Why is Foreman regarded as the strongest fighter physically?

Your muscle mass starts to decline at 30.

 

No way he was strong than The Rock, Rocky Marciano, 49-0, trained 27 hours a day, 8 days a week, denied the womanly pleasures of Barbara for decades on end... that dude was the strongest of ALL TIME!

 

George was by most accounts the strongest guy of the opponents that met him ... Holyfield said it, Chuvalo said it, Frazier said it ... For what it's worth in The Greatest Ali said it ... while he did train for strength I have never heard any accounts of him being a PED user ... how he compares with others that came later who certainly used advancers is another question ... Naturally I see him as stronger than any of the above although Liston was very close ... George gave ground to him during their sparring days but I'm not sure if part of that was being the sparring partner ... I believe George said Sonny was the strongest guy he sparred with but again who knows ...

 

I agree about "strongest of all time". Doesn't really have legs. But is it a thing or just a strawman? Can't remember anyone saying that.

70's Foreman was probably the strongest top fighter of his time and 90's Foreman also quite possibly of his. Impossible to say these things with any exactness or certainity, but there are good cases for them being there abouts.

And I agree that old Geroge probably was stronger due to PEDs and lifting weights.

 

Just to put few opinions on Foreman's power:

(Foreman - LeDoux tape)
One of the commentators:
Foreman is very strong, I've worked with him in the gym and his is the strongest man I've ever worked with.

(Foreman - Dennis tape)
Gerry Quarry:
Foreman is the strongest man I have ever been in the ring with, and in my opinion, over the years of HW division he's got to be the most awesome physically speciman that had ever been in the HW division

 

If not for the expanded gut taking all the attention, people would have noticed the significant increase in muscle mass too he had in that era, despite being a significantly older man.

 

63 minutes a hour

 

Foremen was considered one of the physically strongest because in the 70s his fights didn't really show super crazy tactics or great skill (not say he was completely unskilled) but he showed good strength by knocking a-lot of people out. In the 1970s nobody expected Frazier and ken Norton to beat Ali but then foremen just came in and destroys them pretty fast and with no difficulty so that boosted his legacy and reputation he had a good record in the 70s.

What also boosted his legacy more was his run in the 80s and 90s by knocking people out despite his old age and after coming back from his big break and even holding his own against younger legends. Then he became the oldest heavyweight champ by knocking out prime Michael moorer which boosted his legacy again. But imo he isnt above lennox, wilder or some others.

 

Yes I remember Quarry saying that too…

 

I appreciate your acknowledgement of Joe's courage,but taking evasive action from Foreman doesn't equate to being petrified.
If Big George hadn't caught Frazier with that punch you can bet your last cent that Frazier would have turned around to face Big George again.
Remember how Smokin' Joe got up everytime he was knocked down by Big George ? That isn't the behaviour of a petrified man.

 

Yeah that's fair, point taken. I must stress I wasn't calling Joe a coward or suggesting he was weak, quite the opposite, in fact. I think he was petrified by just how much of a wrecking ball he was facing with Foreman's physicality, he still kept getting up; he just didn't know what to do.

 

Joe was absolutely not petrified of Foreman. That’s absurd. He was getting the hell beat out of him and was knocked silly and in an attempt at maintaining balance stumbled a few steps on the way to being knocked down for the fourth time and getting up for more … you’re simply incorrect .

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4:30

 

What is the statement is Satan saying "I was petrified of the left hook of Smokin' Joe"?

 

he's not

 

It'd be pretty weird to be scared shitless of a fighter you underestimated and thought was an unskilled bum lol.