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One of the biggest misconceptions in boxing, is the strength versus punching power correlation. Throughout the history of prize fighting, we've seen many examples of it in all weight divisions. Some fighters have possessed neck breaking power, but they were not super strong physically. An example of those type fighters or punchers would be Thomas Hearns and Roger Mayweather. Both Hearns and Mayweather carried one punch KO power, but they were sometimes controlled by their opponent from a physical standpoint.
This isn't always the rule. The point is, although a fighter can really punch, it doesn't always equate to him being exceptionally strong physically. However, sometimes it does apply, it's just not the rule. George Foreman and Jim Jeffries had the kind of power that could take a fighters head off. And they both were amazingly strong physically. They were never controlled or physically manhandled. Fighters like Foreman and Jeffries were always the physical force when they fought.
Foreman, who just may be the strongest heavyweight ever, was only tied up and moved around the ring by Ali. Jimmy Young never had to confront Foreman's strength because Foreman never really went after him other than in the seventh round of their fight. The Foreman who fought Young didn't know who he was or how he wanted to fight? I personally heard Big George say just that during a press conference discussing his comeback shortly before fighting Holyfield in Atlantic City in 1991. [details]
This isn't always the rule. The point is, although a fighter can really punch, it doesn't always equate to him being exceptionally strong physically. However, sometimes it does apply, it's just not the rule. George Foreman and Jim Jeffries had the kind of power that could take a fighters head off. And they both were amazingly strong physically. They were never controlled or physically manhandled. Fighters like Foreman and Jeffries were always the physical force when they fought.
Foreman, who just may be the strongest heavyweight ever, was only tied up and moved around the ring by Ali. Jimmy Young never had to confront Foreman's strength because Foreman never really went after him other than in the seventh round of their fight. The Foreman who fought Young didn't know who he was or how he wanted to fight? I personally heard Big George say just that during a press conference discussing his comeback shortly before fighting Holyfield in Atlantic City in 1991. [details]