Muhammad Ali named Earnie Shavers as the hardest hitter he faced in his boxing career. This might surprise many fans who expected George Foreman to hold that title.
Ali's statement about Shavers packs a punch. He said:
"Earnie Shavers. He's stronger than Joe Frazier and George Foreman. He hit hard. I don't know why I picked on him this late in my career. I didn't really believe he was as good as he was. I predicted he was going in round seven, but he was good. He took all I had and hit real hard."
This claim stands out because Ali fought Foreman in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" in October 1974. The bout took place at the 20th of May Stadium in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in front of 60,000 fans.
Before the fight, Foreman looked unbeatable. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion with a perfect 40-0 record, including 37 knockouts. Ali, on the other hand, was 8 years older and many thought his best days were behind him.
But Ali shocked the world. He used his famous "rope-a-dope" tactic for the first time, letting Foreman tire himself out by throwing punches. In the 8th round, Ali knocked out the exhausted Foreman.
Ali's fight with Shavers came later, in September 1977. Ali won on points, but Shavers left a lasting impression. Shavers' career record backs up Ali's claim about his power. Out of his 76 wins, 70 came by knockout.
It's worth noting that Foreman has his own surprising pick for the best boxer he faced, and it's not Ali. But that's a story for another day.
