| | | | | Ali knew this was the test for him. In the 60-seconds |
| In 1974 Muhammad Ali fought the heavyweight | | | | between round one and two he realized that this is |
| champion George Forman. Forman had destroyed | | | | why he trained so hard. All the training came down to |
| everyone he fought up until this fight. Even greats | | | | this moment. He knew his initial strategy didn't work, |
| like Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, who each gave Ali all | | | | but he had trained so hard that he was able to draw |
| he could handle, crumbled in front of Foreman. | | | | upon back up strategies. In this case, he reversed his |
| Ali came in the first round with a strategy of leading | | | | game plan from being the aggressor to playing |
| with the right hand. This is a dangerous punch for the | | | | possum. He leaned back on the ropes and let |
| puncher because it takes longer for the punch to | | | | Foreman blast away at him. In a sense, he decided, |
| travel to the target than a jab. Good fighters are | | | | "Give me what you have because I am in great |
| almost insulted when you lead with the right because | | | | shape. I have trained my mind and my body to deal |
| the message is they are too slow to do anything | | | | with this punishment and when you least expect it, I |
| about it. You lead with the right against someone | | | | will conquer you." |
| you're pretty sure you can get away with it with. It's | | | | For the next seven rounds Ali took ferocious |
| also very a powerful punch. | | | | punishment. Through it all he encouraged Foreman to |
| Foreman was such a devastating puncher that no | | | | hit harder. He told him, "George, you're letting me |
| one led with the right hand against him. He hit so hard | | | | down. I thought you could hit hard. That's it?" |
| a fighter couldn't risk getting counter punched, so | | | | Foremen went berserk punching as hard as he could |
| they would be more careful and predictable. Not Ali. | | | | until, in the eighth round, he was so tired he became |
| He took the fight to Foreman and threw 16 lead | | | | vulnerable to Ali's right hand. Ali knocked him out in |
| rights in the first round and many of them scored. | | | | one of the greatest upsets in boxing history. |
| Some smashed so hard that sweat exploded off of | | | | After the fight, Foreman went into a deep |
| Foreman's head. For the most part, Ali's strategy | | | | depression that lasted for over two-years. In time he |
| worked in the first round. His right hand scored and | | | | pulled himself up and returned to the ring to |
| frustrated Foreman. There was a little problem | | | | recapture the world title and become a |
| though. Ali knew he had hit Foreman with his best | | | | multi-millionaire entrepreneur. |
| punches and Foreman didn't go down. | | | | Again, it's easy to have a positive attitude when |
| Ali returned to his corner faced with a fighters' | | | | things are going well. It's times like this, when your |
| nightmare. He was facing an opponent who is bigger, | | | | attitude, outlook and belief are put to the test that |
| stronger and meaner and he just took your best | | | | you get the payoff. |
| shots and stayed in the fight. | | | | |