Back when you could watch a championship fight on tv for free.

@bam6684

Ай бұрын

Exactly...I remember watching these fights with my Grandfather when there was no such thing as PPV

@hammer44head

Ай бұрын

haha, yeah after a few days it occured, they would show it on ABC Wide World of Sports. They didnt always show the fights on tv live especially the big ones, you had to wait a few days to see them free on tv.

@thebigguy8336

Ай бұрын

Back when there were championship fights worth watching on free tv.

@andrewanderson3572

Ай бұрын

I remember watching major fights on Wide world of sports on channel 7 all the big name's for free.

@billd7453

Ай бұрын

Spinks and Ali 1977!

If you weren’t alive back then, it’s hard to describe what a beast George was. Absolute puncher

@jaykay6387

11 күн бұрын

He had the same invincible aura that Tyson had, maybe even more until it all unraveled in "The Rumble in the Jungle". What a mistake that was for him to fight down there, Ali laid the greatest trap of all time. Of course, he was the only one that could have pulled off something that audacious, the pounding he withstood from Foreman that night I believe literally took years from his life. Without a doubt the most courageous performance in boxing history.

@sgtlamancha805

11 күн бұрын

@@jaykay6387 my grandfather and I watched that fight and after the second round my grandfather called it. He said Ali was letting Foreman ‘punch himself out.’ Then he was going to knock him out.

@jaykay6387

11 күн бұрын

@@sgtlamancha805 He called that one! Of course, I don't think there was anybody else on the planet who could have taken that pounding for 8 rounds, Ali was absorbing everything Foreman had, most mortals couldn't last more than three rounds with that monster. One of the most dramatic moments in sports history when Foreman started spinning around like a top then dropped to the canvas.

I grew up watching these guys. I always liked Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, George Foreman. The 70s was a great time for the fight game.

@abrahmanharun2154

Ай бұрын

..and Muhammad Ali. Those were Golden Era of Boxing.

@billd7453

Ай бұрын

@@abrahmanharun2154 Yea! It was Awesome!

@Odoacer99

11 күн бұрын

What a great group of heavyweights. They could do it all. We were spoiled.

@williamcavanagh8982

2 күн бұрын

@@abrahmanharun2154 No ...not all people liked Ali he was too much of a fake Muslim and a Muslim of convenience and an extreme narcissist for normal thinking people to accept. He was also a poor example to children and adults as well concerning poor sportsmanship.

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

@@williamcavanagh8982he was also manipulating fights big time by the mid ‘70 to make himself greater than he really was😏

George Foreman vs Ron Lyle is the greatest fight of all time!

@robtatum5277

9 күн бұрын

Yep incredible fight

@rickykenny4257

9 күн бұрын

A classic fight, brawl, slugfest whatever you want to call it! 🥊🥊👍🏿

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

Definitely for entertainment more up and downs than a roller coaster😅

Both Fraizer and Norton were gentlemen when they spoke about each other.

@bb_binx

Ай бұрын

I heard this as well. It made me feel respect for both of them.

@troyb.4101

Ай бұрын

Unlike some of todays fool. Who show no respect to others in their sport. We had some classy people back then.

@noktilux4052

Ай бұрын

@@troyb.4101 You can say that again.

@Kroonsteen1

Ай бұрын

They never fight each other thats why😂😂

@lorenhewitt8279

Ай бұрын

@@Kroonsteen1 they were professional and didn’t need to talk trash.

Big George is lucky he never killed anyone

Ali, Foreman,Norton all are champion in their own rights. Let's salute these men for the spectacles they provided

@grandduke2145

2 ай бұрын

Norton lost every World Championship bout he fought. He did not win it in the ring. They “Gifted” it to him. And there was No tournament.

@User39.

2 ай бұрын

True@@grandduke2145

@highnrising

Ай бұрын

Ali, Frazier, Foreman and Homes were champions. Norton is in that group of very good next-tier heavyweights along with Quarry, Lyle, Shavers, and Young. They pretty much all fought each other, and none of them proved dominant.

