Posted on 10/28/2009 6:16:43 PM PDT by Saije
The reminder that yet another anniversary is here had George Foreman thinking that maybe it's time to visit an old friend.
They once had their differences, once came to blows. Time, though, is a great healer.
"Maybe I should go and see him," Foreman said. "He's like a brother. We're that close."
They weren't 35 years ago, on an early morning in Africa when all Foreman had in mind was dealing some serious hurt to Muhammad Ali. He had been in Zaire way too long as it was, and the big, brooding heavyweight champion was in no mood to take any nonsense from anybody.
That included Ali, whom Foreman saw as little more than his next knockout victim.
"I figured no one could stand up to me," Foreman said during a recent telephone interview from his home in Houston. "I went out there to knock him out."
Ali had other ideas. Ten years had passed since he shocked the world by winning the heavyweight title against Sonny Liston, and he knew a thing or two about beating a bully.
The great trainer Cus D'Amato had given him a piece of advice for the fight: Hit him as hard as you can with the first punch, Cus said, and let him know you're there.
Others had tried it, others had failed. But none was Muhammad Ali.
In Foreman's dressing room before the fight, the mood was as dark as the African night. This wasn't going to last long, and the price Ali would pay would be dreadful.
"There's death in the air," a Foreman camp member kept shouting.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Oh yes.
I don't mind telling ya, he really scared me as a kid. He was a really scary guy. I haven't seen any heavyweight boxer who I thought was as strong, and evoked as much fear as Foreman did at his peak.
“I don't call him [Ali] the best boxer of all time,” Foreman said, “but he's the greatest human being I ever met.”
*I* wouldn't have said that about Muhammad Ali!Lol.*"
Same here.
I'd put it the other way round. Ali is the greatest boxer I have ever seen, but the “greatest human being”? No way. Still, it's nice of Foreman to say so.
” won’t watch this UFC crap. It’s nothing but animals. But I would love to see one of those “bad asses” get in the ring with Big George in his prime. One punch from that huge right hand and it would be over.”
Your right although it would be fun to see that with any one of those mentioned above.Formen, Ali, Frasier, Norton Ron Lyle.
OMG! Is that for real! :’D
Th first Ali versus Frasier fight, the one that Frasier won, will do down as one of the best fights I have ever seen. Like you said, the second and third could have been judged either way. Frasier never thought he lost those 2 fights.
Ahhh..those were the days, when boxing was boxing.
Today, I don't even know who the heavyweight champion is, let alone seen him fight. Sigh.
The problem is current heavyweights just rear back for the knockout. No strategy, no finesse. So it is either a :40 bout, ore a long lumbering match of bear hugs.
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