At any point in the 90's Bowe beats George up and wins a very clear UD. Prime for prime.... George by mid round KO.
Foreman would have his moments (his jab is a problem for Bowe, IMO), but I'd have to think he gets the worst of it if Bowe's in fighting shape. Would actually be interesting to see if Bowe could have gotten Foreman out of there, even if only by stoppage. Would he go for it? Maybe not. Peak-for-peak, I just cannot get past Bowe's leaky defense being the difference. Foreman knocks him out in a, "fun-while-it-lasts" kind of bout. Give it about four rounds, I think.
Bowe fucks up Foreman in 1993. Remember how badly Foreman's face looked against Stewart? The fight would be ugly. Prime Foreman should beat prime Bowe. Bowe was more polished (especially on the inside), but Bowe's poor defense just makes it too hard for me to pick him.
I don't know if Bowe's defense was that much worse than Lyle's and Lyle came pretty close of pulling it off. Also Bowe would beat George to the punch more often and hurt him, and it is not like Foreman would collect him as soon as he landed. Prime for prime it is a 50:50 fight
That wasn't a prime Foreman in against Lyle, though. The ring rust was significant, but it was really secondary to his headspace. I don't think the Foreman who took care of Frazier & Norton was in the ring against Lyle, & I think that earlier Foreman does brutalise Bowe --- evn if he has to take a lick or two to do it. I mean, if you were to select post-prime fights to suit an argument, you could point to how a sickly Holyfield almost had Bowe gone with one punch --- or how the drastically-inferior (to Foreman) Golota battered Bowe from pillar-to-post, not once, but twice. Sure, it all happened, but Bowe had seen better days, & likewise for Foreman against Lyle.
Bowe KILLS the 1993 version of Foreman. If the ref doesn't stop it George would be in the grave. Prime for Prime? I think Foreman gets to him in 5 rounds.
:banghlease don't take that road. I don't think the difference between 'prime' Foreman is that great. Foreman was perhaps not at his sharpest in that particular fight, but he did have a solid performance against Frazier in the very next fight. I just think that a big puncher with the ability to trade and match George's strength would have always given him trouble
We'll have to agree to disagree. Foreman took five long rounds to do away with the husk of what was once Frazier, & looked merely good --- never again great --- until losing unexpectedly to Young. IMO, he was never the same fighter after Zaire.
I'm with Ramonza. Foreman was mentally damaged by Zaire. Pre-Ali, at the peak of his powers and confidence, he just has too much firepower for Bowe to handle.
As I said, he could've done better in the match-making department, too, than to have picked back up where he left off starting with someone as formidable (& hungry) as 5-1 underdog, Lyle. Credit to Foreman for not only beating him, but doing so under exceptionally trying circumstances, but it was a needless gamble on his new management's part, & one which almost had a disastrous outcome.
Shit if you cite Foreman's struggles with Lyle, why not bring up Bowe getting his ass kicked twice by Golota? But thats unfair. Cause the Bowe that fought Golota was NOT the same as the Bowe of 92, just as the Foreman that struggled with Lyle is NOT the same as the George who slaughtered Frazier, and Norton.