@User39.

Ай бұрын

agree@@highnrising

@user-eo3vk3ul7w

Ай бұрын

This was the only era in heavyweight history where the division was stacked with a plethora of world class fighters and the fact that Fraizer and Ali dominated much of this era and a little later, foreman shows just how good they really were, there are only a few other heavyweights that could come close to them and I don't include Tyson who dominated a poor era where the only competition he could of had messed themselves up with drugs, by that I mean witherspoon who should of dominated that time.

Good times,simpler times. Best era ever.

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

just nothing again rocky marciano dixit ali

@Brand73

9 күн бұрын

ok boomer

George Foreman Is definitely the hardest puncher of all time.👍

@Penny_Wolf

Ай бұрын

Foreman said Jerry Coney punched harder

@Winterwood768-yx9kx

Ай бұрын

Apparently Earnie Shavers punched ever harder than Foreman - That is what some guys who fought both men said.

@kenfroehlich4242

Ай бұрын

Sonny Liston was a big hitter as well.

@Winterwood768-yx9kx

Ай бұрын

@@kenfroehlich4242 The top 5 hardest hitting in history are apparently: Wilder, Shavers, Foreman, Tyson & then Liston.

@elasmojones

23 күн бұрын

I've always heard Marciano was a strong puncher, but I wouldn't know how you measure these things.

The beating foreman put on Frazier and Norton was criminal!

@stevejensen3471

Ай бұрын

That's it! He utterly dominated and destroyed two men in a few rounds that Ali could barely handle. Will always think the fight with Ali was fixed! Was not the same Foreman at all!

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

I damn sure Ali team paid of ,drugged and doctered the ring and whatever was necessary to get George out otherwise he would of been champ into the’80’s☝🏼and surely Ali wouldn’t be the greatest😩

Man you gotta have serious heart to get in the ring and stand toe to toe with either one of them.

Love how nicely people spoke back then.

@FlyGuy2000

Ай бұрын

They actually taught kids in school back then, what a concept!

@davidbarnes241

Ай бұрын

I read the comments first, watched the video and then returned to this comment as I was struck by your accuracy. It was a great surprise to hear Ken Norton speak so eloquently.

@a1kid

19 күн бұрын

I remember well how pro athletes and former pro athletes who went into media spoke prior to the 1980's. They virtually all spoke as if they had received a real education. They talked like adults. Compare that to today, when 'professional sports journalists' and 'analysts' get paid millions and can barely put a simple sentence together.

@ebeyslough

16 күн бұрын

What is u be talk’n bout? Ma fa’ers kipping it realz these dayz

@williamcavanagh8982

2 күн бұрын

Not all people ...perhaps you forget what a poor sport and narcissist Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali was. He was a very poor example for the children of latter generations and a prime reason why today you have creatures like Tyson Fury trying to emulate him.

I had a George Foreman grill back in the day.

When you witness Foreman's power in these 3 emphatic wins, it totally compounds just how special and ultimately truly tough Muhammad Ali was.🥊🥊

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

rocky marciano and fury more greatest sorry

@manny4552

9 күн бұрын

Yes well said.. Ali could take shots on his arms stomach and face like no one else could

@manny4552

9 күн бұрын

​@@gusgus-yp6qhMarciano was great ... Fury no

@heldinahtmlhell

6 күн бұрын

@@manny4552 Ask Henry Cooper about that.

@manny4552

6 күн бұрын

@@heldinahtmlhell cooper was one of the few guys who ever knocked Ali down and no one ever knocked Ali unconscious.. but guess what.. after the knockdown Ali gave cooper the beating of his life... And you ask cooper about it.. buy a ouija board first

At this point in his career, Foremans power looked unstoppable. He made both Norton and Frazier look like rag dolls.

