I remember an old HBO broadcast where Foreman talked about how some fighters can be hurt in some parts of the face but can take it elsewhere. For example that the left side of your face can take a right cross but you go down from a left hook that lands to the right side. Or, that you can take it to the chin but not to your temple. Merchant argued that it only depends on what you can see and since a left hook is more difficult to see than a cross, it is more difficult to take, but George claimed there is more to it. Is there any truth to this and can you name examples, or is this one of those leopard trunks theories?
There's truth to it in regard to getting hit high on the head such as temple punches. Sides of the face/jaw though? Unless there's something akin to a pre-existing condition medically I doubt it makes any difference.
I'm pretty sure a fighter having a good chin pretty much comes down to the shape of their head and neck making it harder to "ring the bell". So it makes sense that a fighter could be more vulnerable to a certain kind of trauma that shakes their particular head around in a certain way. Someone might be more likely to get hurt from having their head snapped backward while someone else would be more vulnerable if their head gets knocked back and forth. Someone might absorb shots right on the chin but a shot to the cheek or temple takes them out.
Danny Williams took forehead shots all night vs Vitali but shots right on the point of his jaw destroyed him.
I agree with this along with almost everything else that Foreman has conjured up over the years. His word choice is odd but he has some excellent insights.
Can anybody prove the infamous Foreman theory of pitiful sweat falling differently than regular sweat?
I dunno, you gotta put some weight in the observations of dudes who spent a gazillion hours in boxing gyms
I would agree, but there has been some examples that makes you think ex-boxers are the worst possible analysts. The opposite of course as well...
Daniel Ponce De Leon had never been off his feet as an amateur or pro until the first fight with JM Lopez. The punch that put him down was a very short right hook. When Ponce De Leon was trying to get up you could see his arms and gloves twitching. He was completely short circuited. Amazing that he even made it back to his feet.
George always seemed to understand that the show was the most important thing. As such he always seemed to say the kind of things that would enhance the show, sometimes regardless of how ridiculous or retarded it sounded.
"You think you just gonna punch this guy and then you get in the rang and ya see dese big shoulduhs... It makes you thank."
