George Foreman's choice of opponents is like his diet. He'll take on anybody.
It will keep him in shape for one more shot at the heavyweight title and it will take care of any potential contenders who might get in his way."There's no doubt I'll get my title shot," Foreman said Saturday after disposing of Jimmy Ellis midway through the third round. "I'll close the door for the other guys who may be going for it."
Foreman, 42, outgunned his younger and less experienced opponent and nearly put his 27-year-old foe away before referee Richard Steele stopped the bout at 1:33 of the third round.
The two met in the main event of a card that also saw Rafael Pineda of Colombia take the vacant International Boxing Federation junior welterweight title from Roger Mayweather with a crunching left hook in the ninth round that left Mayweather on the canvas for more than two minutes.
"I threw the punch with my heart and soul," Pineda said.
Pineda, 27-1 with 25 knockouts, assumed the title vacated when Julio Cesar Chavez moved up from the 140-pound ranks. Pineda was ranked No. 1 by the IBF.
No. 2-ranked Mayweather's backpedaling for eight rounds brought boos from the crowd, and single-punch exchanges drew a warning to both fighters from referee Mills Lane in the ninth to start mixing it up. Pineda's lunging left a minute later dropped the Las Vegas fighter, 40-7.
It was the first outing for Foreman, 70-3 with 66 knockouts, since he lost a 12-round decision to Evander Holyfield for the heavyweight title in April.
Since he's not the champion, Foreman said before the fight he's not restricted to fighting contenders and can take on anybody he wants to while he prepares for another title bid.
Foreman, of Marshall, Texas, will turn 43 on Jan. 10.
He won the heavyweight championship from Joe Frazier in 1973 and lost it 21 months later to Muhammad Ali. He left the ring in 1977 for the ministry and returned 10 years later.
He had won 24 fights in his comeback, all but one by knockout, before his close loss to Holyfield.