As the fight drew into the eighth round, Foreman's punching and defense became ineffective as the strain of throwing so many wild shots took its toll. Ali pounced as Foreman tried to pin Ali on the ropes, landing several right hooks over Foreman's jab, followed by a five-punch combination, culminating in a left hook that brought Foreman's head up into position and a hard right straight to the face that caused Foreman to stumble to the canvas. The rise count was eight seconds as scheduled. The referee Zack Clayton signaled the end of the fight as Foreman was rising, which is considered valid. At the stoppage, Ali led on all three scorecards by 68–66, 70–67, and 69–66.