George Foreman continued his march through the heavyweight ranks at the Forum in Inglewood, stopping Cleveland’s Ted Gullick with a punishing left hook that ended matters at 2:28 of the second round. With the emphatic finish, Foreman improved to 35-0 with 32 knockouts — a record as fearsome as it is scrutinized.

Despite his unbeaten status and Olympic gold pedigree, Foreman’s opponents in 1972 seemed more designed to keep his name in circulation than test his championship mettle. Gullick, a once-promising prospect who had fallen off course after a turbulent start to both life and career, entered the ring with a respectable record but little chance of derailing the freight train that is Foreman.

The opening round offered a brief exchange of jabs, with Foreman showcasing improved mobility and defence, absorbing little and landing enough to establish early control. Gullick, weighing in at 200 pounds, tried to make it a brawl but was consistently neutralized by Foreman’s reach and raw strength.

In the second, the Hayward, California bruiser turned up the pressure. After a few pawing jabs to set the rhythm, Foreman unleashed a punishing double left hook — the first stunning Gullick, the second sending him to his knees. The referee didn’t bother with the drama. Gullick was counted out, motionless and dazed, bringing another brief chapter to Foreman’s growing knockout anthology.

While the result was decisive, it did little to silence the murmurs surrounding Foreman’s matchmaking. With Frazier and Ali continuing their dance atop the division, and names like Quarry and Bonavena looking for meaningful fights, Foreman’s 1972 opponents — while game — have not provided the litmus test needed to gauge his readiness for the elite.

Ted Gullick, whose career has seen highs in the ring and lows outside it, showed grit but lacked the tools to withstand the storm. Once viewed as a rival to Foreman in their early careers, the paths of these two heavyweights now stand in stark contrast.

Foreman may have added another knockout to his record, but the boxing world waits for him to face a true contender. Only then will we know if the power he’s shown is championship-worthy — or just thunder against the calm before a real storm.