George Foreman’s career spanned the best part of three decades. He had 81 bouts and fought 349 rounds, so knows more than most the true meaning of having ‘a good chin.’
‘Big George’ competed against some of the most iconic names in boxing history between 1969 and 1997 including the likes of Gerry Cooney, Joe Frazier twice, Ken Norton, and of course Muhammad Ali.
He first became world champion in the golden 1970s era and famously did it for a second time after 10 years away from the ring. That was when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 to lift the WBA, IBF, and lineal titles.
He is the oldest man to ever become a two-time world champion and went on to enjoy a successful career as a pundit, watching many of the ensuing heavyweight greats battle it out. He still keeps his eye on the game today and isn’t shy of an opinion or two on the current heavyweight landscape.
In a recent Tweet, Foreman replied to a question from a fan who asked ‘which fighter had the best chin you fought?’
“Ali has the best chin I ever saw: strange for me.”
Foreman’s fight with Ali, better known as The Rumble in the Jungle, is one of the most famous bouts in history.
It came in October 1970 at Stade du 20 Mai in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Foreman was the serious betting favourite and was the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion going into the fight.
During the fight, Ali adopted this famous rope-a-dope style for the first time and sapped the energy of the big-hitting Foreman, eventually knocking him out in the 8th round in what is said to be one of the greatest sporting events of the 20th century.