George Foreman, a boxing legend in his own right, has picked Joe Louis as the greatest boxer of all time. The two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist shared his opinion during an appearance on ...
Foreman, who's considered one of the best heavyweights ever, didn't choose Muhammad Ali for the top spot. That's surprising, given their famous 1974 fight, "The Rumble in the Jungle." In that bout, Ali used his "rope-a-dope" tactics to tire out Foreman and scored an eighth-round stoppage win. Ali walked away with both the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles.
When asked about the best boxer ever, Foreman said,
"They ask me who is the best boxer of all time – Joe Louis."
Louis, known as the "Brown Bomber," had an impressive career from 1934 to 1951. He racked up 66 wins with 52 knockouts and only 3 losses. Louis held the world heavyweight champion title from 1937 to 1949 and defended it 25 times in a row.
But Foreman didn't forget about Ali. He added,
"But I tell you, the best man to ever do anything was Muhammad Ali."
Foreman's praise for Ali went beyond the ring, recognizing his activism and refusal to be drafted into the military. Ali's record stands at 56 wins and 5 losses.
Interestingly, Foreman hinted that another boxer he faced might have been better than Ali, though he didn't name names.
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You can watch Foreman's full interview on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. For more details about the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," check out this article from Britannica.