Any basis for George Foreman's power being overrated?

Foreman usually didn't get clean 1 punch KOs unless he landed a perfect shot on the jaw, temple, etc because he lacked snap and hand speed. He was more of a bludgeoning puncher, like a refrigerator falling on you. Slow, but it'll hurt like hell if it lands.

People who fought and sparred with him said that his punches throw off your balance and have a lot of force behind them. For instance, Holyfield said his jab was so heavy it ironically pushed him too far back for the follow up right hand. This is why Foreman started working on shortening up his punches and that's how he produced the devastating KO over Moorer (a punch that was so brutal Moorer needed 36 stitches inside his mouth).

His power seemed to go down towards the end of his career when he got very old and had basically no more explosive bursts in his shots, and I think that's why he just became a jab happy juggernaut. But there is no basis to the claim that he didn't have real power and is definitely a top 10 if not top 5 puncher given his highlight reel.

 

If someone claimed that he was undisputed hardest hitter of all time ? Then yes

If someone claimed that he had enough power to hurt just about anybody ? Then no

 

Overrated in the same way Jones speed is overrated, Haglers chin, Hearns right hand, Fosters left hook, Armstrongs stamina, Louis's punching technique, Ali's jab and the like.

 

Uh, no. Not in the least.

If nothing else, I've talked to three guys who sparred with OLD Foreman and each said his punches were something other than they had ever experienced. One of the dudes faced Wlad and said Wlad was sharper and could put your lights out with a jab but Foreman "changed gravity". Another similarly chimed that George (old George) "tilted the ring" with even light punches. The other guy said he hit far harder than Bowe or Gonzalez, both of whom he had sparred.

Those dudes were far braver than me and I'm taking their words for it.

 

Fair play to quote Ali - but in other quotes, Ali said Foreman did hurt him and he elaborated far more on that claim.

Also, you could see several moments during the fight when Foreman did hurt Ali noticeably.

Foreman certainly didn’t connect flush to the head on Ali as he did against Frazier but the power was still well and truly felt.

All in all, I personally don’t think Foreman’s power is overrated.

Not a popular opinion, but I would put Shavers that much in front of Foreman in terms of overrated power - if I had to choose between the two.

 

Well to add to your final paragraph Ken Norton in later life said that Shavers and Foreman were about even.

 

Not questioning the validity but do you have an exact source for that?

 

Something I heard hear a lot in the 08-10 period of posters.

 

It is. One punch power is the best way to determine power to me and I don't see Foreman being top 5 in that area.

 

there's no denying Foreman's power, he didn't have a crazy 1 punch KO right like Shavers, except he kind of did in his second run, it's also kind of weird to think of younger Foreman as an attrition puncher since he wasn't exactly known for his stamina, but I suppose he was, I think sometimes people take what they see on screen and as far as effective 1 punch knockouts there were others that were more visually exciting

Frazier is a bad example because you would have to kill him before he quit getting up, and Ali always wanted to seem invincible when he was still in the game and would say things to downplay if he was actually hurt, even during the fight "is that all you got George"

 

Shavers is the popular choice due to endorsements by other fighters…generally any ones that beat him.

If he’d actually have knocked Ali out he’d have been rated lower.

 

. But not overrated in general power, as in the kind of fighter where every punch hurts.

 

This post sums up my own thoughts on the matter perfectly.

In a like for like comparison, i.e. assuming the same punch (jab, cross, hook, etc), equal leverage & proportion of their respective body weights put into the punch, then the force of Foreman's would be right up there with anyone in history, imo.

In practice, there are fighters with more 1-punch KO's than Foreman because:

1) Typically, if he landed flush &/or his opponent did not have chance to brace for the punch, it was because Foreman had shortened the punch, not applying full leverage or putting all his weight into it (multiple Foreman opponents describe experiencing some variation on a jarring-type effect from the impact of even these short punches); and

2) If Foreman punched with full leverage &/or most of his weight behind it, typically the punch did not land flush and/or the opponent, whilst not seeing it in time to evade it entirely, at least had a fraction of a second to brace themselves for the impact.

 

Also those who lost to him.
Almost all who fought him declared him the hardest puncher.
None said anyone else hit harder-tell me if you find a single exception.
While his lack of skills could be overstated, for a World Class boxer & in an elite or golden era...

His ability to put together punches & finish men was less than other extremely hard punchers, like Foreman-who was more accurate, better at combinations & cutting off the ring.
Thus a better & more effective puncher-not hitting harder.