Michael Moorer vs. George Foreman
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Michael Moorer Michael Lee Moorer (born November 12, 1967) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2008. He won a world championship on four occasions in two weight classes, having held the WBO light heavyweight title from 1988 to ...
vs.
George Foreman George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champio ...
, billed as ''One for the Ages'', was a professional boxing match contested on November 5, 1994 for the WBA and
IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
heavyweight championships.


Background

On April 22, 1994, Moorer defeated
Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the on ...
by decision to wrest the title, which Holyfield had regained from
Riddick Bowe Riddick Lamont Bowe (born August 10, 1967) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1989 and 2008. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1992, and as an amateur he won a silver medal in the super heavyw ...
in his previous bout, from the two-time champion. Foreman, at 45, had been on the comeback trail for several years after choosing to end his ten-plus year retirement. He had received a shot at Holyfield's undisputed world championship in 1991 but was defeated on points, not by knockout or technical knockout. Foreman also had not fought since being defeated by
Tommy Morrison Tommy "The Duke" Morrison (January 2, 1969 – September 1, 2013) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2008, and held the WBO heavyweight title in 1993. He retired from boxing in 1996 when he tested positive for HIV. Mor ...
for the then-fringe
World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...
championship in June 1993. There were talks about Moorer possibly meeting WBC Heavyweight Champion
Lennox Lewis Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hold ...
in a match that would once again unify the three major heavyweight titles, but Moorer rejected the idea, stating that he didn't have the desire to do so. Foreman then issued a challenge to the newly crowned champion, and his status as one of the most popular fighters in the sport along with the promise of a big payday led to Moorer ultimately accepting Foreman's challenge. The fight was scheduled for November 5, 1994. However, the fight almost did not take place. The WBA did not have Foreman ranked on its list of contenders and was thus not willing to sanction the bout. The IBF, which installed Foreman as its eighth-ranked contender, did offer sanctioning, but the WBA warned Moorer that regardless of what happened, he would be stripped of their championship if he went forward with the Foreman fight. Thus, his promoters at Main Events announced on August 10 that the fight was cancelled. Foreman and his promoter
Bob Arum Robert Arum (born December 8, 1931) is an American lawyer and boxing promoter. He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas. Prior to becoming a boxing promoter, Arum was employed as an attorn ...
of
Top Rank Top Rank, Inc. is a boxing promotional company founded by Jabir Herbert Muhammad and Bob Arum, which was incorporated in 1973, and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since its founding, Top Rank has promoted many world class fighters, including Muh ...
responded to the decision by filing a lawsuit in a Nevada state court on August 15. The suit alleged that the WBA colluded with others to discriminate against the 45-year old Foreman and to force Moorer and Main Events to honor the contract they had signed, with the demand that the champion not be allowed to step in the ring until they did. On August 20, the complainants won an injunction against the WBA. The presiding judge said the organization acted "capriciously" in not sanctioning the fight, and as long as he obtained medical clearance from Nevada doctors Foreman would be eligible to fight for the WBA title.


Media

The fight was broadcast by
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
and aired as part of their long running series, ''
HBO World Championship Boxing ''HBO World Championship Boxing'' (in later years stylized in its title card as ''HBO Boxing – World Championship'') was an American sports television series on premium television network HBO. It premiered on January 22, 1973 with a fight that s ...
''.
Jim Lampley James Lampley (born April 8, 1949) is an American sportscaster, news anchor, film producer, and restaurant owner. He was best known as a blow-by-blow announcer on ''HBO World Championship Boxing'' for 30 years. He also had covered a record 14 O ...
was the lead broadcaster, with
Larry Merchant Larry Merchant (born Larry Kaufman; February 11, 1931) is an American sportswriter, a longtime commentator for HBO sports presentations of ''HBO World Championship Boxing'', ''Boxing After Dark'' and HBO pay-per-view telecasts, called "the great ...
as lead analyst and
Harold Lederman Harold Lederman (January 26, 1940 – May 11, 2019) was an American boxing judge and analyst. He began his career as a boxing judge in 1967 and joined the cast of ''HBO World Championship Boxing'' in 1986, and was there until HBO dropped boxing i ...
as unofficial ringside scorekeeper.
Gil Clancy Gilbert Thomas Clancy (May 30, 1922 – March 31, 2011) was a Hall of Fame boxing trainer and one of the most noted boxing commentators of the 1980s and 1990s. He worked with such famous boxers as Muhammad Ali, Jerry Quarry, Joe Frazier, a ...
was brought in to serve as second analyst alongside Merchant; that role was usually filled by Foreman, who was participating in the fight.


