RIP George Foreman
yes. If you believe in biblical history he was the modern version of Saul becoming Paul.
George Foreman had a radical sort of conversion experience himself; he claims to have died in the dressing room after a prizefight and to have had an encounter with God. You can find his testimonies on YouTube.
In addition St. Paul, I also think of St. Moses the Black, a powerful, physically imposing figure who violently lead a band of brigands. After his conversion he became renowned for his physical austerities and self-effacing modesty. ([SIDEBAR]: I have a hang-up/pet peeve about people using tools for the wrong purpose: hammering with pliers or wrenches, or using the wrong size screwdriver and chewing up both the tool and the fastener. One morning, my thoughts kept wandering from my reading (of Scripture), and going back to some ratchet or pliers or something I was obsessing over at the time. I sort of asked God for some assistance, and I feel like I understood a little bit about a) how we are made in the image and likeness of God, and b) why it bothered me when people used tools incorrectly. If I felt such turmoil over somebody using hand tools badly, then how much more sorrow must God feel, to see people use their cunning, or strength, or charisma not to help people, or protect people, or to try to spread the Gospel, but instead to dominate, or injure, or deceive, etc.)
Yeah styles make fights! Joe was able to crowd Ali and nullify the effectiveness of his jab and right cross combos. It meant Ali had to change strategy and fire short hooks from the hips where his superior speed allowed him to land shots but where Frazier’s power did more damage.
Joe had to the same against big George because he was shorter and had far less reach but that just meant he walked onto Foreman’s bombs which no man could withstand.
George could always crush Philly shell style fighters but his slow footwork and less than stellar hand speed meant he in turn could be picked off by Jab and move boxer punchers as long as they could withstand his shots.
Styles make fights indeed! Ken Norton seemed like he could beat Ali a hundred times, forget the scorecards.