Ken Norton's son wound up being one hell of a football player..

@michaellopez2070

Ай бұрын

Holyfield’s too.

Foreman's "right hand"s really viscous, against Norton !! He simply couldn't endure it.

Ken was a true gent and boxing was all the better for having had him in its ranks

Who remembers "the wide world of sports" the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!!

Norton/Holmes was surely one of the greatest fights of that era and of all time.

@JohnDoherty-dl2fz

Ай бұрын

I remember that fight June of 78. I was a big Norton fan but remember Holmes coming on strong in final two glorious rounds. Holmes earned victory. I believe last heavyweight fight championship on regular TV.

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

no marciano and fury destroys all the boxers of theres eras

You have to be a genius like Ali to be able to beat Foreman

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

George got duped in zaire nothing more nothing less😩

No tattoos ! That’s class !

@SJ-ty5rw

Ай бұрын

It's a shame how almost every fighter now is covered in stupid ink . Society has seemed to forget 20 years ago only prison inmates looked like that . Now it's celebrated as some great thing on people . The new generation is crap

Big George was a one off boxer. Total freak of nature. If he had kept his weight under control he could have ruled well into his 50s.

@Clifton-be8hc

Ай бұрын

Big GEORGE LOOKED GR8 AFTER MANY YEARS OF TOILING IN THE RING!

" Black Hercules " was Mike Weaver. Both Norton & Weaver were USMC though.

I was scared just watching BIG GEORGE..

3:55 That finishing one two combo was so quick. It was literally the time it takes to say PA POW! And that straight right hand is a killer.

Come one, you can't call one of them "towering" and then immediately state they were the same size. 🤔

These were fights that'll be life long memories !!! 😮

For those who still attack Howard Cosell. It was him, and only him among sports casters who never abandoned Muhammad Ali. When they did the last tribute to Ali Cosell was close to dying and couldn’t personally attend, but gave a tribute via satellite. Ali cried and a few weeks later Cosell died. It’s true he could be irritating, and annoying, but he was a better man than many sports figures much more popular than himself. Ali never forgot Cosell helping him during his layoff for not joining the military. It’s why Cosell had almost exclusive access to Ali when he wouldn’t talk to many. They were friends till the end and if you watch the 60 minutes interview with Ali’s wife after he died she stated that the most devastated she ever saw Ali was Cosell’s death. So fire away at him he can’t hear you now, but give me a choice between knowledge of sport, or a man who never abandons a friend and I’ll take the latter every time. R.I.P Howard.

@nyobunknown6983

12 күн бұрын

What you are saying might be true, but his knowledge of boxing was lacking which resulted in him not being a good blow by blow announcer. I prefer my boxing announcers to be knowledgeable about the sport.

@chriswilliams5982

11 күн бұрын

@@nyobunknown6983 I won’t argue that. Yeah he use to annoy the hell out of me on Monday night football, but as far as integrity and devotion to people he called friends even in the face of ridicule. In my opinion made him a hell of a lot better man that many of more knowledgeable peers. It wasn’t popular to support Ali in those days when parents were literally watching their sons die on national television. Of course that was when real journalism existed. I remember a reporter and camera guy who stayed with us when we got into a bloody firefight. I don’t mean to change the subject but Cosell openly defended Ali when everyone else hid their head in the sand. For that he had and always will have my utmost respect.

George's left jab controlled the bout..a jab that should've been counted as a power shot..lol

At his very best, Forman was as vicious a fighter as there has been.

Black Hercules was Mike Weaver

@billm3706

2 ай бұрын

I’ve been a Ken Norton fan my entire life and never heard him called Black Hercules. SMH

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

nothing again marciano kliscko or fury

Ken Norton was a very powerful man in his own right but George Foreman just outright bullied him. George Foreman's physical strength and punching power was freakish, way beyond that of almost any other man.

@shaharinyusof2538

Ай бұрын

Norton never dream, this would happened !!

