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The 5 greatest wins of George Foreman s career

George Foreman at a Sports Illustrated Tribute To Muhammad Ali is regarded as one of the most destructive punchers in boxing history, and rightly so. By the end of his professional career, the Texas-born Olympic Gold Medalist had secured 76 wins, with 68 of them coming by way of knockout. Foreman's colossal power helped him etch his name in boxing lore. When discussing the greatest knockout artists that have graced the sport, it would be a criminal offense to not include 'Big George'. While he may be most famous for his iconic defeat at the hands of , it can never be forgotten that George Foreman is a legend in his own right. Few fighters in history have been able to match the goliath-like presence Foreman brought into the ring. With a career that spanned two different eras across the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, the American legend crafted a record filled with remarkable names and spectacular wins. In this list, we'll take a look at five of those greatest victories.

#5 George Foreman vs George Chuvalo

In 1970, two years after winning an Olympic Gold Medal in Mexico, George Foreman was still climbing the heavyweight rankings as a professional. One of his first true tests came against Canada's extremely tough George Chuvalo. The Canadian fighter boasted significant victories over and Jerry Quarry prior to stepping into the ring with 'Big George'. On August 4th, Foreman and Chuvalo met at . Chuvalo started the fight well enough, digging into his opponent's body with brutal left hooks. While the Canadian boxer put up a valiant effort, Foreman simply proved to be too much. The Olympic Gold Medalist kept Chuvalo at bay with a stiff jab and punished him with brutal right hands. While Chuvalo showed tremendous heart by marching forward throughout the bout, the difference in power and skill was evident early on. In the second round, the Canadian boxer's face was already swelling up. In the third and final round, Foreman staggered Chuvalo with powerful hooks and uppercuts. Trapping his opponent in his own corner, 'Big George' punished Chuvalo with a relentless barrage, forcing the latter's team to throw in the towel. Foreman's stoppage victory over Chuvalo was a significant one. The Canadian fighter was renowned for his chin and grit and ended his professional career without suffering a single knockdown. He was also famous for having taken the full distance in two bouts.

#4 George Foreman vs Ron Lyle

George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle. If you haven’t seen it, “Heavyweight Hagler-Hearns” is the best description I can give you. Just trust me on this one.

George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle. If you haven’t seen it, “Heavyweight Hagler-Hearns” is the best description I can give you. Just trust me on this one. Nearly two years after his shocking defeat to Muhammad Ali in the now legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle', Foreman stepped into the ring once more against top contender Ron Lyle. What may have been perceived as an easy comeback victory for 'Big George' turned out to be one of the greatest heavyweight brawls in the history of . At Caesars Palace in Nevada, Foreman and Lyle beat each other to a pulp. Ron Lyle wobbled 'Big George' in the first round with a powerful right hand. Foreman came back strong the next round and hurt Lyle. (Strangely, the second round appears to have been stopped only after two minutes, not the standard three.) In the fourth round, a round that is praised as one of the most exciting rounds in the history of the sport, Lyle knocked Foreman down. 'Big George' was able to make it to his feet and came back to drop Lyle. In a spectacular turn of events, Lyle came back and knocked Foreman down once more at the end of the round. In the fifth and final round, Foreman was hurt early. However, he managed to back Lyle into a corner and floor him with a devastating barrage. Lyle was unable to beat the count this time, giving 'Big George' one of the greatest victories of his career. Such a dramatic victory couldn't have come at a better time for Foreman. After his loss to Ali, any questions regarding his heart and dedication should have been immediately thrown out the window. Against Lyle, the Texas-born powerhouse proved that he could battle travel to hell and back in order to secure the win. I thought Lyle was all hype; never believed his record. But did I learn better was Ron Lyle tougher than you thought? He gave you a hard fight. was Ron Lyle tougher than you thought? He gave you a hard fight.I thought Lyle was all hype; never believed his record. But did I learn better

