Like the Kid pointed out a few posts back; there are a lot of fighters that COULD possibly defeat a prime George Foreman. How ever, if the question is who do I believe would defeat him, I come up with a very short list.
The fighters that COULD defeat a prime George Foreman:
JAMES JACK JEFFRIES:
From what I can gather from reading about this fighter, Jeffries was one tough sob. He is descriped as a powerful and skilled heavyweight of modern size. His chin is said to have been rock solid, his stamina awesome and his physical strenght enormous. This is all tell-tell signs of Jeffries being able to handle Foreman.
Still, I have never seen any footage of him, other than his loss at the hands of Jack Johnson. And eventhough is chin was solid, it was most likely never tested against someone who hit at Foremans level.
I am forced to give Foreman the benefit of the doubt in this one.
George Foreman by ko.
JACK JOHNSON:
A case could also be made for this defensive marvel. Johnson was a slick boxer, who in addition packed a decent punch. He might be able to stay out of Foremans reach to win by decision.
Still, for the most part Johnson looked great against mediocre opponents, and his chin was questionable at best. Plus, one of Johnsons tactics was to grab and hold his foes when they came close. I would like to see him try holding Foreman... A prime Foreman would run straight through Johnson and beat him by early kayo.
George Foreman by ko3
JACK DEMPSEY:
Dempsey would always have a chance, given his raw power, awesome speed and great explosiveness. His chance would be to get Foreman early, and take him out within five rounds. Lyle proved (against a past prime Foreman) that Foreman could be hurt, and Dempsey was in a different league than Lyle all together.
How ever, coming straight at Foreman is never a wise strategy, and his size and power advantages would make him the obvious favorite in this fight.
George Foreman by early stoppage.
GENE TUNNEY:
I used to consider Gene Tunney to be a fighter with the style and skill needed to overcome this mighty challenge. He surely had the defensive tools to make this unpleasant for Big George, he seemed to have a solid chin and a true fighters heart.
Though I still believe the post-Ali version of Foreman would lose this fight, I now think otherwise about the prime version. Tunney would simply be too small to handle the overwhelming force that was a prime Foreman. Today I predict a Foreman-win by early kayo.
George Foreman by ko3.
ROCKY MARCIANO:
As with Dempsey, Marciano always had that punchers chance. Marciano could take a punch and had the necessary stamina to hang on under fire. It is not impossible for him to last through the earlier rounds to come back later on. Granted, Foreman hit hard, but he would find it troublesome to deliver clean shots against the crouching Marciano who always tucked in his chin. Given Marcianos deadly bodyshots, his stamina, his heart and his cast-iron chin, I say it is at least possible for him to win this one. I know Marciano would think so.
On the other hand, Marcianos style is tailormade for a fighter like Foreman. With his vicious uppercuts, Marciano would have a better time swimming with sharks than he would running towards Foreman. We all saw what happened to Joe Frazier ("the black Marciano" as he was labeled), and chances are the same thing would happen in this fight. I love Marciano, but cannot help to think that Foreman would be the favorite.
George Foreman by early tko.
MIKE TYSON:
As with Dempsey, a prime Tyson had the tools to make this interesting. He was very difficult to hit cleanly, and when he was hit, his chin never failed. I think Foreman would have a hard time in this one, at least early on. Tyson would move side to side and hit Foreman with lightening combinations. I wouldn't be surprised to see Foreman on the canvas as a result. I believe he would get up though.
Eventhough Tyson probably would land more shots than Foreman early on, he would take a few in return. And Foremans punches stayed with you for a while. Further, considering Foremans chin, I see him lasting through Tysons early assault. Then it would turn into a slugging match, and nobody could outslug George Foreman.
I see a fading Tyson, who is more and more frustrated, with his fighting spirit failing on him, getting hammered to canvas for keeps inside 5-7 rounds.
George Foreman by ko.
RID**** BOWE:
In his short-spanned prime, Bowe was a great fighter. His abilities on the inside was nothing if not awesome. His size and strenght would also help his chances. Bowe could give Foreman a difficult fight, I am sure.
I still say Foreman comes out the winner though, simply because of him overwhelming power. Bowe could take a punch, but I see Foreman battering him into submission as he did most of his foes. Bowe would manage to last a few rounds though.
George Foreman by ko5.
Fighters like Floyd Patterson (too small and with a glass chin), Evander Holyfield (went 12 rounds against the 42-year-old version) and Lennox Lewis (tiiimmbeer) is not worth considering against a prime George Foreman in my opinion.
