TRP: George Foreman, November 5, 1994
Some will declare that Muhammad Ali was the greatest fighter of all time. If a person is sucked in by the hype promoted by Ali and Howard Cosell, that would be easy to do. Ali no doubt dominated the golden age of boxing.
There was another boxer though, a puncher, who had a reputation for putting his opponent down within three rounds. That boxer was Big George Foreman. In his career, Foreman eclipsed Ali, fighting 81 bouts, winning 69 by knock-out. Like Ali, he suffered only five losses. Because of the way Foreman dominated the ring, many did not believe he had the legs to stand twelve rounds. After Ali regained his title in 1974 by defeating George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire by exploiting this percieved weakness, Foreman had a hard time shaking the image of a fighter who could not go the distance.
In 1987, after 10 years away from the ring, Foreman surprised the boxing world by announcing a comeback at the age of 38. His intent was to remove the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts from Mike Tyson's waist. He never got the chance. Tyson lost to Buster Douglas first. Then Evander Holyfield won the undisputed heavyweight champion title. In 1991, Foreman was given the opportunity to fight Holyfield. To the amazement of critics, Foreman went the entire 12 rounds but lost the fight on points.
Finally, on November 5, 1994, George Foreman met heavyweight champion Michael Moorer in the ring in Las Vegas. Foreman wasn't given a chance by the bookies. He wore the same red trunks which he had worn against Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle twenty years earlier. It was an exhibition fight, but the title was at stake. Moorer wasn't concerned. He stood toe to toe and outboxed Foreman for nine rounds. Then in the tenth round, Foreman began herding Moorer with hooks. He nailed Moorer with a combination of long jabs. Next, Foreman closed in and threw a short jab that caught Moorer on the chin, busting open his lip and dropping him to the canvas.
With that blow, at the age of 45 years old, Foreman regained the undisputed heavyweight title that he had lost to Muhammad Ali. He became the oldest fighter ever to win the world heavyweight crown. Twenty years after losing his title for the first time, he broke the record for the longest interval between his first and second world championships. The age spread of 19 years between the champion and challenger was the broadest of any heavweight boxing championship fight in history.
Today, Foreman is an ordained minister, an author and a successful entrepreneur. He is ranked #9 on Ring magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". ESPN ranked Foreman as the eighth greatest All-Time Heavyweight. George Foreman was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. To many, he will forever remain the Champ. He proved that determination and stamina comes in many forms.
The Rogue Players: Today In History
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 1/3
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 2/3
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 3/3
Strobist: AlienBee 800 with HOBD-W camera left. Reflector camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.
TRP: George Foreman, November 5, 1994
Some will declare that Muhammad Ali was the greatest fighter of all time. If a person is sucked in by the hype promoted by Ali and Howard Cosell, that would be easy to do. Ali no doubt dominated the golden age of boxing.
There was another boxer though, a puncher, who had a reputation for putting his opponent down within three rounds. That boxer was Big George Foreman. In his career, Foreman eclipsed Ali, fighting 81 bouts, winning 69 by knock-out. Like Ali, he suffered only five losses. Because of the way Foreman dominated the ring, many did not believe he had the legs to stand twelve rounds. After Ali regained his title in 1974 by defeating George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire by exploiting this percieved weakness, Foreman had a hard time shaking the image of a fighter who could not go the distance.
In 1987, after 10 years away from the ring, Foreman surprised the boxing world by announcing a comeback at the age of 38. His intent was to remove the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts from Mike Tyson's waist. He never got the chance. Tyson lost to Buster Douglas first. Then Evander Holyfield won the undisputed heavyweight champion title. In 1991, Foreman was given the opportunity to fight Holyfield. To the amazement of critics, Foreman went the entire 12 rounds but lost the fight on points.
Finally, on November 5, 1994, George Foreman met heavyweight champion Michael Moorer in the ring in Las Vegas. Foreman wasn't given a chance by the bookies. He wore the same red trunks which he had worn against Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle twenty years earlier. It was an exhibition fight, but the title was at stake. Moorer wasn't concerned. He stood toe to toe and outboxed Foreman for nine rounds. Then in the tenth round, Foreman began herding Moorer with hooks. He nailed Moorer with a combination of long jabs. Next, Foreman closed in and threw a short jab that caught Moorer on the chin, busting open his lip and dropping him to the canvas.
With that blow, at the age of 45 years old, Foreman regained the undisputed heavyweight title that he had lost to Muhammad Ali. He became the oldest fighter ever to win the world heavyweight crown. Twenty years after losing his title for the first time, he broke the record for the longest interval between his first and second world championships. The age spread of 19 years between the champion and challenger was the broadest of any heavweight boxing championship fight in history.
Today, Foreman is an ordained minister, an author and a successful entrepreneur. He is ranked #9 on Ring magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". ESPN ranked Foreman as the eighth greatest All-Time Heavyweight. George Foreman was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. To many, he will forever remain the Champ. He proved that determination and stamina comes in many forms.
The Rogue Players: Today In History
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 1/3
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 2/3
Legendary Nights The Tale of Foreman Moorer Part 3/3
Strobist: AlienBee 800 with HOBD-W camera left. Reflector camera right. Triggered by Cybersync.