Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 18, 1991 TAG: 9104180048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. LENGTH: Medium
"I thought I'd be 265," Foreman said after weighing in at 257 pounds for Friday night's heavyweight title fight against champion Evander Holyfield, who weighed 208.
"I've got to eat it up," Foreman said. "I'm going out to have dinner - revenge on the restaurant."
The only heavier challenger was Primo Carnera, who weighed 260 1/2 pounds when he won the title with a sixth-round knockout of Jack Sharkey in 1933.
Foreman's weight is the fifth-highest ever in a heavyweight title bout. Carnera also weighed 270, 263 1/4 and 259 1/2 pounds for other championship fights.
The weight differential is the sixth-highest for a championship bout.
While Foreman could become the oldest man to win a championship in any weight class if he wins the scheduled 12-round bout at the Convention Center, he's still second-best in one category to Archie Moore, his 77-year-old trainer-guru.
Moore will remain the oldest challenger in any weight class. Moore was 42 years, 11 months old - eight months older than Foreman is - when he was knocked out in the ninth round by Rocky Marciano in their heavyweight title bout in 1955.
Poundage aside, no fighter thumbed his nose at Father Time the way Moore did.
"I didn't retire because of age," Moore said. "It was because the commissions told me I couldn't get a license. I intended to fight until I was 50."
Moore was 49 when he knocked out Mike DiBiase in 1962 in the last fight of a career, which began in 1936. His record was 183-22-9, with 129 knockouts.
Moore won the light heavyweight title from Joey Maxim on Dec. 17, 1952, four days after his 39th birthday, and won all nine defenses, the last at age 48.
His record after his 42nd birthday was 38-3-2. The three defeats were knockout losses to Marciano and Floyd Patterson in heavyweight title fights and to a young Muhammad Ali.
Moore means it when he says, "I know George is in the vintage of his life."
Moore, who was in Foreman's corner when he lost the title to Ali in 1974, was reunited with Foreman for the 20th fight of his comeback - a second-round knockout of Gerry Cooney on Jan. 15, 1990.
"We sit and talk," Foreman said. "I never argue with Archie. He's an inspiration and really the only teacher."
Moore considers Foreman a good pupil.
"He remembers like an elephant," Moore said.
Some listeners laughed, obviously thinking Foreman also resembles an elephant.
by CNB