Why do you believe Mike Tyson completely dodged Bowe and Foreman?

[TheSouthpaw]

Rumor has it from stories of back when Tyson, Foreman, Holyfield, Bowe and Ruddock were all top contenders (A few of them HW champ including Goerge)..That Tyson paid money to the WBC and WBA to not fight Foreman......Do you really believe Tyson was scared of Foreman???

[hookfromhell]

Cus D'Amato told Tyson that Foreman woud beat
all of the swarming heavyweights just as he had
beat Frazier, this was of course before Foreman's
second career. However, Tyson was much more
Dynamic and versatile than most if not all
of the swarming type of fighter. Anyway
Ive heard that Foreman refused to sign
a contract offered by Don King several
times. Foreman said on Letterman that he
Was more afraid of King than Tyson, Foreman
also stated Mike would avoid him in public.
However, I seriously doubt Mike had any
fear of anyone in the ring, especially
an older slower Foreman. As for Bowe,
Ive heard they wouldnt fight each other
becuase they were from the same neighborhood
in Brooklyn. Peak or Prime Bowe is one of
a few who would have a shot against prime
Mike. They were both fearless and had no
love in the ring. Tyson vs Bowe and Foreman
Could have been great.

[ETM]

I dont think Tyson was scared of anyone. I believe that by the time the 90s dawned and those better heavyweights were coming on the scene Mike was also going through mental problems.

Not sure he ever really recoverd from the Robin Givens shit. Jimmy Jacobs dying and all the drama that caused.

Bottem line is I dont think Mike Tyson really wanted to fight anymore after Douglas. Even a little before that. Ofcourse he went on because he could make a ton of $ and it was expected of him. The love of the game wasnt there and the hunger certainly wasnt there.

Being with King made things worse all the way around.

[TheSouthpaw]

Originally Posted by hookfromhell

Cus D'Amato told Tyson that Foreman woud beat
all of the swarming heavyweights just as he had
beat Frazier, this was of course before Foreman's
second career. However, Tyson was much more
Dynamic and versatile than most if not all
of the swarming type of fighter. Anyway
Ive heard that Foreman refused to sign
a contract offered by Don King several
times. Foreman said on Letterman that he
Was more afraid of King than Tyson, Foreman
also stated Mike would avoid him in public.
However, I seriously doubt Mike had any
fear of anyone in the ring, especially
an older slower Foreman. As for Bowe,
Ive heard they wouldnt fight each other
becuase they were from the same neighborhood
in Brooklyn. Peak or Prime Bowe is one of
a few who would have a shot against prime
Mike. They were both fearless and had no
love in the ring. Tyson vs Bowe and Foreman
Could have been great.

Foreman did want him bad..he made that very clear

[hookfromhell]

Originally Posted by ETM

I dont think Tyson was scared of anyone. I believe that by the time the 90s dawned and those better heavyweights were coming on the scene Mike was also going through mental problems.

Not sure he ever really recoverd from the Robin Givens shit. Jimmy Jacobs dying and all the drama that caused.

Bottem line is I dont think Mike Tyson really wanted to fight anymore after Douglas. Even a little before that. Ofcourse he went on because he could make a ton of $ and it was expected of him. The love of the game wasnt there and the hunger certainly wasnt there.

Being with King made things worse all the way around.

Apt analysis. Very true.

[TheSouthpaw]

So you do believe Tyson was afraid of Foreman??

[TheSouthpaw]

@hookfromhell...All that outa the ring drama you speak of does not matter..Thats no excuse..There can be only one reason why he dodged Foreman...He just didnt want any part of him...

[AnthonyJ74]

Originally Posted by TheSouthpaw

Rumor has it from stories of back when Tyson, Foreman, Holyfield, Bowe and Ruddock were all top contenders (A few of them HW champ including Goerge)..That Tyson paid money to the WBC and WBA to not fight Foreman......Do you really believe Tyson was scared of Foreman???

