Is George Foreman the most overrated fighter in history?

Is George Foreman the most overrated fighter in history?

I am starting to think he is a clear front-runner, as George seems to regularly feature in peoples' top 5 heavyweights of all-time and top 50 fighters of all-time, and personally I genuinely don't believe he even comes close to deserving this status.

George fought in the Golden Era alongside the biggest star the sport has ever seen Muhammad Ali, and was involved in one of the biggest fights ever, the Rumble In The Jungle, so he was a very high profile boxer. He then became the oldest heavyweight champion ever at 45, a great news story which made him famous again all around the world. George is known to be one of the most charismatic and media-friendly boxers ever, there are not many who can match his level of fame and recognition.

I think this has clouded the facts of his actual boxing career.

The following is from a post I made a couple of weeks ago comparing Foreman to Lennox Lewis:


Foreman beat Frazier twice, and you can't argue with those wins. Two real top quality hw wins. After that??? I don't see what was so great about his career at all.

He stopped Norton in two, but I'm not sure how impressive a feat that was. I think Norton is too highly rated because he was a tough match stylistically for Ali. Norton had been KO'd by a journeyman before he fought Big George, and both Earnie Shavers and Gerry Cooney put him away in the 1st round (this is maybe a bit unfair as Norton was well past-prime by then, but two 1st round KO defeats are there on his record).

George was very very nearly KO'd by Ron Lyle (the Oliver McCall or Hasim Rahman of the Golden Era maybe??), and lost to Jimmy Young (record 20-5-2 at the time) - not a shock KO due to complacency like Lewis suffered, but simply a defeat by a better boxer on the night. Lewis was never outboxed and defeated.


And that was that for Big George in the Golden Era. World champion for one year. Two great wins against the same opponent, one or two good wins, KO'd by Ali, took to the absolute brink by Lyle, beaten by Young.



The comeback was thoroughly underwhelming. Years of mediocrity alleviated by a one-punch KO of a former light-heavyweight champion after having been completely outboxed. Best wins were that win over Moorer, Moorer's fellow former lhw Qawi, and guys the standard of Cooper and Cooney. Foreman got a gift v Axel Schulz in his first defence and soon lost to Shannon Briggs.


For me, there is just no way that this is the career of a top 5 heavyweight or a top 50 ATG. I'm not being obnoxious, I don't even think he comes close. I do believe he is maybe the most overrated fighter ever because of his fame.

I am open to hearing the other side of the argument though, if anyone feels I am being unfair in my assessment of Big George's accomplishments in the ring?