The fighters that COULD defeat a prime George Foreman:
JAMES JACK JEFFRIES:
From what I can gather from reading about this fighter, Jeffries was one tough sob. He is descriped as a powerful and skilled heavyweight of modern size. His chin is said to have been rock solid, his stamina awesome and his physical strenght enormous. This is all tell-tell signs of Jeffries being able to handle Foreman.
Still, I have never seen any footage of him, other than his loss at the hands of Jack Johnson. And eventhough is chin was solid, it was most likely never tested against someone who hit at Foremans level.
I am forced to give Foreman the benefit of the doubt in this one.
George Foreman by ko.
JACK JOHNSON:
A case could also be made for this defensive marvel. Johnson was a slick boxer, who in addition packed a decent punch. He might be able to stay out of Foremans reach to win by decision.
Still, for the most part Johnson looked great against mediocre opponents, and his chin was questionable at best. Plus, one of Johnsons tactics was to grab and hold his foes when they came close. I would like to see him try holding Foreman... A prime Foreman would run straight through Johnson and beat him by early kayo.
George Foreman by ko3
JACK DEMPSEY:
Dempsey would always have a chance, given his raw power, awesome speed and great explosiveness. His chance would be to get Foreman early, and take him out within five rounds. Lyle proved (against a past prime Foreman) that Foreman could be hurt, and Dempsey was in a different league than Lyle all together.
How ever, coming straight at Foreman is never a wise strategy, and his size and power advantages would make him the obvious favorite in this fight.
George Foreman by early stoppage.
GENE TUNNEY:
I used to consider Gene Tunney to be a fighter with the style and skill needed to overcome this mighty challenge. He surely had the defensive tools to make this unpleasant for Big George, he seemed to have a solid chin and a true fighters heart.
Though I still believe the post-Ali version of Foreman would lose this fight, I now think otherwise about the prime version. Tunney would simply be too small to handle the overwhelming force that was a prime Foreman. Today I predict a Foreman-win by early kayo.
George Foreman by ko3.
ROCKY MARCIANO:
As with Dempsey, Marciano always had that punchers chance. Marciano could take a punch and had the necessary stamina to hang on under fire. It is not impossible for him to last through the earlier rounds to come back later on. Granted, Foreman hit hard, but he would find it troublesome to deliver clean shots against the crouching Marciano who always tucked in his chin. Given Marcianos deadly bodyshots, his stamina, his heart and his cast-iron chin, I say it is at least possible for him to win this one. I know Marciano would think so.
On the other hand, Marcianos style is tailormade for a fighter like Foreman. With his vicious uppercuts, Marciano would have a better time swimming with sharks than he would running towards Foreman. We all saw what happened to Joe Frazier ("the black Marciano" as he was labeled), and chances are the same thing would happen in this fight. I love Marciano, but cannot help to think that Foreman would be the favorite.
George Foreman by early tko.
MIKE TYSON:
As with Dempsey, a prime Tyson had the tools to make this interesting. He was very difficult to hit cleanly, and when he was hit, his chin never failed. I think Foreman would have a hard time in this one, at least early on. Tyson would move side to side and hit Foreman with lightening combinations. I wouldn't be surprised to see Foreman on the canvas as a result. I believe he would get up though.
Eventhough Tyson probably would land more shots than Foreman early on, he would take a few in return. And Foremans punches stayed with you for a while. Further, considering Foremans chin, I see him lasting through Tysons early assault. Then it would turn into a slugging match, and nobody could outslug George Foreman.
I see a fading Tyson, who is more and more frustrated, with his fighting spirit failing on him, getting hammered to canvas for keeps inside 5-7 rounds.
George Foreman by ko.
RID**** BOWE:
In his short-spanned prime, Bowe was a great fighter. His abilities on the inside was nothing if not awesome. His size and strenght would also help his chances. Bowe could give Foreman a difficult fight, I am sure.
I still say Foreman comes out the winner though, simply because of him overwhelming power. Bowe could take a punch, but I see Foreman battering him into submission as he did most of his foes. Bowe would manage to last a few rounds though.
George Foreman by ko5.
Fighters like Floyd Patterson (too small and with a glass chin), Evander Holyfield (went 12 rounds against the 42-year-old version) and Lennox Lewis (tiiimmbeer) is not worth considering against a prime George Foreman in my opinion.
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