‘He Could’ve Been a Great Boxer’ : George Foreman Says He Was Heartbroken When Derrick Lewis Started His MMA Journey

Derrick Lewis is one of the biggest and beloved stars in the UFC. Known for his brawling style and thunderous power, he holds the record for the most wins by knockout in the UFC’s Heavyweight division. Because of that ability, legendary boxer George Foreman had hoped to see a young Derrick Lewis go down the boxing route.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Hall Of Fame Boxer, George Foreman revisited the time he came across a young Derrick Lewis during one of his sparring sessions. 

While Foreman was scouting gyms for an opponent for one of his sons, he couldn’t help but notice Lewis’s potential as a boxer. In fact, according to Lewis, George Foreman’s management was willing to fly him out to Vegas to train at the Mayweather gym. 

 However, Lewis went with MMA instead, making his MMA debut in April 2010 down in Texas. There, he scored a second-round TKO over Nick Mitchell, and the rest is history.  

“He made that move [to MMA], and it was a wise move but it was a heartbreaking move for me because he could have been a great boxer,” Foreman said to ESPN.  

Nevertheless, Foreman is extremely happy for Derrick Lewis and his MMA career. However, he still hopes to see Lewis in the ring one day as the boxing world continues to explode with celebrity matchups across different combat sports.

ALSO READ: WATCH: When Derrick Lewis Punished and Knocked Out an Arrogant Boxer Who Trash Talked Him

UFC 265: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane   

In one of the more intriguing matchups of the division, Derrick Lewis will face Ciryl Gane this weekend at UFC 265 in a bout for the interim heavyweight title.    

The winner of the bout will automatically qualify for a title fight with the reigning Champion Francis Ngannou. Also, since the winner will have an interim title, he will also be eligible to earn pay-per-view points in the title fight.  

Despite his one-dimensional style, Derrick Lewis has wreaked havoc in the UFC with his knockouts, proving he is dangerous at all times. Meanwhile, French native Ciryl Gane is one of the most agile and mobile heavyweights in the UFC.  

An undefeated record both in MMA and Muay Thai, Ciryl Gane has an arsenal of weapons to choose from, along with great conditioning. In the end, it all comes down to whether Ciryl Gane can evade and deal with Lewis’ power while outclassing him on the feet. 

While some have been successful at neutralizing Lewis’s power in the octagon, most end up getting brutally knocked out. What do you think? Will Derrick Lewis become the interim heavyweight champ? Let us know in the comments.

Watch This Story: Derrick Lewis’ Intense Training Routine for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Title Fight Against Ciryl Gane at UFC 265