Not Muhammad Ali, not Tyson’ — George Foreman reveals boxer he dreaded

By Olaolu Joseph

There weren’t many fighters George Foreman avoided during his illustrious career.

Foreman first became world heavyweight champion at 24 in January 1973, knocking out Joe Frazier in just two rounds in Jamaica.

After defending his title against José Roman and Ken Norton, he faced Muhammad Ali in the legendary ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ in October 1974. Ali dethroned ‘Big George’ with an eighth-round knockout.

Foreman retired in 1977, taking a decade-long hiatus from the sport before making a comeback in 1987. He worked his way back to world title contention, and although he fell short against Evander Holyfield, Foreman defeated Michael Moorer via a 10th-round stoppage in 1994 to reclaim the world heavyweight title. This victory earned him the distinction of being the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

Foreman’s career concluded after a loss to Shannon Briggs in November 1997. His final record stood at 76 wins (68 by knockout) and 5 losses.

A fight between Foreman and Mike Tyson was often speculated in the early 1990s but never materialized, leaving fans to wonder about the outcome of such a clash. However, Tyson was not the fighter Foreman dreaded most. That title belonged to Earnie Shavers.

“I never fought Earnie Shavers. Thank goodness,” Foreman admitted.

Foreman described Shavers as the hardest puncher he had ever encountered, saying, “Nobody can hit like Earnie Shavers. He had a crunch punch, and he was like a welterweight—if he caught you, you were going to take a stroll down memory lane. He was the best at executing a punch.”

Earnie Shavers is widely regarded as one of the hardest-hitting heavyweights of all time. Of his 76 career wins, 70 came by knockout.

Shavers challenged for the world heavyweight title twice, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1977 and Larry Holmes in 1979. Throughout his career, which spanned from 1969 to 1995, Shavers knocked out notable opponents such as Ken Norton, Jimmy Ellis, and Jimmy Young.

He passed away in 2022 at the age of 78 following a short illness, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most feared punchers in boxing history.

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