ATG's and the guys they avoided

Ali didn't really duck anyone. He did receive some questionable decisions in his career but he fought practically everyone put in front of him. Some will say he avoided a rematch with Foreman.

I've heard all the arguments about Frazier avoiding Liston, Mac Foster, Lyle and Earnie Shavers. Frazier beat the contenders who beat these these four, so the issue has more to do with justifying a title shot against Frazier.

Foreman apparently avoided Tyson, Lewis, Rudduck and Riddick Bowe during his second reign. Maybe it was Tyson who was avoiding Foreman.

Larry Holmes like Ali, beat everyone in front of him except Spinks. He was robbed in the second fight against him.

 

It seems foreman was willing to fight tyson...

 

It could be argued that Holmes avoided Greg Page and Pinlon Thomas,even though both men dropped out of contention pretty quickly.

 

Often when you get to the truth about who a fighter really avoided, it turns out to be sombody that you would never expect.

 

I am not sure on the exact quote but Don King was trying to get Tyson to fight Foreman and Tyson said " You fight him if you love him so much" . Not sure on the exact wording maybe some one can correct it.

 

could someone write something about holmes ducking thomas,page and refusing to give rematch to spoon?i think that's a big minus to his legacy.i thinks larry is overrated,i rank him at the bottom of top 10

 

I've still yet to hear Tyson actually say that.

How about this instead, from Sports illustrated...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123095/2/index.htm

 

I always hear Mike's voice in my head when I read that.

 

Lennox Lewis avoided giving Vitali Klitschko that rematch:deal

 

Maybe. I don't know, I need to watch that fight again. Sometimes I feel Lewis was gassed and sometimes I feel Vitali was getting a beat down.

 

Nonsense, but thats for another thread.

I dont think there was too many between the 4 of them that avoided anyone. Cant think of 1 person for Ali or Frazier or even Foremans 1st career (although maybe a case can be made for his 2nd). Larry? Maybe a case could be made here but i honestly think anyone that he didnt fight (78-83) he could beat, so im not too sure on the 'avoiding' angle

 

1st attempt:

"...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#ixzz1D22ePWEy

2nd Attempt

"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..."

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

3rd Attempt

"Tyson is scheduled to fight for a title in March. Foreman, who said he will retire after one more fight, is tentatively scheduled to meet Michael Moorer in March. Foreman has said he would like to fight Tyson, but not if King is involved in the promotion. King said he is confident that could be worked out.

Foreman did not elaborate upon the reason he is against King, who is responsible for promoting the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" title fight in Zaire, West Africa, where he and Ali became the first fighters to receive $5 million each in an unprecedented guarantee. King, named "Greatest Promoter of All-Time" by the World Boxing Council, inspired President Mobuto Sese Seko's government to promote the first one-billion viewer fight spectacular between Ali and Foreman in Zaire's capital city, Kinshasha. The government guaranteed the $10 million which was split between Foreman and Ali, who regained his heavyweight title..."


http://books.google.com/books?id=fT...&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Floyd Mayweather ducked Manny Pacquiao.