Holyfield's journey to that fight was remarkable. He conquered the cruiserweight division before moving up to heavyweight in 1988. His first fight at the new weight ended with a fifth-round stoppage of James Tillis. Holyfield's rise continued, culminating in a knockout win over James 'Buster' Douglas, who had just upset Mike Tyson. This victory made Holyfield a two-division champion, securing the IBF and WBC heavyweight belts.
In 1991, Holyfield, undefeated at 28, faced his first heavyweight title defense against a 42-year-old George Foreman. Foreman was in the midst of an impressive comeback, boasting a 24-0 record with 23 knockouts. He aimed to regain the world title after a decade away from the ring.
The fight turned into a bruising affair. Holyfield stood toe-to-toe with Foreman, who showed incredible toughness. Despite Holyfield winning by unanimous decision, Foreman's power left a lasting impact.
Speaking to ES News, Holyfield recalled:
"The guy that hit me the hardest was George Foreman. He hit me one time in the eleventh round, and I came back to the corner and I said, 'did he knock all my teeth out?'"
In another interview with Fight Hub TV, Holyfield compared Foreman's power to other heavyweight legends:
"George Foreman [hit harder than Tyson], a lot harder, but he was a lot bigger too though… He hit me one time and my feet froze up. I hadn't been hit like that before."
Foreman's legacy grew even after this loss. In 1994, he beat Michael Moorer to become the oldest heavyweight world champion. He finished his career with an impressive 76 wins, 68 by knockout, and only 5 losses.
Holyfield's praise for Foreman's power, even when compared to other heavy hitters like Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, cements Foreman's place as one of boxing's most formidable punchers.