Who hit harder, George Foreman or Gerry Cooney?

[thecount89]

I don't think this question needs an explanation.

[PeterNielsen70]

I'll go with George Clooney:bbb

[C. M. Clay II]

Is this some sort of sick joke?:lol:

[OLD FOGEY]

I don't think this question needs an explanation.

Foreman, easily.

[JohnThomas1]

Foreman, easily.

When it comes to out and out single punch power nobody in history "easily" hits harder than Cooney. We're not talking class, this is pure single shot power regardless of which hand it comes from.

[unitas]

foreman..........way harder.

[robert ungurean]

Foreman

[cross_trainer]

I don't think this question needs an explanation.
I'd say Foreman, though not "easily" as some have. Cooney delivered his left hook with more snap and timing than Foreman did, which was part of his success in gaining knockouts. Foreman often used sheer brute force, much like Max Baer--and he had the power to get away with it, even when he had very little leverage on his punches.

Foreman must therefore hit harder.

[Ramon Rojo]

Foreman of course

[Muchmoore]

Foreman. Cooney hits hard but his power is a little over rated. Not top 5 like Foremans.

[Titan1]

Foreman.

[timmers612]

Freddy Askew who fought George early in his career (loss ko 2) had this to say about Georges hitting power, growing up on a farm in Tennesee Fred was kicked in the head by a horse and didn't wake up for two days. Fred said George hit harder....Foremans punch over Cooney here.

[Slothrop]

Judge for yourselves:

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[frankwornank]

:yikes COONEY WAS THE SHARPER PUNCHER. HE COULD PUT YOU AWAY WITH ONE PUNCH. HOWEVER, FOREMAN WAS A MORE HEAVY HANDED PUNCHER AND HEAD TO HEAD, FOREMAN WINS 9 OUT OF TEN TIMES AGAINST COONEY.

[Bill1234]

Foreman is the much better fighter, and I think people are getting the harder puncher with the better fighter confused. IMO Gerry Cooney's left hook, and body shots were harder than Foremans. But all around, Foreman hit harder. Larry Holmes said that Shavers and Cooney hit harder than Tyson.

[Luigi1985]

Judge for yourselves:

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:patsch

Sal Sanchez also KO´d Gomez, is he than automatically a harder puncher than Wilfredo? Other examples: Tyson- Douglas, Langford- Tut Jackson, Hearns- SRL, Turner- Ike Williams, Hafey- Olivares, etc., I could go on with other 100 examples...

[Bad_Intentions]

foreman.

the man threw powerfull uppercuts (see foreman.vs frazier).

[Bad_Intentions]

Judge for yourselves:

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:rofl:rofl @ gerry cooney fighting out of marco island fl.

[Chris Warren]

Foreman is the much better fighter, and I think people are getting the harder puncher with the better fighter confused. IMO Gerry Cooney's left hook, and body shots were harder than Foremans. But all around, Foreman hit harder. Larry Holmes said that Shavers and Cooney hit harder than Tyson.

Cute point until you realize Holmes never fought Foreman so he woudlnt know how hard Foreamn punched and most fighters who faced Morrison and Tyson said Morrison hit harder. Not to mention Holmes once stated Butterbean hit him harder than Tyson did.

[mr. magoo]

I don't know if punching power is something that we can accurately gauge just by looking at two guys on film. What we do have to go by however, is competition, and frankly I don't think Cooney has tested his power on enough world class opponents to make a statement.

[Chris Warren]

Foreman is the much better fighter, and I think people are getting the harder puncher with the better fighter confused. IMO Gerry Cooney's left hook, and body shots were harder than Foremans. But all around, Foreman hit harder. Larry Holmes said that Shavers and Cooney hit harder than Tyson.

Cute point until you realize Holmes never fought Foreman so he woudlnt know how hard Foreamn punched and most fighters who faced Morrison and Tyson said Morrison hit harder. Not to mention Holmes once stated Butterbean hit him harder than Tyson did.

[SuzieQ49]

1991 Mike Tyson TKO 3 George Foreman

1991 Lennox Lewis TKO 5 George Foreman

1991 Riddick Bowe W 12 George Foreman- 11 rounds to 1

1991 Razor Ruddock TKO 10 George Foreman

1991 Ray Mercer 12 George Foreman- 11 rounds to 1

[kolcade4]

did cooney even hit hard?

