Roman had little chance of testing him. The Puerto Rican challenger stood 5-foot-10 and weighed between 196½ and 197 pounds, leaving him considerably smaller than the 6-foot-4, 219-pound champion. He had been outside the rankings when the fight was signed before being elevated to No. 9 by the WBA and WBC.
That placement gave the promotion official legitimacy, but it did not make Roman a genuine threat. Foreman was 38-0 with 35 knockouts and had just destroyed Frazier in two rounds to seize the championship. Roman brought a 43-7-1 or 44-7-1 record, depending on the source, with 21 knockouts.
Once the bell rang
