George knew he was the villian and like Sonny Liston before him, he embraced his inevitable role. An old man, still called the People’s Champion. An old man who thought too much of himself. While his straighter punches could find a home inside Foreman’s wide swings, it didn’t matter. Not that it mattered to George who walked constantly forward like a steamroller of muscle. He punched through Foreman’s paddy cake defense where he could. Ali knew by round two the only option he had was to weather the storm and pick his spots. The dream of him dancing all night was dead. Foreman Knocked Joe down 6 times in 2 rounds to win his title. Which is to say he smashed into Foreman like a car wrapped around a deep rooted oak tree. George won the title the year before, when Joe Frazier played the role of consummate pressure fighter. Every man he fought ended up stuck on the ropes, at the mercy of Foreman’s spine folding strength. The man George Foreman spent his time sparring, day in and day out, was Sonny Liston.

The third great was left back at the gym. Just tonight his corner contains two of the top 30 boxers ever to live in Archie Moore (in blue) and Sandy Saddler (in red). He’s set up with a triumvarate of boxing royalty to teach him the pro game. In just 2 years George goes from street mugger to Gold medalist. He thought he might have the next great heavyweight. He met a man who took note of his massive size and checkered past.

With little opportunity in Houston, George joined the job corps. Turn down the wrong alley in Houston in the early 60’s, George Foreman might be demanding your wallet or watch. Houston’s 5th ward was notoriously violent and impoverished. Because George Foreman was a physical phenom. In 1968 George Foreman rises out of the abyss to win an Olympic gold medal. The reaper comes for every great eventually. The showy elegance that once marked his style was fading as fast as he used to be. Now, on the wrong side of 30, in a sport where men occasionally die young, Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali, getting old. In his younger days he was cocky enough to call the round he’d knock his opponents out. Soon the 175lber was a solid 210 but still moved like a middleweight. The skinny kid filled out and only seemed to get faster. When Cassius Clay turned pro he made the jump to heavyweight. He takes home the gold medal from the 1960 Olympics at 175lbs. He kept refusing to do what he was told, mostly to pick up his hands and shut his mouth, but he kept winning. He was blessed with speed but was so stubborn he was almost completely untrainable. He took up boxing when somebody stole his bike in middle school. He was born Cassius Clay of Louisville, Kentucky.

Muhammad ali george foreman