In George Foreman's comeback, did he ever fight a boxer who hit harder than he did?

Foreman avoided big punchers like Bruno bonecrusher and Ruddock. Not enough money and too much risk.

 

At 48 years of age he intentionally fought the 6'4 29-1 hard hitting prime Briggs. He fought Alex Stewart who had a 90% KO ratio. He fought Morrison who was on a knockout streak and was known for his thunderous left hook.

The money wasn't really there for Bruno. He kept losing whenever he stepped up outside of the McCall fight. A fight with Bruno in the U.K might have made some decent money but without a belt on the line it would have been medium risk, low reward. Ruddock lost back to back fights with Tyson, then got utterly destroyed by Lennox. He was no longer a draw and had no belt either, what would have been the point in pursuing the fight? Smith would have been easy work and his best days were in the 80's when Foreman was retired.

Foreman did his fair share of ducking and maneuvering around the division, but ducking punchers isn't something you can really accuse him of. He always went after whoever was the champion. He called out Tyson publicly and fought guys like Cooper and Qawi as preparation but then Tyson lost to Douglas and then Holyfield beat Douglas so he fought Holyfield instead. He wanted a rematch, but then Holyfield lost to Moorer so he fought Moorer. Seems logical to me.

 

Foreman would’ve done huge numbers with Bruno.

 

But he wasn't ranked and didn't have any belts except that brief moment in 95 when he won the title and then lost it immediately in his first defense. Almost anytime he stepped up in class, he lost.

I don't recall Bruno clamoring for a fight with Foreman or being in some sort of position to demand it, so you can't call it a duck.

 

I don’t think either really wanted the fight. They each would’ve been paid a boatload though.

 

There was really no reason for either of them to fight.

Bruno was always getting splattered when he stepped up and was a bigger draw in the U.K than in America. People had remembered how he was demolished by Tyson 2x, Smith, Lewis, and Spoon. Promoting that fight outside of the U.K would have been nearly impossible since he was always losing, and even in the U.K there were few moments in his career where such a fight happening would have been ideal. If he lost, then he lost to a fat old man so it was high risk, medium reward.

Foreman's #1 priority was the championship, and the 2nd was the biggest paydays available. Bruno did not become champ until 95 when Foreman was extremely old and about ready to retire. When Bruno was a draw and star, he was tied up with other fights.

 

Bruno beat McCall who was better than Foreman and similar imo. Bruno got Tyson money, so I think that’s why he never went after Foreman.

The timelines didn’t really match up too well. Foreman had his shot with Holyfield, then Bruno went with Lewis and Tyson.

It could’ve happened after Foreman beat Moorer, but I don’t know if Bruno had any interest in fighting again.

 

In what way was McCall better than Foreman?

 

He beat Lewis, Holmes, Damiani Maskaev, Seldon, and Akinwande.

Foreman...Moorer while down on the cards and not a lot else...Coetzee and barely getting by Stewart I guess.

 

What about losses?

McCall lost to Norris, Tucker, Bruno, Douglas, Lewis in the rematch, and more than a dozen men total.

Seldon got knocked out by everyone and their mom.

What exactly did Akinwande accomplish? Who did he beat?

Maskaev had SIX fights when he faced McCall.

 

Jeremy Williams - in his Prime, no less.

That's a wad of currency, round these parts...

 

Not any harder puncher. Foreman's problem in his 40s was pulling the trigger. He lost reflexes. Everyone knew by then not crouch in front of him or come straight at him. That would give him an easy target to decapitate.
Most just moved side to side, give angles and used whatever boxing skills they could. Even Morrison overhauled his style. That tells the story.

 

Seldon would have been a perfect fight for George. Bruce looks the part. The Atlantic City Express had the sweet jab and pretty good quickness. Until he got touched by Foreman.
It would have looked good on paper. Maybe Seldon's team didn't answer the phone.

 

Maskaev had already beaten Miroshnichenko. If you don’t know who he was, do your homework. He was likely better than half of the guys being mentioned.

Loses? McCall hadn’t hit his stride yet for Douglas and Norris. Foreman ducked Tucker and had no interest in fighting Lewis or Bruno (and Holmes for that matter). Foreman should have an L to Schultz and could have an L to Stewart.

Being impartial, McCall has the better resume and that’s why I say he was better. I cannot begin to imagine the praise Formean would receive if he beat a handful of relevant former/future champions and then knocked out Lennox Lewis. Top 3 ATG at heavyweight for sure.​

 

Exactly. When known heavy hitting sluggers like Morrison and Briggs suddenly figure out how to use lateral movement and move around against a fat 40 year old man that says a lot, agreed.