George Foreman's 5 Hardest Hitting Foes

[SABBATH]

Who were the five hardest punchers you ever faced?

Foreman: Oh, my goodness. I'd have to say, in reverse order:

5. Muhammad Ali. He was deceptive. People say he wasn't a puncher, but he'd get you to come toward him, and he'd catch you with that quick right hand.

4. Jack O'Halloran. It was 1970, in my 15th fight. He'd beaten Manuel Ramos in California, and I fought him in Madison Square Garden. He wobbled me. [Note: Foreman stopped O'Halloran in five rounds.]

3. Sonny Liston. I sparred with him and he was the only guy who ever made me box. I was scared of him!

2. Gerry Cooney. He was one of those guys who, when they hit you, it didn't hurt, but then you saw your body start doing funny things. [Foreman KO'd Cooney in two round in 1990.]

1. Ron Lyle. I have never been hit like that! It should have been illegal for someone to get in the ring and punch somebody like that. That should have been rated X. [Foreman stopped Lyle in five rounds in 1976 in one of the greatest brawls in heavyweight history; both men were on the canvas in the fourth round.]

[Brassangel]

That's a scary thing to hear George Foreman talk about instances where he was frightened... I find it particularly interesting that Liston was still a scary man at that age; however old he was in 1969 or whatever when Foreman got to spar him.

[K-DOGG]

I think it probably had more to do with Foreman being 20 years old and Liston psyching him and playing upon his insecurity. Foreman reminded many of Liston during his first career, I believe, on purpose....because he didn't know who he was, so he emulated someone he wanted to be.

[Dye]

I think it probably had more to do with Foreman being 20 years old and Liston psyching him and playing upon his insecurity. Foreman reminded many of Liston during his first career, I believe, on purpose....because he didn't know who he was, so he emulated someone he wanted to be.

yea, that must be it

[King Koyle]

Not surprised that Lyle is #1.What a fight that was!

[K-DOGG]

Not surprised that Lyle is #1.What a fight that was!

Freakin' classic. The only heavyweight contest in recent years that comes close was Moorer-Cooper.

[butterfly1964]

Who were the five hardest punchers you ever faced?

Foreman: Oh, my goodness. I'd have to say, in reverse order:

5. Muhammad Ali. He was deceptive. People say he wasn't a puncher, but he'd get you to come toward him, and he'd catch you with that quick right hand.

4. Jack O'Halloran. It was 1970, in my 15th fight. He'd beaten Manuel Ramos in California, and I fought him in Madison Square Garden. He wobbled me. [Note: Foreman stopped O'Halloran in five rounds.]

3. Sonny Liston. I sparred with him and he was the only guy who ever made me box. I was scared of him!

2. Gerry Cooney. He was one of those guys who, when they hit you, it didn't hurt, but then you saw your body start doing funny things. [Foreman KO'd Cooney in two round in 1990.]

1. Ron Lyle. I have never been hit like that! It should have been illegal for someone to get in the ring and punch somebody like that. That should have been rated X. [Foreman stopped Lyle in five rounds in 1976 in one of the greatest brawls in heavyweight history; both men were on the canvas in the fourth round.]

there you go. foreman said ali hit hard. so that'll teach you ali haters a thing or two about ali's underrated punching power.

[hemichromis]

there you go. foreman said ali hit hard. so that'll teach you ali haters a thing or two about ali's underrated punching power.

ali didn't usually hit hard but he could when he wanted to and foreman is right about the way ali makes an opponent come forward to they are both moving in together. artful really!

[tommyhearns804]

Alot people think that Foreman tried to be like Liston which is a lie.Read Foreman book..Foreman wanted to be like any thug type murdering criminal.Those were the people he grew up around he met Liston years later.Foreman says alot of stuff since he got older.I was reading one piece were he said he wanted to try to box like Ali but his trainers would tell him to just go in there and win quick.Foreman also said Quarry was a great fighter and he doubt he could beat him.Quarry and Liston are dead...do you think Foreman would really say anything bad about them?
Ron Lyle is the man Foreman said hit him the hardest.If you have seen the Lyle Foreman fight on espn classic then you would of seen him say this right after this.Years later he also said this.Which probably ment Lyle was the one who hit him the hardest.He never mentions Frazier,Liston,Morrison or any other of the fighters he fought.

[Heckler]

Are you trying to imply that Sonny Liston didn't hit hard, and George wasn't scared of Liston.... George just said it to be nice? I hope not because i have heard various accounts which are identical to Georges.