Connect with us

Boxing

George Foreman: “Tyson Fury has met his opponent”

Published

on

When George Foreman wondered who would win Saturday’s undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, he went back 50 years to the renowned “Rumble in the Jungle” against Muhammad Ali.

“Years ago when I fought Muhammad Ali, I could have won every round, but I had it in my head: ‘I’m going to knock out a guy who’s never been knocked out before,’” Foreman told BoxingScene on Wednesday.

“That’s the problem: trying to knock out someone who’s never been knocked out before. But [Usyk] he has the temperament to win every round and that’s it. Go back to his corner, drink some water and have a quick pep talk. Just win rounds. He’s got it.”

So despite his fondness for Fury, when Foreman was asked who would win the fight in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, he replied, “Tyson Fury has met his opponent.”

That opinion is largely influenced by Foreman’s admiration for the peaceful determination and focus of Usyk (21-0, 14 KO), a former Olympic gold medalist and undisputed cruiserweight champion.

“First of all, I thought it was a solid match and great matchmaking,” Foreman said. “[Usyk] isn’t gigantic, and the greatest heavyweight champions we’ve had all this time have been guys under 6-3 like Joe Louis (6-foot), Joe Frazier (6-foot-2), even Muhammad (Ali, listed at 6-foot-3).

“He lied! He was never 6-3!”

“But for some reason, coordination and plan thinking work well for guys this size.”

Additionally, Foreman, who turned 75 in January, is concerned that the 35-year-old Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was beaten badly in fights and left defenseless after being knocked down twice by Deontay Wilder in 2018, twice more in a trilogy fight in 2021 and again in October by former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

“Yes, please… Fury, he has been knocked down and suffered several brutal attacks to the point that he is now ready to attack,” Foreman said.

Foreman theorizes if Fury stays cautious, Usyk can shine with his boxing.

“All [Usyk] what he has to do is… if he is astute enough to win the first round and then the second. … OK, maybe you can give up the fourth round … but then come back and win another round,” Foreman said.

“He’s getting to the point where he doesn’t worry about anything other than winning on points. He’s a solid fighter. He can take a punch. Fury is in a tough situation. So if the judges are not the best judges that money can buy, [Usyk] should win.”

However, Fury has a reach advantage (85 to 78 inches), a height advantage (6-foot-9 to 6-foot-3), a weight advantage and his own impressive boxing skills that wear Usyk down by leaning on him.

Foreman was asked if he was downplaying all of this.

“It’s great that he has it. All those things you mentioned above are right,” he said. “He has the whole package to do it. But not with this guy.

“[Usyk’s] I was there with gigantic, elevated guys [beating former champion Anthony Joshua twice]and he’s not afraid.

“He is automatically built to be mentally powerful. It’s just a part of him. He has this ability. And this is its main advantage. Outside of that attitude, there’s nothing spectacular he can do to beat Fury.

Fury tried to verbally harass Usyk, repeatedly calling him a “sausage” and worse during a recent press conference.

“Some guys have never had anything but mental toughness. [Usyk’s] one of them. Go higher and score points,” Foreman said.

Foreman was asked if Usyk would become the undisputed heavyweight champion on top of everything he has achieved. Does that make him an all-time great if Foreman knows all his predecessors?

“No, it means a great rematch,” he said, knowing there was an agreement signed and planned to hold the second fight in Saudi Arabia in October. “First of all: rematch.”

But would the rematch be different?

“Sure, because then Fury will know that now he can lose. It’s a completely different fight – how you train, how you get in shape. Seriously. Get back on the road [Fury] fought [long-reigning heavyweight champion Wladimir] Klitschko [in 2015].

“He fought Klitschko until the very end. You have to fight anyway [Usyk].

“It’s an stimulating match. Of course I support Tyson Fury because he is exceptional in boxing. I’m a fan. But I won’t let that drive me here. I would like to see him stay and win a few more fights.”

As Foreman knows, after regaining the heavyweight title by knocking out Michael Moorer nearly 20 years after losing to Ali, nothing says more about the quality of a heavyweight champion than that he can lose the heavyweight title and then come back and win it again.

“Please,” Foreman said.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC

Published

on

Badou Jack Rozicki Mikaelian WBC

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).

If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.

“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”

29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.

Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.

“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”

Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.

The next move is Badou Jack’s.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years

Published

on

Floyd Mayweather 50-0

Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.

This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.

In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.

“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.

“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.

Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.

Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.

Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.

However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.

In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.

It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios

Published

on

Manny Pacquiao vs Barrios

WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.

Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”

WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.

Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.

As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.

However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.

Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.

Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.

Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending