Evander Holyfield defends the undisputed Heavyweight title against George Foreman. Hosted by Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and Harold Lederman. Recorded via VHS April 1991.
No fighter in boxing history has a bigger heart or more courage than Big George Foreman. A legend both out & in the ring & one of the last true characters of the sport.
This is a fight that nobody was disappointed with. The right guy won, and he did it with guts and skill. Foreman did an admirable job and gave everything he had. You couldn’t ask for more!
A youtube argument in a comments secrion on another video about who would win in Frazier Holy reminded me of this fight so had to come watch it again! Man, I genuinely miss HBO Boxing
I've been following boxing since the 80"s I got to see all these classics I miss the way HBO ,showtime , NBC , CBS, ABC, ESPN, did the figjts with the countdown before the fights and after that how we knew about the boxer's I love boxing like crazy but it will never be the same as back in the day 1970"s, 1980"s, 1990"s in 2000"s everything changed money ,money ,money ,money, it all about money...........
When the best....fought the best....and wanted to test their skills against the best. Not worrying about protecting their "0" and worrying about how much money one will make. Those were the days.
Me neither, it's like the love for the sport around the world ended at the beginning of 00s when Tyson, Lewis and Holyfield walked away from the sport. I mean a heavyweight championship fight was a really BIG DEAL 25 years ago and being the heavyweight champion was probobly the biggest sport title
I love how big George just pushes off his opponents up close with his forearms and gloves so he can get to them.his strength was incredible to push people like holyfield back.
Man, check this out...I'm 40 years old. I remember being younger and seeing my old man cheering during this fight and I was too young to understand why or what was happening...I couldn't foresee that it would lead to George being a champ at that age...but I must say...Evander has got to be the toughest SOB as a heavyweight not overly big but classy and big hearted. We were fortunate to see men like him and George compete with what they both lived to do and thats box, the better man wins.
I am 49 and I watched the fight as a 18 year old. My sentiment at the time, George wasn't a serious contender and Holyfield would not only beat him, but stop him after a few rounds or Foreman retiring on his stool. Then when Foreman went the distance, the sentiment quickly turned to saying Holyfield wasn't a big puncher and Tyson would walk right through him. As I said in the post above, Mike Tyson in 1991 wasn't the Mike Tyson of 1987 to 1988. That Tyson was a special fighter, after Mike Tyson got away from what made him successful and special he was a beatable fighter against the right opponent. Holyfield was the guy who wouldn't enter the ring afraid of Tyson and if Tyson hit Holyfield low or after the bell Holyfield would return fire.
I remember a reporter later on after this fight asking George Foreman " what did Muhammad Ali whisper to you" ??.. Muhammad Ali told him .. look out because I'm coming back next...!!!
Eyyyyy!? Bowe ducked Lewis for years, tyson paid 4 million an gave up his belt not to fight lewis,tyson ducked ruddock in late 89,hell holyfield was meant to fight tyson but refused an fought foreman even in this fight,just to name a some,it's not "ducking" either it's called making the most money the easiest way an good timing. It's always happened in boxing history you dumb dumb
Its crazy and amazing that Foreman who is in his 40s can go against Holyfield who is in his prime and has been known to hit like a truck. George has always been that dude.
Holyfield realized he couldn’t knock George out and played it smart but much respect to a 41 yr old, 10 yr lay-off Foreman. I’m 41 rite now and it ain’t not way in hell
Forman pushes half his punches Which look clumsy but he gete Away with it cuz of his raw Power when he can ko 66 out Of 70 fights against top guys He must be doing something Right
Very good fight and Foreman for 42 year old to have such a performance like that is touching but Holyfield deserved the win but Foreman gave him a tough fight
@@luckmanali187 I was thinking the same thing, Foreman in his prime would have what they use to say in our neighborhood, hurt that man bad, in other words Foreman would have knocked him out !
This was a win/win fight. The significance of this fight has increased over the years. Foreman was actually still a formidable foe and actually was one of great fighters of the 90’s. The narrative was Holyfield beat an old man, but Foreman later reclaimed the title and beating Foreman was actually an excellent championship defense.
George mentions how Holy hit him with the same right hand that KO'd Douglas, and George just looked at him. I'll never forget that punch either! It's the same one he sent Tyson reeling back into the ropes in Round 10 of their first fight...the 2-inch step back and BAM! I thought for sure George would've had the lights turned out, but the man was unreal.
1:02:48 When Holyfield was the special guest at a boxing match here in Portland, Maine, someone asked him what the hardest he'd ever been hit. Holyfield said the hardest single shot was in the mid 11th against Foreman. You can see it at 1:46 of the round, where Holyfield takes a flush right and wobbles and clinches the rest of the round. He said he asked Duva in the corner if he still had his teeth, because he couldn't feel his face at all.
Erik North you’d never have guessed listening to the commentary.You can see how badly he’s hurt.One more clean one like that and he folds and they’re talking about in what way Evander should decide to win
Thanks for that Erik. I remember reading something Holyfield said about George's power put didn't know which punch he meant. I think this is a real underrated win for Evander. George was no joke.
1:02:49 George Foreman's straight right shot. Going for a homerun. A couple more of those and you never know. Evander Holyfield was hurt, the hardest he has ever been hit he has said, but he is a warrior! One of the great fights!🥊🥊
After this fight, I thought Foreman would fade into obscurity. I never would have imagined that three and half years later Foreman would land the right hand that would win him the lineal heavyweight title. After 1989 I thought the same of Frank Bruno. Him winning a portion of title is just as remarkable as George.
Foreman is one of the all time greats and Holyfield belongs on that list (just not as high up, in my opinion). My call before this fight was Holyfield TKO 9 Foreman, thinking at that point, Holyfield would be throwing and landing and Foreman not punching back, prompting the referee to stop the fight. I loved Foreman but knew how relentless Holyfield is, even against really hard punchers. I figured age would determine the outcome. I had an alternate vision that IF...IF Foreman wins, it will be by TKO in either Round 2 or Round 7..my line of thinking was really a replay in my mind of the 2 Frazier fights. An early surprise or mid rounds wear down against someone who should have boxed instead of brawl. Oddly, those were both rounds that Foreman won that night. Believe me, during those rounds I was on the edge of my seat. I was very glad to see Foreman last the distance, defeated or not. When he finally beat Moorer, that was Awesome....and a whole other story. As for Foreman vs Holyfield, it was a really good night for boxing and even lured fans into the sport. It was That big...and exciting..and the payoff was good for everyone ( even Foreman's doctor, I'm pretty sure).
This still gives me goosebumps as I recall racing home from work to watch it. Luckily I programmed my VCR. This was like the gladiators from Rome about to do battle.
If Holyfield fought this kind of disciplined fight he would have held onto the title longer. He was always having to contend with his warrior instincts and a desire to please the crowd with a knockout. When he fought within himself, in his prime he rarely lost. In fact when he stuck to the plan, he didn’t ever lose. The only time he lost fighting within himself was against Moorer, but he was fighting with an injured shoulder.
True. This and his 2nd fight with bowe were some of his best performances of when he stuck to his gameplan and didn't try brawling and trading punch for punch
A youtube argument in a comments section on another video about who would have won in Frazier Holy reminded me of this fight so had to come watch it again! Man, I genuinely miss HBO Boxing
1:02:44 the straight right-hand George throws coming up is the punch that had Evander wondering if he lost his teeth. You noticed after that punch was thrown Holyfield did nothing but hold the rest of the round.
46:21 - Evander just unloading on the heavy bag. George just takes it and keeps coming. 56:31 - What a chin on George. Two power shots completely flush cranks his neck and he stays up.
Foreman was the total package: Punching power like Tyson, Stamina like the Energizer bunny, a chin like Ray Mercer, etc. He was a tank. The ONLY edge opponents had on him when he returned from retirement was speed.
Sonny and his prodigy George would have terrified a fucking Silverback Gorilla. Evander thought Tyson was a joke but he knew he was in with an absolute beast in Foreman and would be fighting for his life (literally). Round 7 - incredible action between two great warriors. Phil.
I'm 55 now I remember this fight like yesterday Holyfield is a lion of a Champion But I think we were all pulling for Big George that night It would've been Amazing a 42 year former champ coming out of retirement and worked his way up to a title shot almost 20 yrs after he lost his title beat a fighter like Evander...it was one of the most exciting fights ever after the Muhammed Ali era
It's sad that I grew up not knowing who George Foremen was apart from an old man who sold fat reduction grills so its good to see the old archive fights.
Sterling wainscott your site is awesome!!!🥊🥊this is boxing not about just money!!! Also I miss boxing specials like this gives the viewers more insight on the boxer's who don't know much about boxer's BRING.!!! THE.!!! OLD.!!! SCHOOL.!!! DAYS.!!! B.A.C.K.!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for Sharing all these great classics God bless.!!!!!!!
“Foreman’s punches look like they were delivered by second class mail!” The announcers always despised his comeback. But let me tell you, *ALL* of his opponents could wish they were sent on the back of a really slow camel, because they were a WALLOP!!! At any rate this bout proved to most observers his comeback wasn’t just a big joke.
Too great sportsmen, ambassadors for boxing and their religion. You have to love the personality of George Foreman. George has perfect speech with not a trace of a slur and no punch drunkenness. He had excellent skillfull defences and was a very strong man.
wow Ali, Holyfeild, Frazier, forman all in the ring at the same time. dout there ever has been so much talent in a single boxing ring at the same time nor will there ever be again, what a moment. all with such differing styles. possble the 4 best heavy weight boxer there ever was too. deffo all in the top ten of all time if not the top 5.
the late golden era🏖. It’s seems like they squabble over 2lbs these days. Evander and Tyson were often so outsized in their bouts, sometimes up to 40+ lbs!! Insane...also epic.
So, olympic gold medalist, regarded by many as the most davastating puncher in boxing history, 69 victories with 65 knockouts and only 2 defeats. Whats one of the first thing the commentators say as the bell rings? Is George Foreman for real or is this a farse..
Well keep in mind he was a 42 year old heavyweight at the time slowly working his way to a title fight, so it's understandable they were a bit skeptical about his return
It’s like the commentators are shocked at Foreman’s tactics .. he wasn’t trying to win on points he never did they say it but still Seem shocked .. his whole game plan is to try and set him up for a knockout thats it , and they also miss a lot of Foreman’s short sneaky shots ..
It was the weight they took him as a joke and also he came to use this himself to play down his chances . I think this was when they really saw he was a competitor
I'm fully convinced that this version of Foreman easily beats "prime" Tyson. Holyfield was more of an Ali style boxer while Tyson was more like Frazier.
When I first saw this fight it wasn’t apparent how impressive Big George’s performance was. Holyfield’s greatness hadn’t been shown yet and going back today knowing what Holyfield is made of really puts things into perspective. An old Foreman held his own with an all time great.
An I loved how he pushed Holyfield back everytime he tried to clinch. George could easily have coasted to the final bell but for a man in a class of his own, he was never gonna do that.