@spreadeagle2561

Ай бұрын

@@shaharinyusof2538 Yep, Ken was used to be the stronger man in just about all of his fights.However George Foreman's physical strength was incredible.

@WillyK51

Ай бұрын

Norton, Clay were boxers. I like Jolly Foreman of today. But Him, and many others didn't know how to box. Big, over whelmed others with wheight and size. Guess Butterbean was also a great champion. Just better than the bad others. Don't care much for the heavywheights. No one shines. But the Middle/Welter has had plenty very good BOXERS.

@spreadeagle2561

Ай бұрын

@@WillyK51 Come on man, Big George was no Willie Pep but he knew how to box.Please don't compare that blimp Butterbean to Foreman ( even if you are being ironic ).Butterbean was beaten by Larry Holmes when Holmes was 110 years old ! 😂 !!

@youngmeldrew

Ай бұрын

​@@spreadeagle2561you're right. In the Frazier fight, if you look carefully George used some pretty smart footwork to have Frazier in no man's land, which gave George the room he needed to get his shots off. He also controlled the range effectively as well.

I miss great heavyweight boxing so much...

I don't know anyone who referred to Ken Norton as black Hercules.

@davidanderson3684

Ай бұрын

Because Norton was built like a bodybuilder and no at that time in boxing had physique Like that!

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

nothing again marciano or fury

Big George gave him the Texas Hammer .

This was the best heavyweight during the Foreman, Norton, Ali, Joe Fraser years. Anyone of these men could kill 😮

Heavyweight fights featuring Foreman, Ali, Norton, Frasier and Spinks were show on Australian TV in the 1970s. Awesome bouts

I honestly feel that George Foreman could be in the talks of the best heavyweight ever. He definitely had the best jab, and he fought anybody he had to

@goldwolf0606

Ай бұрын

If there was no Ali, Big George would be the GOAT… no questions… he would have whooped Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Iron Mike, buster Douglas, and every other “champion” and completely dominated from 74-90. Staying in shape fighting all those years, he probably would have beaten Holyfield and Morrison too. Lennox in the late 90’s would have gotten him because age and Lewis started to fight too much like Ali 😂 but in the early 90’s Big George woulda knocked him out easier than those two weak dudes McCall and hassium did 😂😂😂

@dalek3086

12 күн бұрын

Foreman dodged Shavers.....

Ally was such a great fighter

Watch the Ron lyle George Foreman great slug fest the 70s was the stongest era ever for boxing Ali Holmes Norton Frazier Shavers Foreman Lyle Bugner and many more and they fought each other mostly in there 20s at their peak and fought regular no ducking real warriors active champions unlike todays fights where it can take years to just sign a contract and a few more to fight

@dalek3086

12 күн бұрын

Ali ducked a rematch with Foreman

@user-bm2oe8xd6u

10 күн бұрын

The great ALI ducked no one listen lyle shavers hit harder than Foreman . Foreman retired for 10 years he found god they would have fought again had he not ALI found his weakness stamina and dehumanised him

Larry Holmes told me that his hardest fight ever was against Norton for the title in 1978. Norton was as a tough as they come.

Foreman didn’t lose to Briggs he lost to terrible judges who must have been blind

Back in the days when the two boxers stood sharing a microphone respectfully during the pre-match conference referring to them respectfully by name

For me, George Foreman is the greatest heavyweight of his time, a total gentleman. It was lucky for everybody he faces, that there wasn't a nasty thought in Foreman's head, otherwise he could have destroyed and really hurt them all.. Tyson threw away the very rare ability/chance to have been the greatest heavyweight ever, instead he joins the ranks of one of the greats.

But you can see how Foreman swings those big arms like crazy so Ali knew he'll tire quick.

@herbert9241

Ай бұрын

I get your point but maybe 'eventually' is a better choice of word than 'quick.' Most people would struggle to skip a rope for three minutes, let alone box eight rounds on the front foot.

