George Foreman, the two-time world heavyweight champion, has revealed that Joe Frazier was the only boxer he feared during his long and successful career in the ring.
Foreman's boxing journey began with a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. He turned pro shortly after and went on to become a two-time world heavyweight champion. His first world title came in 1973, and he made history again in 1994 when he became the oldest world heavyweight champion at 46 years and 169 days.
Despite facing legendary opponents like Muhammad Ali, Foreman admits that Frazier was the one who truly intimidated him. In a recent interview, Foreman explained why Frazier stood out:
"I remember Joe Frazier, he was the toughest guy I ever seen. My mother watched him fight on television and he hit a guy so hard the guy turned his back."
Foreman's fear of Frazier stemmed from the latter's reputation for toughness and his unusual fighting style. Frazier was known for liking to be hit and responding aggressively when opponents missed their punches.
"When it was time to fight Joe Frazier and I knew if you hit him he liked it, and if you miss him he'd just get upset. I'm thinking what am I gonna do?"
The intimidation was so intense that Foreman even hoped to avoid fighting Frazier altogether:
"I kept thinking I want to be champion of the world but I sure hope Joe Frazier die."
Foreman's usual pre-fight tactics of intimidation backfired when it came to Frazier:
"I had this habit of staring guys down, I look them in the eye to psych them out. If they drop their head I knew I had an advantage. But I was hoping Joe Frazier wouldn't drop his head because my knees were shaking. At that time I wish I hadn't even started that."
Despite his fears, Foreman faced Frazier in January 1973. The fight ended with Foreman beating Frazier by second-round knockout, earning him his first world championship title.
Interestingly, Foreman notes that he didn't fear Muhammad Ali, even after losing his title to him.
"It's strange. I wasn't afraid of Muhammad even though I lost the title to Muhammad."
Foreman's career achievements extend far beyond his fear of Frazier, but this revelation offers a unique insight into the mindset of one of boxing's greatest champions. It shows that even the toughest fighters can have moments of doubt and fear, making Foreman's accomplishments all the more impressive.
The full interview where Foreman shares these insights can be found on YouTube, offering boxing fans a chance to hear more about this fascinating chapter in heavyweight boxing history directly from one of its key figures.
