Note from Muhammad Ali on hardest puncher in boxing history

Ali states that

“of all the men I have fought, Foreman was the most powerful”

Case closed.

 

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Earnie Shavers hit harder than Joe Frazier and George Foreman said Ali.

 

Muhammad did mention that Earnie was the one who hit him the hardest though. Although that could have been because Earnie hit him with a lot more shots to the head than George did. Ali blocked,rode or slipped a lot of Foreman's headshots even though a few got through. This was indicative of how far Muhammad had slipped in the three years between those fights.

 

Regarding Shavers on being the hardest puncher, think that's just his dementia kicking in. (i kid)
in any event, he contradicts himself. so idk

 

He repeatedly claimed post Shavers bout that Shavers hit him the hardest ... maybe the Foreman claim was before he fought Shavers in 77 as there were three years between ...

 

I wish that Muhammad had avoided as many of Earnie's shots as he did George's.

 

Earnie wouldn't like those destiny-guided sharp Zaire counters. I reckon Ali would find an opening quite fast.

 

Very true. The Ali of Zaire would have scored a very clear decision over the 1977 Earnie. Maybe even stopped him late in the bout.

 

Thanks guys, that clears it up. I do believe the quote was taken from 1975, so yeah it would have been before he fought shavers.

 

go to 59:50 and Ali says Foreman had no power and didn't hit hard. He said Foreman did thumb him. This is from an interview in the dressing room right after the fight. Ali is unmarked and looks like he could fight another fight. Ali does not look tired or like he has been in a tough fight.
Ali said that he told Foreman that he "couldn't punch, had no power, swung like a sissy"...this interview was right after the fight, Ali did not sound like he was impressed by Foreman's power.

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He was being egotistical after defeating George, that's the only thing you are telling me.
He later said he was the most powerful boxer he ever fought, before Shavers, once tempers subsided.
Ali also was never hit with a flush shot from foreman due to rope a dope tactics.

 

Ali stated in his biography that George landed a right uppercut flush (it was either in the 4th or 5th rounds) that made him feel like his head was coming off. You can see it for yourself.

 

He also did say he was out on his feet twice... so foreman did land some serios blows.

 

You're taking his immediate post-fight comments as meaning much, given how Ali spent months before the fight (and then the fight itself) mind****ing Foreman?

 

Yeah, I can see that uppercut in my mind’s eye right now - it really reefed Ali’s head up.

That’s the thing with Ali - he disguised it so well it’s difficult to pinpoint all the times he was seriously hurt. I think it was in Rd 10 Manila - Frazier was ruthlessly hooking Ali on the ropes - Ali was half bent and not throwing back for a concerning period - then he came “alive” to throw back and work his way out of the corner. Unreal.