Could Foreman of the Holyfield Fight Beat Post-Prison Tyson?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024.


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  1. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I rewatched the Holyfield-Foreman fight and...well, given the fact that post-prison Mike Tyson was both slower and got hit more, does anyone completely dismiss the idea of the former beating him?

    I used to be sure Mike would have stopped him even at that stage, however now I'm not so sure. Watch the clinical way Foreman punched, how relaxed he is. Mike would have ended up fighting off the back foot after eating those thudding jabs, and he never really fight well that way. Could Mike have withstood taking that right hand flush?
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
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  2. Ney

    Ney Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I definitely wouldn’t count 1990-91 Foreman out against the Tyson of 1995-97. Hell, I might even favour him.
     
    Ney, Dec 11, 2024
    Ney, Dec 11, 2024
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  3. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    He would have a chance, yes
     
    mr. magoo, Dec 11, 2024
    mr. magoo, Dec 11, 2024
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  4. slash

    slash Boxing Addict Full Member

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    One of my friends at that time said Foreman could beat Tyson. I took that about as seriously as I did to people that said Trump would be president in 2016.

    I think Foreman could have beat him in 1991. Tyson would be scared shitless against that juggernaut.
     
    slash, Dec 11, 2024
    slash, Dec 11, 2024
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  5. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Probably not.
     
    janitor, Dec 11, 2024
    janitor, Dec 11, 2024
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  6. bolo specialist

    bolo specialist Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Not @all. In fact, I'd probably give him at least a 50-50 chance.
     
    bolo specialist, Dec 11, 2024
    bolo specialist, Dec 11, 2024
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  7. Reallymakesmethink

    Reallymakesmethink New Member Full Member

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    No
     
    Reallymakesmethink, Dec 11, 2024
    Reallymakesmethink, Dec 11, 2024
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  8. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Watch the way Foreman’s face got turned into an alien vs Alex Stewart then imagine that's Tyson in there landing those punches on Foreman.

    Foreman is far too slow to beat Tyson and a roided up 1996 version of Holyfield who fought the perfect fight tactically is still a considerably better H2H fighter than old Foreman.
     
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
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  9. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The only thing I have to say in defense of the admittedly terrible-looking Foreman during the Stewart fight is that the former obviously underestimated Stewart terribly. Check out the muscle-packed George of Holy vs that Stewart Grimace. Big difference in conditioning.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2024
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
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  10. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Well he was also getting hit flush by a harder puncher which you have to take into account. The fact is Foreman never beat anyone remotely close to Tyson's level in his comeback. And I don't really see how getting comprehensively beaten by Holyfield whilst getting hit with over 60 percent of Holyfield’s punches is a positive vs him vs Tyson.

    As Holyfield once said "Foreman is as slow as Christmas" Foreman is simply too slow to beat Tyson as I said. And this where old Foreman starts to get overrated when people are saying a fight vs Tyson is close to 50/50.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
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  11. bolo specialist

    bolo specialist Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Are we also imagining that Tyson is fighting off the back foot all night long?
     
    bolo specialist, Dec 11, 2024
    bolo specialist, Dec 11, 2024
    #11
  12. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He wouldn't have to he'd beat Foreman to the punch and beat him up pure and simple.

    Foreman hit glass chin Morrison over 200 times and never came close to stopping him. I admire what Foreman did at his age overachieving with a win over Moorer, but people put old Foreman too much on a pedestal he simply isn't as good as people make out.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
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  13. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Not all night, absolutely not. Early on George would have big problems with Mike, easily his worse since Lyle. The difference is the jab, plus Foreman's aptitude for pushing fighters in and out of range. The latter technique was of course far more fluid when George was younger, but...well, look how hugely muscled Foreman was against Holyfield. He would be significantly bigger than Mike, and wouldn't be pushed around much.

    Just speculating here: George looks absolutely terrible in the first four rounds or so, on the brink of being stopped. In the forth he finally lands a glancing blow that in itself seems to change Mike. The younger man starts adopting his more careful, hesitant style (a style that was insanely less effective for him). George reinforces the slow down with the jab. By the sixth George is landing with the uppercut, Mike goes down like a sack of potatoes

    What then? Mike isn't known to rebound well.

    Keep in mind, this is just speculation. Mike still had plenty of spark after prison, and was very very dangerous.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
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  14. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I respectfully didn't see the Holyfield fight that same way. Looked to me (and Holyfield later admitted) as though George had him out on his feet a few times. One time he looked on his way out. And let's be frank: Foreman did significantly better against prime Holy than Tyson did against the past it version. Mike never once really seemed to stagger Holy, besides the latter losing his balance in the first round of the first fight.

    However, Holy was AMAZING in that Foreman fight, his flurries were absolutely thrilling. That Holy is the quintessence of why I chose him over Lewis and Foreman in my ATGs. He was remarkable, and yeah he quite clearly won that fight.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Dec 11, 2024
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  15. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Holyfield beat Foreman like a drum and landed over 60 percent of his punches it was a pasting. Foreman had some brief moments of success like the 7th round but all in all he was completely outclassed and mostly dominated.

    Foreman went life and death with Stewart, was befuddled by glass chin Morrison, and couldn't stop Savarese, Grimsley, despite hitting them with everything but the kitchen sink.

    Foreman overachieved with a come from behind KO vs Moorer but realistically he would've lost to most of the top 90s Heavyweights had he fought them.

    As I keep saying old Foreman gets overrated he isn't as good H2H as people make out. I respect how he managed to win the title but realistically old Foreman beating Tyson even 1996 version seems far fetched to me. Foreman never came close to beating anyone on the level of even a 1996 version Tyson in his comeback.

    People also have the wrong perception of 1996 version of Holyfield he was roided up very strong weighing close to 220 pounds. And had some of his best performances of his career during that period Tyson, Moorer 2.

    Whilst Holyfield may not of been quite as energetic or fast as he was in early 90s he arguably become a smarter fighter and physically alot stronger.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
    Dynamicpuncher, Dec 11, 2024
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