Prime vs prime. So no post Ali fights with distraught mind and bad gameplan for Foreman. And nothing post Douglas either since most insist he was quite worse at that point. Take your pick at their best and who wins this match? Personally, I think Foreman is all wrong for Tyson. Very bad stylistic matchup. Foreman has the range, that jab to set up those bombs and that uppercut. Tyson doesn't work the body enough and fights at mid-range so Foreman doesn't need to push off the suffocating fighter. Easy clear as day pick for me. Tyson will tremble and break after he gets hit with devastating punches. I find this matchup worse for Tyson than I do Frazier in a matchup with him against Tyson simply because of that susceptible mind of Tyson. Tyson would come at George and nobody comes at George and fights him toe to toe. Holyfield didn't even do so but went toe to toe tactically against Tyson. Tyson always knows the words from Cus that no "swarmer/pressure fighter beats George." I personally think Tyson purposely avoided a Foreman fight. Not ducked, George didn't warrant a title shot at the time. So who you pick? Foreman KO inside 5-6 rounds.
Foreman didn't tie-up opponents as much as he simply manhandled them (see him pushing Frazier), but I'm going to agree with Cus and pick Foreman to batter Tyson. I think he lasts longer than Frazier and does not go down until the end, but that is all.
Foreman punches with width, has a pondorous jab, has slower feet. He's not an expert in timing an opponent. Tyson would consistantly beat Foreman to the punch and is one of the best combination punchers in the history of boxing. Foreman showed himself vulnerable to punchers in the Lyle fight. Tyson hit very hard, better overall than Lyle, and would be landing consistantly. On the other hand, Mike has never been off the deck to win a fight. I pick Tyson, but not without reservations.
Like Frazier, I think Tyson's style is suicide against Big George. Like any other swarmer, he would pay a heavy price just trying to get to Foreman.
Repost: Tyson has an ATG defense, he was rarely hit in his prime, Foreman telegraphs his shots a bit and couldn't land too many cleanly against Ali and he may have trouble landing on the different but defensively great Tyson. You say 'Foreman sets things up with the jab', Tyson is maybe the best jab slipper of all time in his prime, no one was landing jabs for the most part. And whats more Tyson made you pay when you missed shots with massive counters. Tyson also had faster hands, better technical shots, better footwork and the power to KO George. Tyson KO6
This is said allot and is obviously true but if he was a worse boxer with worse balance he may have taken a KD against the likes of Bruno amongst others. That was adversity he came back from
This is basically my thinking. We seem to agree on much. I think Tyson does better than Frazier. Frazier wasn't exactly in his prime. But Tyson is going to be weary risking getting into to get hit with big shots. And even if he isn't worry, then he may be in more trouble once he feels it. I see Tyson being more the mid-range fighter than Frazier being a bigger negative against him then Frazier. Frazier tried suffocating but Foreman pushed. Tyson likes to launch mid-range for attacks. Foreman can be a good area to get him. I think the uppercut could work good here. Tyson doesn't even the zest to keep on fighting after being downed, hurt, or in constant trouble. Even in the 90's people thought it was suicide to stay toe to toe with Foreman. That's how legendary he has. And if Foreman catches him with a jab then he can have time for some big shots. His handspeed and ability to throw combinations along with his footspeed/footwork is drastically underrated.
It's true, but the point would be if you can hurt Tyson enough to put him down it takes something out of him...and Foreman could probably put him down.
Man, I agree with you again. Tyson moved and countered in his prime with great alacrity. I think this would be short and brutal, ending with Foreman getting batered around by the the third. Keith
Even with his best defense, Tyson could be hit with Foreman's haymaker rights to the body. The big man could also use his uppercuts to split a peek-a-boo guard. Mike would likely try taking on pre Kinshasa George the way fellow D'Amato protege Patterson attempted to tackle Liston, with about the same level of success. If pre Douglas Tyson couldn't take out Tillis, or even drop Green, Smith and Tucker, how on earth is he going to take out Foreman? Mike's style and broad shouldered build would make it awfully easy for George to shove him around and back physically, far enough away so that Foreman could hit him without getting hit too much in return. Tyson did not have the height and reach of either Ali or Lyle.
Foreman punches are very wide and slow. Foreman's jab was slow and not that great, it wasn't dominant on the level of Liston or Holmes; Tyson would have little problem with it. Tyson would see Foreman's wide punches coming and adjust accordingly and move inside and catch him with fast, powerful combinations. Foreman can't dodge Tyson's attack as he lacks footspeed and overall head movement. Tyson would get hit but not nearly as much as Foreman in this fight and he can take a great beating. Tyson by KO 5
Great analysis. And on top of that, Mike is content with fighting from mid-range and wouldn't try suffocating/swarming him the way Frazier did which required him to push up. He would just set himself up almost too perfect for George to eventually land. By the way, everyone is talking about Foreman's "Wide shots" but Holmes described Tyson in exactly the same fashion. Those big wide shots. Obviously Tyson is more compact, better technically and far less sloppy. However, Foreman punching too wide I feel is being overstated, especially considering that his money punch which Tyson should be most vulnerable to is the uppercut.
Because Tillis, Green, Tucker and Smith ran and held on for dear life? Where as Foreman has all the defense and footwork of a 220lb heavybag Ridiculous comparison, how about we turn that around, if Foreman couldnt stop Peralta and Young how would he beat Tyson Oh and to compare Foreman to Liston? Liston picked his shots perfectly against Patterson and counter puncher, Foreman doesnt do those things. Not to mention Tyson is proven as a level or 2 above Patterson