[TheGreatA]

I think Foreman's uppercut was more devastating than Cooney's left hook.

[patscorpio]

did cooney even hit hard?
even though it was on a cut and didnt drop him he is only one of 2 men to stop jimmy young..for what is worth

[AnthonyJ74]

When it comes to out and out single punch power nobody in history "easily" hits harder than Cooney. We're not talking class, this is pure single shot power regardless of which hand it comes from.

I think it's possible that Cooney hit as hard or even harder than George Foreman with a single shot. I'm sure a lot of guys were in Foreman's league, including guys like Ruddock, Bonecrusher, Morrison, and Tua. And Tyson! And to be honest, Foreman was not really a one-punch knockout artist.

[El Bujia]

did cooney even hit hard?He was a massive puncher. I agree with cross_trainer's point on the previous page, though.

[MRBILL]

Cooney KO'd bums, stiffs and old farts............... Foreman at least KO'd some bad mo-fo's like "Frazier, Norton, Lyle and Moorer."


MR.BILL

[AnthonyJ74]

Cooney KO'd bums, stiffs and old farts............... Foreman at least KO'd some bad mo-fo's like "Frazier, Norton, Lyle and Moorer."


MR.BILL
True, but whose to say that Cooney couldn't have KO'd the same guys that Foreman did? Competition aside, I think it's entirely plausable that Cooney could have walked up to a heavybag and hit it with the same force (or more) that George Foreman could have. Cooney was a big dude that got an awful lot of leverage on his punches, mainly his left hook.

[round15]

When it comes to out and out single punch power nobody in history "easily" hits harder than Cooney. We're not talking class, this is pure single shot power regardless of which hand it comes from.

I would say Shavers for single one punch power was greater than Cooney.

[ThinBlack]

Foreman, though for the single shot Cooney could well have hit harder.

[Stevie G]

I don't think this question needs an explanation.
George....easily.

[MURK20]

I think it's possible that Cooney hit as hard or even harder than George Foreman with a single shot. I'm sure a lot of guys were in Foreman's league, including guys like Ruddock, Bonecrusher, Morrison, and Tua. And Tyson! And to be honest, Foreman was not really a one-punch knockout artist.

Thats because his punches were so wide and he really didn't care where they landed. The man lifted people off of their feet with punches. Who does that shit?

[MURK20]

Freddy Askew who fought George early in his career (loss ko 2) had this to say about Georges hitting power, growing up on a farm in Tennesee Fred was kicked in the head by a horse and didn't wake up for two days. Fred said George hit harder....Foremans punch over Cooney here.

:rofl

Here's another statement from Askew who was 6'3 by the way....

The George Foreman fight in Houston in 1969 was a $25,000 payday. Foreman, fresh off his 1968 Olympic gold medal, was fighting for just the second time as a pro. Askew knew it was over early.

“I’m standing there in the ring, looking at this guy ... he was huge,” Askew recalled, while holding up his fists replaying the fight in his mind. “I hit him like three, four times with all I had. He just kind of smiles. He picks me up between his elbows and just kind of sets me down.”

Official records show a Foreman first-round knockout. To this day, Askew swears he made it to the third round.

[MURK20]

Foreman is the much better fighter, and I think people are getting the harder puncher with the better fighter confused. IMO Gerry Cooney's left hook, and body shots were harder than Foremans. But all around, Foreman hit harder. Larry Holmes said that Shavers and Cooney hit harder than Tyson.


Holmes annoys the hell out of me with that shit. Tyson blasts this dude out in 1 round and Cooney goes the distance with him and now Cooney hits harder?

[rodney]

Forman KO.d Cooney.

[janitor]

Foreman himself said they were about equal, for whatever that is worth.

[orriray59]

At the end of the day nobody here has actually felt their power firsthand so all of these super analytic discussions mean fuck all.

[hookfromhell]

Thats because his punches were so wide and he really didn't care where they landed. The man lifted people off of their feet with punches. Who does that shit?

