MIRACLE ON LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD
Then, at a moment when reality morphed into fantasy, the 16,000 in attendance and those watching worldwide suddenly, dramatically were bedazzled by magic. One mighty blow from Foreman put Moorer down and out in Round 10, instantaneously sparking mayhem in the Grand Garden Arena and consummating one of the greatest comebacks in sports history in the most thrilling fashion possible. Yes, Jim Lampley, “It happened! It happened!” And you didn’t have to be a boxing aficionado to be moved by the moment. F oreman was already a household name at the time of the fight, a jovial former champion-turned- minister-turned George Foreman grill pitchman who returned to boxing after a 10-year hiatus. Everyone loved him.
That’s why it’s not a stretch to assert that few of those viewing – inside the arena or out – were pulling for Moorer, a nondescript former light heavyweight titleholder who had won the IBF and WBA heavyweight belts by outpointing Evander Holyfield six-plus months earlier. I was no exception. Professional journalists are required to remain neutral at all times, an unwritten law to which I ascribed that night. On the outside. On the inside, sitting on press row, a romantic part of me wanted to see this legend make history. It was never destined to be easy. Some background: In 1974, fighting in what was then called Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Foreman lost his perfect record and the championship by an eighth-round knockout against Muhammad Ali in their classic “rope-a-dope” bout (aka
“The Rumble in the Jungle”). He then “retired” after an upset loss to Jimmy Young in 1977, after which he became the minister of a small church in his hometown of Houston. A decade later, Foreman stunned the boxing world by announcing his return to the ring, primarily to raise money for his struggling youth center but also because he had unfinished business. Was he serious? At 38, he was no longer the youthful specimen who had overwhelmed opponents in the 1970s but a middle-aged man battling weight issues, which raised doubts about his prospects. However, he was still immensely powerful, resilient and determined, as he proved by winning the first 24 fights of his comeback – all but one by knockout. Then he seemed to hit his ceiling, losing a clear decision to then- champion Holyfield in 1991, taking a beating against Alex Stewart in a controversial points victory the following year and losing another one- sided decision to Tommy Morrison in the fight immediately preceding his meeting with Moorer. He still had the desire – he had no intention of giving up – but the aging process appeared to be taking a toll. He couldn’t keep pace with younger opponents, at least not the best ones. That’s why he was a 2-to-1 underdog against Moorer, a seasoned boxer who had master motivator Teddy Atlas in his corner the night of November 5. And many believed those odds were generous. I thought Foreman had a chance to win the fight because of his punching power – remember his eye-popping final
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