George Foreman, a two-time world heavyweight champion, has picked Earnie Shavers as the hardest puncher in heavyweight boxing history. Foreman, known for his own powerful fists, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with ESPN.
Foreman's career speaks volumes about his own punching power. He won 76 fights, with 68 of those ending in knockouts. His list of notable KOs includes big names like Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Michael Moorer. Many fans and experts see Foreman as one of the hardest hitters ever in the sport.
But when it comes to pure punching power, Foreman puts Shavers above everyone else. He told ESPN:
"Nobody can hit like Earnie Shavers. He had a crunch punch. Like a welterweight he brought it back, whap! If he happened to catch you you were gonna take a stroll down memory lane trying to remember what the hell am I doing here? And Earnie Shavers was the best as far as executing the punch."
Shavers fought from 1969 to 1995, racking up 76 wins with an impressive 70 knockouts. He beat some top fighters like Ken Norton, Jimmy Ellis, and Jimmy Young. Though he never won a world title, Shavers came close twice. He lost to Muhammad Ali in 1977 and Larry Holmes in 1979.
Sadly, Shavers passed away in September 2022 at the age of 78. Before he died, he mentioned a heavyweight he thought was better than Muhammad Ali, but the details of that statement weren't shared.
Foreman's praise for Shavers carries extra weight because of his own achievements. He's the oldest person to ever win heavyweight gold, a record that stands to this day.
You can watch Foreman's full interview about Shavers and other boxing topics on ESPN's YouTube channel.