No way! Mike Tyson was not scared of George Foreman. There was no reason for Tyson to fight Foreman at anytime between 1987-1990. From '87 up to the Douglas fight, Tyson steamrolled through the heavyweight division. Foreman wasn't even ranked during this time, and he had not beaten any top 10 (or top 20) fighters. Foreman was broke and was going after the most lucrative fight on the horizon: a fight with heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Foreman knew he couldn't beat Tyson, but he was willing to get his butt kicked for several million dollars.
After Tyson lost to Douglas, his main goal was to regain the heavyweight championship. Fighting George Foreman would not have helped Tyson to position himself for a title shot. Instead, Tyson fought the division's number 2 contender in Razor Ruddock, a guy much more dangerous than lumbering slow George Foreman. Heck, Foreman wanted no part of Ruddock; either did Riddick Bowe or comebacking Larry Holmes. But Tyson fought him -- twice!
Then Tyson went to prison.

So, how the heck could Tyson be accused of ducking or being afraid of George Foreman? There was no reason for Tyson to fight him. George was just trading off his reputation as a menacing former heavyweight champ; he was sounding the bells and banging the drums in order to get a big money fight against Tyson. Foreman needed Tyson for the big payday, at least until Holyfield came along!

Tyson would have brutalized George Foreman in the late-80s and early 90s.

[TheSouthpaw]

Originally Posted by AnthonyJ74

No way! Mike Tyson was not scared of George Foreman. There was no reason for Tyson to fight Foreman at anytime between 1987-1990. From '87 up to the Douglas fight, Tyson steamrolled through the heavyweight division. Foreman wasn't even ranked during this time, and he had not beaten any top 10 (or top 20) fighters. Foreman was broke and was going after the most lucrative fight on the horizon: a fight with heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Foreman knew he couldn't beat Tyson, but he was willing to get his butt kicked for several million dollars.
After Tyson lost to Douglas, his main goal was to regain the heavyweight championship. Fighting George Foreman would not have helped Tyson to position himself for a title shot. Instead, Tyson fought the division's number 2 contender in Razor Ruddock, a guy much more dangerous than lumbering slow George Foreman. Heck, Foreman wanted no part of Ruddock; either did Riddick Bowe or comebacking Larry Holmes. But Tyson fought him -- twice!
Then Tyson went to prison.

So, how the heck could Tyson be accused of ducking or being afraid of George Foreman? There was no reason for Tyson to fight him. George was just trading off his reputation as a menacing former heavyweight champ; he was sounding the bells and banging the drums in order to get a big money fight against Tyson. Foreman needed Tyson for the big payday, at least until Holyfield came along!

Tyson would have brutalized George Foreman in the late-80s and early 90s.

Dude!?.."No reason for Tyson to fight Goerge"..give me a break

[TheSouthpaw]

So Foreman winning the HW championship wasnt enough for Tyson to take a shot at him...If he wasnt scared of him..Which like I said I truely believe Tyson just didnt want no part of him whats so ever

[Andrei00]

I don't know if Tyson was scared of Foreman or if he avoided him, just like I don't know much about his career at all, but Foreman would be a name I believe pretty much every single heavyweight would like to have on his resume. So even for that purpose only, Tyson would have a reason to fight him.

[TheSouthpaw]

Well its pretty a fact he avoided Foreman at all cost...And what did hr have to lose, but gain a shot at being HW champm of the world again...So what excuse sounds better than he was just plain scared of Foreman

[AnthonyJ74]

Originally Posted by TheSouthpaw

Well its pretty a fact he avoided Foreman at all cost...And what did hr have to lose, but gain a shot at being HW champm of the world again...So what excuse sounds better than he was just plain scared of Foreman

Was Foreman ever Tyson's mandatory? All Foreman had to do was fight a top contender, beat him, and then he'd be Tyson's mandatory contender.
And why did Tyson have to fight Foreman? Because George kept calling him out? Makes no sense. George was knocking over bums and demanding a Tyson fight.

[AnthonyJ74]

Originally Posted by TheSouthpaw

Dude!?.."No reason for Tyson to fight Goerge"..give me a break

Correct. Foreman was unranked. Foreman fought bums. Foreman was much older..........There were other, more deserving fighters around who Tyson did fight.........
Foreman just wanted a free shot, just like he got from HOlyfield!

[AnthonyJ74]

Originally Posted by TheSouthpaw

Well its pretty a fact he avoided Foreman at all cost...And what did hr have to lose, but gain a shot at being HW champm of the world again...So what excuse sounds better than he was just plain scared of Foreman

How is it a fact? Where's the evidence?

But there'a a ton of evidence that Foreman avoided many fighters during his comeback.