George Foreman wasn't proud of the knockout power which led him to success during his boxing career.
Former two-time heavyweight champion Foreman was one of the hardest-hitters of his generation, with 68 of his 76 professional wins coming by knockout. Foreman is also the oldest heavyweight champion in history, relinquishing his IBF title at the age of 46.
'Big George' picked up several knockout wins against former world champions during his illustrious career, such as Michael Moorer, Joe Frazier and Gerry Cooney. Foreman said he was hit so hard that he often heard "bells and whistles" during his fights.
“Two things I will never forget about my boxing career; How hard I could hit [not proud of the first part] and how hard they punched me. I heard bells and whistles while bodies collapsed,” Foreman told World Boxing News.
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Foreman said that for a ten year period during his ring career, he would often wake up after his fights and feel "ashamed" for the damage he inflicted on his opponents. The first time around [1967 to 1977], I hit so hard. I’d wake up ashamed of what I had done to [those] good people," he continued.
"I felt like they were boxing, and I was slaughtering. My gift was recklessness. I didn’t care if I broke my shoulder, arm, or knuckles or if I flew out of the ring. I had to get a KO or fall down myself.”
Foreman left boxing in 1977 just three years after suffering the first loss of his career at the hands of Muhammad Ali at The Rumble in the Jungle. He won more than 20 consecutive fights upon his return in 1987, with all but one of those coming by knockout.
In the last 10 fights of Foreman's career, he suffered losses to Evander Holyfield, Tommy Morrison and Shannon Briggs. The 73-year-old said that he felt at home in the ring and that training was the real battle for him, always striving to put in extra work during his preparations.
"All of the fighting [in my mind] is done outside the ring in preparation for the fight," he continued. "One more mile, extra shadow boxing, and sit-ups. Once the bell rings, you’re safe. You practice so many hours; then we execute so perfectly. That’s when we realise the stars did it; excepting credit for such is crazy. Heaven does it.”