Yeah the only other person I've seen do that to people is Tyson. Haha
there's some footage of George hitting the heavy bag. Huge wide swinging
Shots the guys holding the bag can barely hold on. Foremans jab actually knocked
cooney down although cooney already ate an uppercut and some rights and
lefts. Id have to go with Foreman I believe his loaded swinging punches had slightly more force behind them. Cooney is definitely one of the hardest hitters
ever imo. I can't see Cooneys left hook knocking frazier acroos the ring though.
And cmon look what old foreman did to cooney.However, Foreman said on
the Letterman show that the hardest hittersever that he faced were Gerry Cooney,
Ronny Lyle, and as parring partner of his I forget I think Cleveland williams or something

[Bill1234]

Holmes annoys the hell out of me with that shit. Tyson blasts this dude out in 1 round and Cooney goes the distance with him and now Cooney hits harder?

:huh Holmes went 4 rounds with Tyson and stopped Cooney in the 13th. Tyson was also a much better fighter than Cooney, and Holmes was a much better fighter in the Cooney fight than he was in the Tyson fight.

Foreman himself said they were about equal, for whatever that is worth.

Cooney managed to rock George momentarily with a left hook in the first round, and I don't believe that feat was repeated at all in Foreman's comeback fights.

I can believe that Cooney had equal or maybe even slightly better power in his left than George, but Foreman had a much harder right hand. Cooney naturally is a lefty but he fought out of a right handed stance, which is why his left was so much harder than his right.

[Duodenum]

Cooney managed to rock George momentarily with a left hook in the first round, and I don't believe that feat was repeated at all in Foreman's comeback fights.To me, this is significant, because Morrison clobbered Foreman repeatedly with his hook to no avail. For power, I have to rate Gerry's hook over Tommy's, although The Duke had obviously superior hand speed.I can believe that Cooney had equal or maybe even slightly better power in his left than George, but Foreman had a much harder right hand. Cooney naturally is a lefty but he fought out of a right handed stance, which is why his left was so much harder than his right.While Young, Lyle, Norton, Ali and Caldwell all clearly stated that Shavers had superior power to George, it would be revealing to know how Young, Lyle, Norton, Dino Denis and Charley Polite compared the power of Foreman to Cooney. (Trialhorse Polite, in fact, was another who went up against both Shavers and Foreman, as well as Cooney, Cleveland Williams, Bob Foster, Frazier, and other notables.)

[PetethePrince]

Cooney has more snap, Foreman has more raw power. Take it for whatever it is.

[My2Sense]

Cooney KO'd bums, stiffs and old farts............... Foreman at least KO'd some bad mo-fo's like "Frazier, Norton, Lyle and Moorer."



Exactly. I'm surprised it took so long into this thread for someone to make such an obvious point.

Cooney probably has the most overrated "big punch" in history. He never KO'd a decent fighter whose punch resistance wasn't completely gone (Lyle had already been blasted out by Lynn Ball, and Norton was getting dropped and barely survived against Scott LeDoux). That includes a bloated Jimmy Young, who stood right in front of Cooney and took punch after punch after punch without going down (being stopped on cuts instead).

[AnthonyJ74]

:huh Holmes went 4 rounds with Tyson and stopped Cooney in the 13th. Tyson was also a much better fighter than Cooney, and Holmes was a much better fighter in the Cooney fight than he was in the Tyson fight.



Cooney managed to rock George momentarily with a left hook in the first round, and I don't believe that feat was repeated at all in Foreman's comeback fights.

I can believe that Cooney had equal or maybe even slightly better power in his left than George, but Foreman had a much harder right hand. Cooney naturally is a lefty but he fought out of a right handed stance, which is why his left was so much harder than his right.

Ken Lakusta rocked George. Holyfield had George on queer street on more than one occasion. Foreman could be hurt!

[he grant]

First off , George had two handed power while Cooney only had his hook ... that being said I like George with either hand ..

[Bummy Davis]

Cooney had one hand the left hook and Foreman had 2 hands, Foreman could take a better punch and was more durable but I have to tell you I was at several of Cooney's fights and he had one of the best left hooks I have ever seen, to the body and the head, with that said Foreman had the hook the right hand and the uppercut...see both men vs Norton

[Duodenum]

First off , George had two handed power while Cooney only had his hook ... that being said I like George with either hand .."...with either hand ." It was the Foreman hook which rang Chuvalo's bell, leading to the stoppage, and George's hook also stunned Jimmy Young at the outset of round seven. A few years later, Gerry seemed utterly unable to dent Young with his vaunted hook, to either the body or the head, and needed his much less heralded right to tear open the fight winning cut. (By contrast, Shavers dropped Jimmy with his hook, in both their matches.) Can a persuasive case can be made that Cooney's hook was indeed harder than Foreman's?

