Why didn't Foreman-Tyson happen?

I asked Aaron Snowell directly and he said the fight was in the making and Foreman wouldnt sign the contract. Im sure the contract sucked though, with King having future options that Foreman and Arum didnt want to give.

 

In December promoter Don King offered Foreman $5 million to fight Tyson sometime in 1990. "He gave me a contract and told me to sign on the dotted line," says Foreman, who rejected the offer. "I was more afraid of Don King and the dotted line than I am of Tyson."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123095/2/index.htm#ixzz1CdDJx3SN

Funny how the sentiment was back then;

Tyson will fight Buster Douglas on Feb. 11 in Tokyo, and Douglas will last about as long as a plate of tuna in a sushi bar. After Douglas, Tyson will meet Evander Holyfield on June 18 in Atlantic City. The skillful Holyfield will have the misfortune of bringing out the best in Tyson. Every other heavyweight, with the exception of Foreman, is like Douglas: so unappealing to paying customers in the U.S. that Tyson will have to fight them in foreign lands, where he is still something of a novelty.

Food for thought

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140013/index.htm

After Tyson's win over Razor Ruddock in their June 28 rematch, King set out to land a bout with Foreman. It was a power move that could well have left Holyfield with his crown, but with little opportunity to parlay it into another megabucks fight. However, the 42-year-old Foreman, whose gallant loss to Holyfield in April left him the heavyweight division's most popular figure, reportedly turned down a $20 million offer from King. Big George, it seemed, wanted a Holyfield rematch.

All the talk about being scared is nonsense. It was politics.

 

As i recall, Foreman was mainly only interested in going after the title, no matter who held it... He originally had his sites set on Tyson, but after Mike lost to Douglas, Foreman's focus shiffted to Holyfield....

 

fights with Tyson and Lewis would have been big money fights for George and either but George knew fighting those guys with there power was a far different scenario than fighting Evander or Moorer who were not in the power category as Tyson or Lewis...George may have got KO'd badly

 

Tyson didnt want none'a that

 

The reason he went after Moorer and Holyfield, was because they were the ones who held the title at the time of the challenge.. Foreman was campaigning heavily for a shot at Tyson, until Mike lost to Douglas.... He also fought Moorer in the fall of 1994, shortly after Lewis had been sparked by McCall. I don't think it had anything to do with being fearful...

 

Foreman Ganchooooooooooooooo!:smoke

If Old Foreman had signed King's contract, Tyson might have brutally stopped him in 5 rounds, then Tyson-Haters such as yourself would say Old Foreman was shot. :yep

 

"After Tyson's win over Razor Ruddock in their June 28 rematch, King set out to land a bout with Foreman. It was a power move that could well have left Holyfield with his crown, but with little opportunity to parlay it into another megabucks fight. However, the 42-year-old Foreman, whose gallant loss to Holyfield in April left him the heavyweight division's most popular figure, reportedly turned down a $20 million offer from King. Big George, it seemed, wanted a Holyfield rematch..."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140013/index.htm#ixzz1CeQOaVF0

Also read this:

"...Foreman has said he would like to fight Tyson but not if Don King is involved with the Promotion.."

http://books.google.com/books?id=fT...&resnum=2&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Foreman still lost to Morrison and Holyfield who got a harder fight with Bert Cooper and Larry Holmes than Foreman gave him. Foreman lost to Morrison. Foreman was not great. Mike was greater. The only thing Foreman had over Mike was a good style matchup. Mike was greater easily.

 

The answer to the question is that Don King knew better.

Adilson Rodriquez being dropped in his lap probably sealed the deal after the fact.

 

Xpert post m8. thumbsup:thumbsup

 

somebody doesn't understand sarcasm.

 

either way Lewis and Tyson were tough obstacles to overcome and the more dangerous punchers of the era...despite who was Champ these fights would be big box office events Tyson/Foreman Lewis/Foreman

 

George often said on HBO telecasts he wanted no part of Lewis or Bowe. They were too big for him.