Why was there no Ali-Foreman rematch?

[ShoulderRoll]

Having seen Ali's tactics and the Rope-A-Dope once already you would think Big George could have made adjustments. With a few small tweaks he should have been able to give Ali hell in a second fight.

Was he just too mentally broken by the loss?

[Thunderstruck]

Everything I read was that Foreman was destroyed mentally and went into a deep depression gaining up to a hundred pounds.Ali could only wait so long as he was a very active champion at that time and Frazier was in the wings .

[Willie Pep 229]

Having seen Ali's tactics and the Rope-A-Dope once already you would think Big George could have made adjustments. With a few small tweaks he should have been able to give Ali hell in a second fight.

Was he just too mentally broken by the loss?

I always thought it was because he lost the Young fight. I suspect there are many other stories floating around about Ali's intent, but in the end Foreman needed to win the Young fight and didn't.

That year, 1977 Ali fought Evangelista in May and Shavers in September. Foreman lost to Young in March.

With a Foreman victory in March there would have been room for a rematch in '77.

Before Ali, Evangelista never fought outside of Spain, so I suspect he wasn't a mandatory, but instead just another European walkover fight for Ali.

Shavers on the other hand had a pretty good 1976-1977, (having lost to Ron Lyle back in 1975), but there were no wins over any big names.

Ali could have passed on either Evangelists or Shavers in '77 and made room for Foreman; no one would have complained.

[Rusty Tromboni]

Having seen Ali's tactics and the Rope-A-Dope once already you would think Big George could have made adjustments. With a few small tweaks he should have been able to give Ali hell in a second fight.

Was he just too mentally broken by the loss?

According to Gil Clancy, Foreman was damaged goods.

In fact, when George made his comeback, his first call was to Clancy. Based on the disaster that Foroman had proven to be in the 70's, he declined. Clancy said he made a regrettable mistake doing so.

[Ben Bolt]

Having seen Ali's tactics and the Rope-A-Dope once already you would think Big George could have made adjustments. With a few small tweaks he should have been able to give Ali hell in a second fight.

Was he just too mentally broken by the loss?

You know Foreman blaming his corner for not holding him back in the fight.
Had he learned, and being able to change strategy during an immediate re-match? Probably.
One of the great matchups we never witnessed.

[Rusty Tromboni]

I always thought it was because he lost the Young fight. I suspect there are many other stories floating around about Ali's intent, but in the end Foreman needed to win the Young fight and didn't.

That year, 1977 Ali fought Evangelista in May and Shavers in September. Foreman lost to Young in March.

With a Foreman victory in March there would have been room for a rematch in '77.

Before Ali, Evangelista never fought outside of Spain, so I suspect he wasn't a mandatory, but instead just another European walkover fight for Ali.

Shavers on the other hand had a pretty good 1976-1977, (having lost to Ron Lyle back in 1975), but there were no wins over any big names.

Ali could have passed on either Evangelists or Shavers in '77 and made room for Foreman; no one would have complained.

Nice breakdown, as always.

Clancy said Foreman was done after Ali.

Maybe I should post the interview.

It's the same one where he ranks Pep the best ever P4P

[Thunderstruck]

I always thought it was because he lost the Young fight. I suspect there are many other stories floating around about Ali's intent, but in the end Foreman needed to win the Young fight and didn't.

That year, 1977 Ali fought Evangelista in May and Shavers in September. Foreman lost to Young in March.

With a Foreman victory in March there would have been room for a rematch in '77.

Before Ali, Evangelista never fought outside of Spain, so I suspect he wasn't a mandatory, but instead just another European walkover fight for Ali.

Shavers on the other hand had a pretty good 1976-1977, (having lost to Ron Lyle back in 1975), but there were no wins over any big names.

Ali could have passed on either Evangelists or Shavers in '77 and made room for Foreman; no one would have complained.

The time for the rematch when a champion loses is the next fight but Foreman was damaged as the young fight showed.Mentally also as he claimed to have a religious vision in the locker room after the fight.It seems a lot of people put it on Ali that there was no rematch as you put it Ali could have rearranged his schedule.I don’t think anyone thought he was going to lose that fight and Ali was money hungry I have no doubt there would have been a rematch.The fact is Foreman couldn’t get his **** together after the loss and was not the top dog calling the shots anymore.

[chirorickyp]

Nice breakdown, as always.

Clancy said Foreman was done after Ali.

Maybe I should post the interview.

It's the same one where he ranks Pep the best ever P4P

Foreman's great jab that hurt people in his second career came to be because of the work he did with Gil Clancy.

[Willie Pep 229]

The time for the rematch when a champion loses is the next fight but Foreman was damaged as the young fight showed.Mentally also as he claimed to have a religious vision in the locker room after the fight.It seems a lot of people put it on Ali that there was no rematch as you put it Ali could have rearranged his schedule.I don’t think anyone thought he was going to lose that fight and Ali was money hungry I have no doubt there would have been a rematch.The fact is Foreman couldn’t get his **** together after the loss and was not the top dog calling the shots anymore.

How many champions have suffered KO losses and have then won back the title in a rematch?

IMO my question is actually irrelevant to Foreman, because I believe he wasn't going to be ready for Ali in 18 months. He needed to do more than adjust his style, he needed to redefine himself.

But of course I am using 20-20 hindsight and stating the obvious to us all now.

I don't think he needed ten years! I believe he could have been ready, should have been ready by '77 but it seems he was still self destructing even three years after the loss.

But I do wonder how many have taken back their title in a rematch, after losing it by KO?

My screen name did it, losing to Saddler in four rounds, only to take it back by UD in what may have been the best fight of his storied career.

I can't think of another off the top of my head. I'll bet without looking there has to be a couple of SRR fights that worked out that way.

But I think it must be a tough thing to do.

[ShoulderRoll]

But I do wonder how many have taken back their title in a rematch, after losing it by KO?

My screen name did it, losing to Saddler in four rounds, only to take it back by UD in what may have been the best fight of his storied career.

I can't think of another off the top of my head. I'll bet without looking there has to be a couple of SRR fights that worked out that way.

But I think it must be a tough thing to do.

Floyd Patterson did it.