I think his knockout percentage was close to 84%, any other boxers from his era that eclipsed this #?
Wilder has better KO%, it can be very misleading. For example, Joe Louis finished with 75% and when you compare his resume to Foreman, it becomes much more impressive. Of course, Foreman was a great fighter and great puncher. It's just not because of KO%.
Okay, but George has a pretty impressive record of opponents as well, right? Doing some research, it looks like He destroyed the Russian in the 1968 Olympics to win a gold metal? The stoppage was done by the ref, so I don't know if this counts a true knockout but I'm including anyway for reference. He was also far more experienced than Foreman. Foreman won this Olympic Gold Medal after boxing only 1.5 years and with only 20 amateur fights going into the Olympics. That is just unbelievable, in some ways one of his most significant achievements, IMO. Gold medal match: Čepulis, fighting out of Lithuania, was a 29-year-old veteran with a 12-year-long amateur career, having over 220 fights in his record, quite experienced, and 10 years older than Foreman.[18] Round of 16: defeated Lucjan Trela (Poland) on points, 4–1 Quarterfinal: defeated Ion Alexe (Romania) referee stopped contest, 3rd round Semifinal: defeated Giorgio Bambini (Italy) by a second-round knockout Final: defeated Jonas Čepulis (Soviet Union) referee stopped contest, second round Side note, Giorgio Bambini went on to have a perfect professional record of 15-0 after getting KOd by George. Fought Ken Norten who was known as a game contender and went the distance with Ali. Foreman knocked him out in the 2nd round Fought Joe Frazier, heavyweight champion of the world, and knocking him around the ring like a bouncy ball KO 2nd round, Joe Frazier was undefeated at that point. Fought Ron Lyle, defeated him in KO in the 5th round after getting floored twice in the 4th. Fought Michael Moorer and KOd him in the 10th round. Moorer was undefeated and had unified the belts So far thats KOd two heavyweight champions of the world, like 20 years apart Thats incredible if you ask me. Also he defeated Jerry Cooney in two rounds. Cooney had previously knocked out Norton in the first round. THis is what I have found so far. As I am just getting into boxing history and Foreman is definitely my favorite fighter of all time.
If I knock out 30 novices and then KO an ATG it doesn’t erase the fact the high percent is mostly owed to beating up on guys who couldn’t fight, like Foreman. He had to pad his record he didn’t have enough rounds even when he was champ.
There's a reason why guys didn't stand in front of Foreman. Joe Frazier called Foreman fists "wrecking balls".
George Foreman has knocked out enough HW world champions: - Joe Frazier x 2 - Ken Norton - Michael Moorer and - Dwight Muhammad Qawi Cruiserweight World Champion and he was knocked out by a world champion, but he is the GOAT.
To be fair among the record padding leading up to his title fight, George did stop: 1) Gregorio Peralta. The man has been stopped three times in his career: once very early in his career (at light heavyweight I believe), the other on cuts. The only legit stoppage of the Goyo happened in the Foreman rematch during the 10th round. Neither Bonavena nor Lyle (two attempts against older Peralta) managed to do that. 2) George Chuvalo. Granted, the stoppage was controversial, but Foreman was thoroughly dominating the bout and Chucalo's granite chin aside, he gave the ref few reasons not to stop it.
Mac Foster either lost a fight or won by stoppage. No other outcome. 30 fights won by stoppage, 6 lost. 83% IIRC. Young George had 93% in 40 fights, but he did stop both Peralta and Chuvalo. He ended his career in that era at 45-2-0 with 42 knockouts. 89%.
You don't know that and your arguments for it are extremely weak. True, Louis was also more accurate if you didn't.
So the gold medal match at the 1968 Olympics just doesn't do it for you? He was 18 LOL! Also, I very much dislike this comment. Foreman faced multiple undefeated world champions and KOd both of them. Twenty years apart. Tell me another single boxer who accomplished a more impressive feat. People that whine about record "padding" with lesser opponents seem to forget that's how you hone the skills of a fighter.
Foreman knocked out an undefeated reigning HW champion in early 1973 and repeated it against another undefeated HW champion in the late 1994. How impressive was his longetivity? Won Olympics Gold in 1968. Won his 2nd HW title 26+ years later (and 21+ years after the 1st HW title).
