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

[brocktonblockbust]

“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."

[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"

[brocktonblockbust]

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

[ross]

I suspect hes like Holmes.

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

[Fenster]

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.

[mikeeod]

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"

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.

[Master]

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.

[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.

[beenKOed]

There is no doubt who had the best bite.

[Master]

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.

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.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

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