Officials

Joe Cortez Joe Cortez (born October 13, 1945) is an American former boxing referee who has officiated in many important world title bouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. Biography Cortez is of Puerto Rican descent. H ...
, a veteran of nearly 900 fights in his career, was the referee for the bout. He had already refereed five world championship fights in 1994 alone. The ringside judges were Chuck Giampa, Jerry Roth, and Duane Ford.


The fight

Foreman said after the fight that he was out to lay his ghost from the
Rumble in the Jungle George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as ''The Rumble in the Jungle'', was a heavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium (now the Stade Tata Raphaël) in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of t ...
to rest, referring to the legendary fight twenty years beforehand in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) where
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
had overcome a previously undefeated Foreman and knocked him out in the eighth round (which remains Foreman's only loss by knockout) to win the heavyweight title that Foreman had held after defeating
Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He was known for his strength, durability, formidable left hand, and relentless pressure fi ...
in 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica by knocking him down six times in two rounds. Not only did Foreman wear the same red trunks that he had worn in Zaire, but in his corner was Ali's legendary trainer
Angelo Dundee Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name *Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church *Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298–1357), Italian Rom ...
, who had been in Ali's corner for that fight. Moorer controlled the pace of the fight from the beginning and kept winning rounds. Foreman took a significant number of jabs to the face, which began to take a toll later in the fight as his left eye nearly swelled shut. In spite of the physical pounding Moorer was giving him, Foreman remained on his feet. As noted, he had only been stopped once in his career in the fight with Ali. In addition, only Ali, Jimmy Young and
Ron Lyle Ronald David Lyle (February 12, 1941 – November 26, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1971 to 1980, and in 1995. He challenged unsuccessfully for the world heavyweight championship, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1975. Kno ...
had been able to knock him down during the course of his career. Despite his ability to take whatever Moorer was throwing at him, Foreman appeared on the way to yet another defeat in a world championship fight. After the ninth round, judges Roth and Giampa had given seven rounds to Moorer and had him up 88–83. Judge Ford's scorecard was a little closer, as he scored the bout 86–85 in favor of the champion with Foreman winning two additional rounds on his card. Knowing where his fighter stood, Dundee told Foreman just before he sent him out for the tenth round that it was going to take a knockout to win and that the time to get it had come. Meanwhile, in the champion’s corner, his trainer
Teddy Atlas Theodore A. "Teddy" Atlas Jr. (born July 29, 1956) is an American boxing trainer and fight commentator. Early life The son of a doctor, Atlas grew up in a wealthy area of Staten Island, New York City, New York. His mother, Mary Riley Atlas, wa ...
had picked up on what Foreman would later say what he had made his major strategy during the fight. Atlas told Moorer that Foreman was landing his best shots in close quarters, and Foreman was throwing a quick series of combinations starting with a jab, which he used to break through Moorer’s guard, and then following that up with a quick right cross. Atlas advised Moorer to stand back and make Foreman come to him. However, Moorer did not follow Atlas’ instructions and kept advancing on Foreman as the round began. The challenger eventually hurt Moorer with a body punch, which slowed his progress to the point where Foreman was able to start landing his combinations more frequently. Moorer was able to fend Foreman off for most of the round, but Foreman was eventually able to land one combination that caught Moorer flush on the jaw. Moorer, dazed, fell to his back as Cortez began his count. He lifted his head off the canvas for a second, then began moving as the count reached five. By the time Cortez reached eight, Moorer had rolled over onto his side and tried to push himself up, but he was still on his knees when the count reached ten. Foreman was declared the winner by knockout and became the champion. Years later, when the fight was featured as part of HBO's ''Legendary Nights'' documentary series chronicling memorable fights broadcast by the network, Foreman said that his strategy was to let Moorer fight his usual fight while waiting for him to slip up. He felt that if he was able to wait, Moorer would leave himself open for a combination that would allow Foreman to knock him out. Foreman went further saying that was how he dreamed the situation would present itself. Moorer dismissed Foreman's recollection of the events, instead repeatedly saying he got "lucky".


Records

At 45 years and 360 days, Foreman beat
Jersey Joe Walcott Arnold Raymond Cream (January 31, 1914 – February 25, 1994), best known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1930 to 1953. He held the NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles from 1951 to 1952, ...
's old record by eight years, and he had also become the first man to regain a world boxing title twenty years after losing it - and on top of that, no heavyweight champion had beaten an opponent 19 years his junior to win a title. Boxing analysts and fans alike remarked on how Foreman had exorcised his old ghost in more ways than one - he had upset Moorer in a way similar to how Ali had stunned a younger Foreman in Zaire, using toughness, savvy and an ability to summon power at critical moments to overcome youth, speed and power.


