Lets settle the did tyson duck foreman debate

A lot of people have a lot of feelings, George included. He felt he could beat Tyson but he couldn't even really beat a 3rd rate version of Mike in Alex Stewart.

And why would Mike fight Foreman or Tua rather than Bruno and Seldom, who actually held belts? That makes no sense.

Now, if we are talking late-stage, coke-addled, disinterested Tyson, anyone who thought he was in the sport for anything but a money grab was clueless. But at the same time, Lou Savarese, the same one that Tyson blew out, was giving George all he could handle. Truth be told George never looked very good after the Holyfield fight, excepting for a few seconds against Moorer. Before Holyfield, he had to do something to earn a Tyson date.

 

The glass-chinned Alex Stewart -a first round Tyson victim- could destroy Foreman's face .Considering this i never understand the
Tyson haters' opinion about the outcome of an imaginary Foreman fight.

 

We followed the money. Tyson could've made mega-bucks giving Foreman the fight and chose cheaper and less threatening options. Foreman pursued the fight publically. Tyson avoided it publically. Fight doesn't happen because of Tyson. Question settled.

 

Hey, seems like we see it differently that's all.
Tyson gets out, wins WBC from Bruno in 1996 correct? I'm down with that. My issue is when he won it, Lennox was the mandatory for that belt. Tyson should have did what he did turning pro- go for all the belts. Not Win WBC in 1996 then ditch it in 1996. Surely McNeely & Buster Mathis fights prepared Tyson for a title shot.
Worse is he turns around & Pays $4 million to not fight Lennox? How often do ATG fighters pay to not fight the best?

Please show me what shot landed on Seldon for him to win the WBA belt. He traded the WBC for WBA makes little sense to me.

This content is protected

Especially given that Seldon was nowhere a cashcow let alone could dent the PPV records.

You also state Savarese was blown out by Tyson, but gave GF all he could handle. Seamus, I agree! Not sure why Savarese was his choice. You think a Tua-Tyson back then wouldn't have done bigger PPV numbers than with Savarese, McNeely or Mathis or Norris? or Botha?
Savarese is a dude who went 3-3 in his previous fights & coming off a loss to Michael Grant ...& that was Tyson's best choice to make mad cash & prove he is still a force to be reckoned with? IMO It was a Sorrowful clown carnival.

I also agree with you that George never really looked great, but then again, George was the one on late night talk shows because he drew interest, not Savarese , Stewart or Seldon. It appears you are viewing George as not a good fighter, while I am viewing him as a marketable fighter with a hellified chin.

Another sorrowful Tyson fight....If anything Etienee looked like his leg was twisted from falling, yet he falls, closes his eyes but is coherent enough to remove his mouthpiece. With the aid of Tyson gets up like he was never KO'd. Let's settle the dust. Tyson could have made more fighting a old fat George, but instead went on a tomato can fix-a-fight-tour. It makes me sad to say.

This content is protected

 

I' was confused by this statement. Until the oh, wait! LOL

 

Not sure if Tyson avoided GF or not , maybe he had doubts about meeting him ,I personally don't see it .I reckon he'd have loved to have faced a legend from the 70 s , but maybe a few around him weren't as confident ?
But ,if they had have met ,I give George a very slight chance . But I'm more inclined to see Tyson stopping him ,in 7 vicious rounds . Would have to be pre 1991 Tyson tho , for him to actually rip in to Foreman , the post Prison version gets nailed to easily .

 

Foreman ducked a shot Tucker. Why would he want any part of Tyson at that time?

 

Spot on, Seamus.

 

What’s surprising to me is that Foreman never fought Ruddock. It would’ve been a big money fight against a guy with technical flaws who stood in front of opponents, just like George liked it. I don’t think he liked to venture to Ruddock’s level or perceived level.

 

When I saw the Tyson-Seldon fight live, I agree that it looked like a dive. But, honestly, now that I can see it in HD, Tyson clearly lands a hard left hook to finish the fight. it is a slightly delayed reaction, but, totally legit. Seldon never had great punch resistance. But, he did have a fast jab. His jab here looks faster and better than ANY of the current titlists.

I agree Etienne was garbage. And that fight still looks fishy.

 

I think Foreman avoided Larry a whole lot more.

Foreman was never in a serious position to challenge Tyson until after he beat Cooney. It was not until That fight that anyone realised George could be for real. His comeback was seen as a joke roadshow until then yet within a month Tyson was an ex champion. So he was never in contention.

Even if Foreman’s target really was Tyson, As an ex champion Mikes target was regaining the title. - not Foreman.

They both fought on the same card when Tyson came back against Henry Tillman. I think George Fought Allison Rodriguez. This gave George a #10 rating.

In quick succession however, ex champion Tyson fought Alex Stewart and #3 rated Ruddock. I cannot understand why Tyson would chose Ruddock as an opponent if he was scared of George? These three fights put Tyson as #1 contender. George was still only #10.

When is the #10 rated opponent harder to beat than the #3 guy?

Even so George leapfrogged Tyson And #3 Ruddock to get a shot at Holyfield. The new champion.

And then Tyson went to prison.

By the time Tyson got out of prison George was an inactive linear champion. If George still wanted Tyson he was the man calling the shots and still did not fight him.

As soon as Tyson started winning he was rated above George anyway-despite him being linear champion.

Interestingly 1995 Was an unusual year. In The Ring Magazine ratings The official champions Seldon, Bruno And Foreman were rated number six, number seven and number eight in their top ten behind Bowe, Tyson, Lewis, Moorer And Holyfield.

 

You can butter it up however you like but it's very clear Seldon took a pathetic dive!

 

No it was not like that at all. George was never in contention but he used Tyson’s name to promote himself. George was a long ways behind then men Tyson fought until Mike went to prison.

comeback George would have lost against Brian Nielsen. That was his level.