[slip&counter]

Foreman. Easy.

[Bill1234]

Ken Lakusta rocked George. Holyfield had George on queer street on more than one occasion. Foreman could be hurt!

I don't think Holyfield had him on queer street, he unloaded on him a few times and the punches bothered George a bit, but I don't think he was hurt by them.

I don't think Lakusta rocked George, he caught him off balance with a decent shot when George was moving in for the kill after the first knockdown but that was about it. Foreman was a bit off balance, got caught, Ken went after him a bit but Foreman stayed right with him and knocked him out.

Foreman could definitely be hurt, I just haven't seen anyone other than Cooney rock Foreman like that with a single punch in Foreman's comeback.

[AnthonyJ74]

I don't think Holyfield had him on queer street, he unloaded on him a few times and the punches bothered George a bit, but I don't think he was hurt by them.

I don't think Lakusta rocked George, he caught him off balance with a decent shot when George was moving in for the kill after the first knockdown but that was about it. Foreman was a bit off balance, got caught, Ken went after him a bit but Foreman stayed right with him and knocked him out.

Foreman could definitely be hurt, I just haven't seen anyone other than Cooney rock Foreman like that with a single punch in Foreman's comeback.

Watch the 9th round of Holyfield-Foreman. Holyfield nails Foreman on the jaw with a picture-perfect straight right hand near the rounds end. Foreman's body slumps, he drops his head, and he pitches forward into the ropes. Holyfield is all over George when the bell rings. It was one single punch that hurt George. In the 3rd round, Holyfield hurt George with a left hook and then rained punches down on him. Foreman was staggering at the bell. Holyfield, especially in 1991, was not a big puncher!

[Bill1234]

Watch the 9th round of Holyfield-Foreman. Holyfield nails Foreman on the jaw with a picture-perfect straight right hand near the rounds end. Foreman's body slumps, he drops his head, and he pitches forward into the ropes. Holyfield is all over George when the bell rings. It was one single punch that hurt George. In the 3rd round, Holyfield hurt George with a left hook and then rained punches down on him. Foreman was staggering at the bell. Holyfield, especially in 1991, was not a big puncher!

Just rewatched the two rounds, and Holyfield did stun George in the 3rd, but it was not from a single punch. It was from the barrage of punches and I don't think Foreman could really see punches because the first one caught him by surprise and he was having issues gathering himself.

You were right about the 9th round though. Evander did rock George with that single right hand. It was a helluva punch and would have dropped and even probably knocked out many other fighters who did not have the chin of Foreman.

[tommygun711]

Foreman was staggering at the bell. Holyfield, especially in 1991, was not a big puncher!

The thing is Holyfield was a sharp puncher. He didn't hit as hard as say Ray Mercer, but his sharp punching and speed are what made him deadly. Also his accuracy. He was able to get through Foreman's big arms, and make his punching effective. Then if you look at a guy like Briggs who couldn't stun Foreman at all, it was because he wasn't sharp as Holyfield, even though I think he hit harder.

[Bill1234]

The thing is Holyfield was a sharp puncher. He didn't hit as hard as say Ray Mercer, but his sharp punching and speed are what made him deadly. Also his accuracy. He was able to get through Foreman's big arms, and make his punching effective. Then if you look at a guy like Briggs who couldn't stun Foreman at all, it was because he wasn't sharp as Holyfield, even though I think he hit harder.

That is very true, I know from my own experience from boxing that the sharp punchers bothered me much more than more dull, but hard punchers.

[DudeGuyMan]

1991 Mike Tyson TKO 3 George Foreman

1991 Lennox Lewis TKO 5 George Foreman

1991 Riddick Bowe W 12 George Foreman- 11 rounds to 1

1991 Razor Ruddock TKO 10 George Foreman

1991 Ray Mercer 12 George Foreman- 11 rounds to 1

When evaluating fighters, nothing is more important than fights which took place in the imaginary world inside SuzieQ's head, and their outcomes.