Aftermath

After his victory, Foreman hoped for a potential superfight with
Mike Tyson Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is cons ...
once Tyson was released from prison. However, the WBA demanded that he face
mandatory challenger In professional boxing and some other combat sports, a mandatory challenger is an opponent whom a champion must either fight or be forced to vacate their title as champion. A mandatory defence is the opposite of a voluntary defence, where the champi ...
and former world champion
Tony Tucker Tony Craig Tucker (born December 27, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1998. He won the IBF heavyweight title in 1987, and was the shortest-reigning world heavyweight champion at just 64 days. In an inter ...
. Tucker, at the time, was promoted by
Don King Donald King (born August 20, 1931) is an American boxing Promoter (entertainment), promoter, known for his involvement in several historic boxing matchups. He has been a controversial figure, partly due to a manslaughter conviction and civil cas ...
, and Foreman was unwilling to get himself involved with King or his fighters. Thus, he refused to fight Tucker and was stripped of the WBA championship. Foreman instead pursued a fight with German
Axel Schulz Axel Schulz (born 9 November 1968) is a German former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 1999, and in 2006. He challenged three times for both the IBF and European heavyweight titles. As an amateur he won a bronze medal at the 1989 ...
for the IBF title, which he won by majority decision. However, there was significant controversy in the decision as many saw Schulz as having won the fight and a rematch was ordered. Foreman refused to give Schulz the match, as he was seeking other opportunities including rematches with Moorer or Holyfield or a match with former undisputed champion
Riddick Bowe Riddick Lamont Bowe (born August 10, 1967) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1989 and 2008. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1992, and as an amateur he won a silver medal in the super heavyw ...
. Therefore, on June 28, 1995, Foreman relinquished the IBF championship. Foreman was still recognized as the lineal champion as well as the champion of the fringe World Boxing Union, and continued to hold that recognition until
Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs (born December 4, 1971) is an American former professional boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion, having held the lineal heavyweight championship from 1997 to 1998, and the WBO title from 2006 to 2007. Briggs is known for ...
defeated him in 1997 in what would prove to be his final fight. Moorer, meanwhile, got a chance to regain a portion of the heavyweight championship in early 1996. A match between Schulz and
Francois Botha Francois "Frans" Botha (born 28 September 1968) is a South African former professional boxer and kickboxer. He competed in boxing from 1990 to 2014, and is perhaps best known for winning the IBF heavyweight title against Axel Schulz in 1995, b ...
to resolve the vacancy of the IBF title ended with a Botha victory, but a positive steroid test by Botha resulted in the result being changed to a no contest and the title once again being vacated. A bout was signed between Moorer and Schulz,Moorer and Schulz Set for Title Bout
, N.Y. Times article, 1996-04-14, Retrieved on 2013-05-29 and in a close match Moorer was able to recapture the IBF title by split decision. He would defend the title twice, knocking out Botha on the same night that Holyfield knocked Tyson out to win the WBA title, then going on to win a close fight against
Vaughn Bean Vaughn Bean (born September 3, 1974) is an American former professional boxer. Nicknamed "Shake & Bake", Bean challenged twice for world heavyweight titles in 1997 and 1998. Professional career Bean began his career with 27 victories over extre ...
. Moorer then fought Holyfield in a title unification match and was knocked out in eight rounds, being dropped five times. Following that fight, he took a three-year retirement from the ring; he would finally retire in 2007. Foreman settled back into life as a preacher, author, pitchman and motivational speaker in Houston. Two years after his second and final retirement, Salton Inc. paid over $137 million to buy out the right to use his name on the
George Foreman Grill The George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, also commonly referred to as simply the George Foreman Grill, is a portable double-sided electrically heated grill manufactured by Spectrum Brands. It is promoted by two-time world h ...
, and it is estimated that he has made over $200 million related to the grill, which is more than he made in the ring. Foreman's 2023 biopic, '' Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World'', depicts parts of the buildup to the fight and the fight itself in its trailer.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moorer, Foreman 1994 in boxing Boxing in Las Vegas 1994 in sports in Nevada World Boxing Association heavyweight championship matches International Boxing Federation heavyweight championship matches November 1994 sports events in the United States MGM Grand Garden Arena Boxing on HBO