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

Especially if he drugged😩

Foreman was the most awesome puncher I'd ever seen. His biggest weakness is pacing himself. He made the rookie mistake of punching himself out against Ali. How could an experienced boxer allow himself to fall into that trap?

Prime George Foreman would have KO'd Fury.

@rickykenny4257

9 күн бұрын

He would have destroyed Fury within two rounds in his prime. Same as he did to Joe Frazier. 🥊🥊

@eljay3390

2 күн бұрын

Facts

@xavierharding8938

2 күн бұрын

Prime this Prime that, Foreman couldn't even beat Ali.

@eljay3390

2 күн бұрын

@@xavierharding8938 Fury couldn't even beat Usyk.. Who only has 5 fights as a heavyweight

@xavierharding8938

2 күн бұрын

@@eljay3390 Who's Fury ?

legends

Awesome

If Ken Norton was Hercules, George Foreman was Ares.

Look at 3.45 that punching bag Foreman is punching. Its dented

Those big Foreman swings were frightening. Can you imagine taking body shots from that? 😮

After the Frazier and Norton fights I was always afraid Foreman would kill someone in the ring. Pretty sure his opponents felt the same.

The wonder is that Norton lasted as long as he did

@rcnelson

Ай бұрын

The wonder is also that Norton decided to fight toe to toe with Foreman, rather than move and box.

@ahmedabdullah8909

Ай бұрын

@@rcnelson Agree

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

nothing again marciano or fury

George was the best. I was a fan of smokin' Joe but facing big George he wasn't big or heavy enough.

@gusgus-yp6qh

11 күн бұрын

boxers nothing again rocky marciano or fury you are crazy

Twenty years later, Norton had grilled burgers at George's place (made on his patented grill), and George introduced him to all his sons named George

Comeback george foreman would also send fury to the hospital for an entire year

George's right hook was the nail in the coffin and the left that followed put the box in the ground. There was no coming back from that.

Still hard to breathe Ali actually knocked out Foreman. 😮

Frazier made the mistake of standing in front of Foreman and taking his punches. That worked against Ali because he didn't punch as hard and Joe could get within range to land his hooks. Foreman hit like a sledgehammer and the target was right there.

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

Yes Frazier believed the hype and the time he relised he was in too deep

George Foreman is the Best there ever was.

Body builder meets a STRONG Fore man

Forman was a beast

I would have loved to see a young George vs a young Lennox. ❤😮 🔥

"Is that all you got, George?"

@poitor9217

2 күн бұрын

Knowing that George was doped😏

These dudes were so strong but maybe not the best conditioned

Isn’t it interesting how George was more a slugger in the old days

None of the Shannon Briggs spitting in the face and vulgar cursing. These guys are the real men. Today not so good.

I don't know where you came up with this "rented mule " comment Saltine but ALI cleverly broke Foreman down.

Ken Norton always had trouble with aggressive power punchers because he could not back up well. He was quickly KOd by Foreman, Shavers and Cooney.

Ali beating Foreman was such an upset

If Norton is Hercules what does that make Foreman?

@larryjenkinson4789

15 сағат бұрын

A bigger banger

Keep reading comments that Norton had a weak chin. I don't know...he was knocked out by Foreman, Shavers and Cooney...three of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history.

Not gonna lie foreman would’ve become the best hwy boxer of all time if he would’ve not fought for 10 years but at the same time he also probably would’ve been much worse off physically

4:46....Dude said,"...Shee-iiidd.."

Styles make fights

Ali used his brains, Foreman used his physical strength and punched himself weak. If he had better advice from his corner, l believe he would have possibly knocked Ali out.

@drplot1

Ай бұрын

I doubt it. Ali improvised based on what Foreman presented him with. If Foreman approached the fight differently, so would have Ali. Ali used the rope a dope because he knew Foreman was all about overwhelming his opponents with his power that he felt no one could handle. If Foreman hadn't used that, Ali might have danced more, stayed away from him and jab away.

