Holyfield: "Foreman hit harder than Tyson/Bowe/Lewis"

“George Foreman hit me the hardest of all the fighters I ever fought,” the five-time heavyweight titlist confessed. “Some people didn’t get a chance to hit me hard because I wasn’t there. George Foreman got me. Lennox Lewis, Tyson, they hit real hard, but George Foreman hit me harder by a mile."

Considering that Holyfield fought in one of the last great 15-round wars against Dwight Muhammad Qawi, battled a prime Riddick Bowe over three grueling battles, and ate shots from the man many consider the hardest hitting heavyweight ever in Mike Tyson, Holyfield’s compliment means something. And if he hit Holyfield that hard in the 1990s, think of how Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali felt in the 1970s. "I think it was the 7th round," The Real Deal recalled, "he hit me so hard, I thought all my teeth had got knocked out."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMwWynfQKLc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDBBWbAXc6o

I would guess he means George was the most "heavy handed" guy he ever fought, which was probably true for most who fought Foreman. George had freaky power behind shots that weren't even fully turned over, didn't catch guys off guard or land in a great spot. I don't doubt Foreman was a stronger or more powerful man than any of those 3 either, but it always makes me chuckle when a fighter says a guy that didn't knock him out(or especially even hurt them to badly) definitely hit harder than a guy who did. As if when Evander peeled himself off the floor in the third fight with Bowe, his first thoughts were "at least he didn't hit as hard as Foreman";D

George hurt him 3 or 4 times in their fight, but Evander was too young and quickly escaped

I suspect hes like Holmes.

They both seem bitter and reluctant to give praise to fighters from their generation.

Fighters always say fighters that didn't KO them were harder hitters than ones that did because you don't feel it when you're sparked.

A 220 young George Foreman was obviously a brutal puncher, so you wouldn't fancy a clump of the old boy weighing 250, even though he lacked the athleticism.

I remember him also saying that only a lewis and Foreman were physically stronger than him.

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Originally Posted by p4pking

I would guess he means George was the most "heavy handed" guy he ever fought, which was probably true for most who fought Foreman. George had freaky power behind shots that weren't even fully turned over, didn't catch guys off guard or land in a great spot. I don't doubt Foreman was a stronger or more powerful man than any of those 3 either, but it always makes me chuckle when a fighter says a guy that didn't knock him out(or especially even hurt them to badly) definitely hit harder than a guy who did. As if when Evander peeled himself off the floor in the third fight with Bowe, his first thoughts were "at least he didn't hit as hard as Foreman";D

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In my opinion/interperitation, Evander seemed to be talking more about single punch power. Bowe (and even James Toney), stopped Evander more from sheer exhaustion and accumulation than pure punching power. I seem to recall an old stepping stone type fighter named David Jaco discussing the Tyson/Foreman power debate. He had lost to both an made an interesting analogy where he said Foreman was the harder puncher, but that Tysons punch was equally intimidating because he combined it with much more speed, and you couldn't see them coming. I feel like Evander would echo those observations if asked.

Foreman did probably hit Holyfield hardest mainly because Evander did not think the old man was going to put up too much of a fight and got caught unnecessarily.

I like Razor Ruddock's analogy of Tyson's power: "He hits really hard.....for a guy his size."


Outside of Marvis Frazier, Tyson didn't end that many fights with KO's. Mostly TKOs. Tyson sure as hell didn't drop Holyfield. And Bowe dropping him was an accumulation of punches.

There is no doubt who had the best bite.

I can't with a straight face say Bowe was a bigger puncher than Foreman based on dropping Holyfield. Cooper visibly rocked and rolled Holyfield far worse than Foreman??? Circumstances, time, delivery variable etc. Not to mention an unknown Cooper coming into hometown as a third option once Tyson fight fell through. Foreman had a punch that made your ass and heart collapse into your knees and actually stung Holyfield hard with a right hand and lifted him near off the canvas with some body shots early on. Foreman's a legend and arguably among the top five hardest hitters the division has known. Bowe was a guy who peaked and fell during the trilogy and needing 30 plus rounds to drop a haggard and exhausted Holyfield flat. I believe him on this one ;D

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Originally Posted by SlimTrae

I like Razor Ruddock's analogy of Tyson's power: "He hits really hard.....for a guy his size."


Outside of Marvis Frazier, Tyson didn't end that many fights with KO's. Mostly TKOs. Tyson sure as hell didn't drop Holyfield. And Bowe dropping him was an accumulation of punches.

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Tyson weighed the same as prime Foreman but mikes knockouts were because of speed and angles not seen by the opponent. Foreman knocked you out by just hitting you many times until you fell.

Tyson was the punch you never saw coming. You'd miss a shot and BOOM! Tyson was right there in your grill with a powerful shot and you were nailed at your most vulnerable....right after you put your weight behind a punch which never landed.


Foreman was a force of nature, you could see the punches coming you knew where they were coming from but there was nothing you could do. You could try to move but he'd follow up, you could try to block but the force behind those punches would move your entire body, you could try to parry but you'd still get clipped. Foreman was like a tsunami....the only way to avoid his power was to completely avoid HIM. You just couldn't stay in range for too long.


Lennox Lewis was a combination of both strength and speed. You could know it was coming or you could get surprised, it was luck of the draw.

Riddick Bowe.....meh, I never saw Bowe just hammer the bejesus out of someone with 1 punch and see the lights go out on them.

Seeing shots & not seeing definitely has an impact. Ruddock took Tyson's all night (fight #2) but couldn't take Lennox for 2 rounds.

Evander took Tyson & Lennox shots, but got dropped by Bowe & Ruiz.


I'll have to watch Forman vs Jimmy Young to see why/how he took Forman's best but couldn't take Shavers best.

Foreman came with that chopping axe handle punch. He almost threw uppercuts in comeback without totally turning it over and for as big and shuffling his feet, he kept the telephone pole jab surprisingly straight.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

Foreman came with that chopping axe handle punch. He almost threw uppercuts in comeback without totally turning it over and for as big and shuffling his feet, he kept the telephone pole jab surprisingly straight.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0sC7jGdF5A

That uppercut vs Cooney was just brutal

I know that Big George was a devastating fighter he had something he picked up on his return that helped him cut the ring off that he may have ignored the first time or developed it in his return. He followed his opponents with a bounce in his legs just like Tito the former welter champ and George was a fan of his too. Dick Sadler should have slowed down his punches and made him straighten out his punches and a great deal more roadwork for endurance and that calming effect. If all else failed he still had those sledge hammers called fists in his glove and a bludgeoning jab.

Only an Ali could beat him. I thinkc Jimmy young would not have been able to beat him if George Foreman had not been beaten by ali and suffered a decline in his self confidence by the time he fought Jimmy young