#3 George Foreman vs Ken Norton

A year after winning the World Heavyweight Championship, George Foreman locked horns with highly-ranked Ken Norton on March 26th, 1974. The latter was coming off a pair of thrilling bouts with in 1973, having shocked the world by beating 'The Greatest' in their first fight. What was expected to be a competitive title defense for the 25-year-old Texan turned out to be one of the easiest victories of his professional career. In the first round, Foreman plodded forward and showed little respect for his opponent's countering abilities as he threw wide and wild shots. By the end of the opening round, it appeared that 'Big George' was beginning to find a home for his destructive shots. In the second and final round, Foreman hurt Norton several times before knocking him down on three separate occasions. After the third knockdown, the referee and Norton's team had seen enough. Ken Norton was a terrific fighter who excelled at fighting slick boxers like Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. However, his come forward, bob-and-weave style never fared well against power punchers, and unfortunately for Norton, he was forced to contend with one of the most devastating punchers boxing has ever seen. Interestingly enough, when Foreman made his famous comeback in the '80s, he began employing a cross-armed defensive shell, similar to what Norton used throughout his career.

#2 George Foreman vs Joe Frazier

On January 22nd, 1973, in a bout billed as 'The Sunshine Showdown', George Foreman shocked the world by conquering heavyweight champion 'Smokin' Joe Frazier. Frazier was on top of the world, having beaten Muhammad Ali in '71. After his iconic victory over Ali, Frazier racked up two title defenses before stepping into the ring with an undefeated Foreman. 'Big George' entered the bout with a tremendous 37-0 record. While Foreman possessed thunderous punching power and an Olympic Gold Medal, very few gave the Texan a chance to defeat Frazier. At the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, Foreman absolutely dominated 'Smokin' Joe. Frazier was barely able to get off any offense as his taller and more powerful opponent walked him down, flooring him three times in the very first round. In the second round, Foreman quickly replicated his success by scoring another three knockdowns, finally forcing a stoppage. With his dominant, borderline-surreal victory, 'Big George' was able to become heavyweight champion at only 24 years old. Foreman's fantastic victory over Frazier also gave birth to one of boxing's most famous lines by legendary announcer Howard Cosel: "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!"

#1 George Foreman vs Michael Moorer

George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer is one of the in boxing history. At the age of 45, 'Big George' entered the ring against 26-year-old champion Michael Moorer. In cinematic and poetic fashion, the Texas-born legend stepped between the ropes wearing the same trunks he wore against Muhammad Ali twenty years prior. Angelo Dundee, Ali's legendary trainer, was also part of Foreman's corner for the bout. Foreman, who returned to boxing in 1987 after a ten-year layoff, had been on the comeback trail for several years by this point. He'd challenge for heavyweight gold twice in the '90s, losing to in 1991 and Tommy Morrison in 1993. While many fans and pundits lauded Foreman's spirit and resilience, very few gave him a chance of actually winning a world title again at his age. George Foreman's last chance came in 1994, when his fame propelled him to a title shot against Michael Moorer. Moorer, a naturally gifted southpaw and nearly twenty years Foreman's junior, was expected to box circles around 'Big George', and for the majority of the bout, he did. He was simply faster than Foreman, making him more able to land consecutive shots at a consistent rate. While Foreman fought back bravely throughout the contest, especially in the third and sixth rounds, he did little to negate Moorer's superior speed, agility, and accuracy. In the tenth round, however, George Foreman once again shocked the boxing world when he knocked out the champion with a short right hand. Moorer's back hit the canvas in dramatic fashion, and the young champion was unable to beat the count. With his dramatic knockout victory at 45 years old, George Foreman became the oldest man to ever win a heavyweight world title. His win over Moorer captured the hearts and imagination of millions across the world, cementing his name as a sports icon across the globe. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Thank You! Show More Comments No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ Be the first one to comment on this story More from Sportskeeda Fetching more content... 1 Logout No Results Found