You just don't realize how big Foreman's arms & hands are. He basically has legs coming out of his shoulders.

@kenfroehlich4242

Ай бұрын

Sonny Liston was even bigger. His fist was the size of Foreman's bicep.

Sometimes I talket to George here in Caracas. I really gentleman

Now go make something on your 1998 george foreman grill 😊

Ali is the greatest

@chrisatkins7959

Ай бұрын

In his own mind.

@JAWrightonline

15 күн бұрын

He knocked out Foreman. Now, let me brace myself for your excuses.

@chrisatkins7959

15 күн бұрын

@@JAWrightonline so…if you knock out foreman , you are the greatest?

@JAWrightonline

15 күн бұрын

@chrisatkins7959 No, it just leaves no doubt.

@dalek3086

12 күн бұрын

Ali was losing to Henry Cooper but illegal smelling salts and his glove being cut open saved him. Ali won two fixed fights against Liston. Ali had a points win in his third fight with Norton, a fight which Norton clearly won . Ali ducked a rematch against Foreman.

Smokin Joe said the only fight he lost was to Forman

Norton was a talented power puncher… going up against Foreman with ungodly power

THE ERA WHEN CHAMPS WHERE CHAMPS.

😊 George would throw a quick, little punch that looked like it missed. The next moment, his opponent was unconscious. Super power puncher. Before Iron Mike, there was George.

@herbert9241

Ай бұрын

Absolutely. You see those old films of George chopping down trees with an axe - he's purely training to punch, not to lift or pull.

@nyobunknown6983

12 күн бұрын

Foreman punched way harder than Tyson. Tyson's punches were fast and accurate, so the opponent didn't see them coming. The punch you don't see is the one that knocks you out.

It is astonishing that the narrator mispronounced the name of the most famous athlete on Earth by referring to Ali (Ah-Lee) as “Alley”. Inexcusable.

Norton had no chance because he carried his left hand too low, leaving himself open to the very hard jabs of Foreman. Another problem was that Norton didn't have a strong chin.

I remember that fight. Forman was always a gracious gentleman.

@rickl5596

Ай бұрын

Definitely not, he had a real chip on his shoulder in his earlier career. Wasn't until after the loss to Ali that he changed his ways.

I can’t remember the boxer’s name that George hit with a thudding kidney shot but the highlight I saw had the crowd noise and you could hear the contact over the crowd. Scariest thing I ever seen……I wanted to hit the floor and roll around for the guy! 😉 BIG GEORGE 👍

Lost to Ali but treated two guys who beat Ali like they were children (Frazier and Norton). A rematch with Ali might have gone differently.

Foreman was power. But lacked stamina like Ali. Foreman cant maintain stamina beyond 6 rounds. After that he was ordinary.. Ali studied him well. Thats why Ali defeated him.

The fighters back then were Active not this one or two fights a year for outrageous money of today 🤦‍♂️

00:21 is this the punch that people said "lifted Joe off of his feet"?

E OLHA QUE ESSE NORTON ERA UM PUTA PUGILISTA, MAS O FOREMAN SEMPRE FOI UM EXAFERO DE FORÇA. É ENGRAÇADO QUE ELE IA PRA CIMA, TODAS AS LUTAS DELE, ELE QUE VAI PRA CIMA. APANHANDO OU NÃO, ERA O ESTILO DELE. PRA MIM O FOREMAN NASCEU PRA ISSO E SOMENTE ISSO. PRA LUTAR.

Why do so many channels now have these stupid AI bot voices? It pronounced 'Ali' as "Allie". Cringey. Either speak yourself or hire someone.

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉. Great

Foreman looked about 2 stone heavier

Would Usyk be able to handle Foreman's power?

this is what made Ali the greatest ever, big George was a once in a 100yr special.