Sonny Liston and George Foreman common oppenents.

True, Ali said Patterson was the most skillful, Liston was the scariest, George was the strongest, Frazier was the toughest and Earnie Shavers was the hardest puncher.

 

Ali is on record saying that Shavers was stronger than Foreman and he uses the term 'stronger'

 

Yeah but still, Ali called Foreman the strongest.

 

You still have to take into account Ali's own strength and condition at the time of both the Foreman and Shavers fights. In one he's the challenger, totally energised, fully-focused, in the other he's returned after yet another 'retirement' for another decent payday and is a fighter clearly nearer the end of his career, a 'just one more time' scenario. So if he did regard Earnie as the 'stronger' man, it likely speaks more about his own condition too.

 

Did he specifically use the word strongest for Foreman or just most powerful? Or hardest hitter for Shavers? I'd trust what Ali says when addressing someone in person than quotes in a book.

 

He used therms I said, he called every fighter what he really is like he called Frazier toughest, Patterson best skills or Foreman strongest.