought all the top guys not named Frazier in the mean time. Ali had no problem fighting Foreman, but when foreman has a year lay off, the a year of unimpressive wins, loses to young, then retire after, its not easy lol Just read the history

I grew up watching those movies. Might sound silly but those movies were the gateway to my passion for boxing!

[Larry the boss]

He knocked Foreman out and the fight wasnt even close...why rematch?