Like the rest of us, Germany’s Axel Schulz shed tears and was shocked as well as saddened when he heard the news back in March that heavyweight great George Foreman had passed. And Schulz had more of a right than many of us to remember “Big George.” It was 30 years ago today when Axel, a whopping 6-1 underdog, challenged Foreman for the world title.
You know, the world title Foreman had truly shocked the world by regaining in November of 1994, this a little over 20 long years after he had lost it to Muhammad Ali. Now Foreman would make the first defence of his second reign and, as he had done back when he was heavyweight king the first time around, Foreman picked what looked like a “safe” maiden challenger. Back in 1973, defence number-one came against Joe Roman, now, against Schulz, Foreman was facing an even bigger outsider than the Puerto Rican.
But this time, things didn’t go as planned. Foreman had no quick one-round fight with Schulz; instead the amazing 46 year old had to go all 12 rounds. And at the end, nobody was anything like certain Foreman had done enough to get the decision.
Dubbed “Celebration,” the fight of April 22, 1995 took place in Las Vegas, and the lineal title was on the line even if the WBA belt was not – this as George had opted not to fight Tony Tucker and was thus stripped of the belt. Not too many Foreman fans cared. This was, after all, the return of a hero, a hero who was now heavyweight king all over again. Who cared about the alphabelts?
26 year old Schulz had never been stopped and he had picked up a win over James “Bonecrusher” Smith, while he had also boxed a draw and a points loss with Henry Akinwande. Schulz too was a well-schooled amateur who had an entire country behind him on this night. Schulz was faster than Foreman, he moved well, and his jab, though not anything like as hefty and as punishing as Foreman’s, allowed him to pick up points.
To the shock of the large crowd, Schulz was winning the rounds. Not letting Foreman get set, the challenger soon had George’s left eye swelling up. By the championship rounds, Foreman needed another late KO the kind he had scored over Michael Moorer in the stunner from fine months ago. But it never came.
Instead, Foreman was awarded a 12 round majority decision victory, the scores being 115-113, 115-113, and 114-114. Foreman quickly donned the shades after the fight was over with. A rematch was soon ordered by the IBF, but George said no thanks, and instead went to Tokyo to fight another guy many had never heard of in Crawford Grimsley. Schulz would get two further shots at becoming a world champ – Germany’s first since Max Schmeling all those decades ago – but Axel was closely outpointed by Frans Botha (the fight later changed to a no contest due to Botha flunking a drugs test) and then by Moorer.
In hindsight, maybe it would have been better if Foreman had retired after having reclaimed the throne by beating Moorer. After all, how can anyone top a miracle?
