What If Tyson Had Met Old George, In Toyko?

Tyson would come out focused and knock out George in the first 3 rounds, which would then be hated by publicists and fans as another Holmes-Ali. Today, the haters would classify George as a bum and an old man, just like they did with Holmes 88.
But if he had come out in the same form as before Douglas, Foreman would have knocked him out in the 7th or 8th round and it would have been the greatest comeback ever, after which Foreman would have been the undisputed No. 2 HW ever and Ali's victory in 1974 would have been even more valuable than now.

 

I think that Tyson would have prevailed even at this stage of his career.

 

I don't see it quite that way, in fact, the opposite. He would ragdoll Mike. Just as he did to Bert Cooper when they fought. The Tuesday Night Fights broadcast shortly after the fight in Tokyo, Mike's former trainer Kevin Rooney was asked if Foreman would have beaten Mike that night and he stated that George would have gone right after him and knocked him out.

 

Foreman by KO, George is all wrong for Tyson even an old George. Cus D'Amato knew it and more importantly Tyson knew it.

 

i pick george.

he might have to get up a few times, how good he is at that stops me putting money on my pick.

if foreman was also coked out his mind? old george with reflexes sounds dangerous(don't do coke kids).

 

Agreed it’s an interesting scenario. I’m of the opinion a prime Tyson (1986-88) damn near kills Foreman at any stage of his comeback, & a prime Foreman similarly annihilates peak Tyson.

In Tokyo, though? This is a roughly prime of his comeback Foreman & there’s no doubting he’d be way up for the fight. Would Tyson get up for it in a way he didn’t for Douglas, though? I watched the fight recently & was again amazed to see Tyson just stand there, round upon round. Douglas showed him angles & kept busy, in ways Foreman couldn’t…but then again, Foreman’s jab was a thousand times more commanding than Douglas’.

I think ultimately it’s down to Tyson. If he has a poor camp like he did, he should still win this if he’s up for it on fight night. But if it’s the literal same Tyson who was in there with Douglas, he’s going to get stopped.

 

"prime" old Foreman beats Tokyo Tyson, Tyson how he was on that night showed some heart and chin but not much motivation after he floored Douglas, does he even floor Foreman? Either way Foreman is not getting knocked out before Tyson loses the spark, Foreman won't unleash a finishing barrage like Douglas, but unlike Douglas he has way higher ring IQ and potential to be damaging with any given shot even a jab, it's not going to be as opportunistic as Douglas and it won't take Foreman as many shots to drop Tyson, I'd say Foreman KO/TKO around 6 or 7 something like when he was landing on Holyfield but it drops Tokyo Tyson

 

He won't floor Foreman with one shot like he did Douglas, at least I suspect not. He’d need to barrage him. Foreman hit immensely harder than Douglas but won’t be nearly as busy, or provide as many angles. Still, as said I favour Foreman, so long as it’s the exact same Tyson in the ring. If he wakes up because it’s Foreman instead of Douglas he should knock his man out & stay champ, though.

 

Well now this is it, isn’t it. If it’s literally the exact Tyson from Tokyo, he’d get dusted. But would it be in a real-world scenario if Foreman were the opponent?

 

The version of Tyson who showed up in Tokyo probably gets knocked out by Foreman.

 

Foreman (Holyfield fight) wins by decision.