Taken from Tysons Biography by Peter Heller Chapter 16: To Russia....With Love?, page 295 "With Tyson willing and anxious to fight, Bill Cayton outlined a plan for him that in the space of twelve months would earn him $50 million gross. It would start in December with the scaled down (due to the move indoors) purse of $6 million against Bruno in London. In Rio, during Carnival in February, there would be $9 million for an easy defence against Brazils Adilson Rodriguez, in April, $5-6 million for a mandatory defence in the United States against number one IBF challenger Carl Williams, followed by a bout for perhaps $10 million in Milans soccer stadium against Italian challenger Francesco Damiani in June. Then would come the big one, the next 'super fight', late in the year, a closed circuit and pay per view $20 million payday for Tyson against undefeated World Cruiserweight Champion Evander Holyfield. Tyson would then finish the year in Japan, which desperately wanted him for another performance, against 41 year old former heavyweight champion George Foreman. The only thing Bill Cayton had not taken into consideration, the one thing that would rend all these plans asunder, was the sudden re-entry into Mike Tysons life of Don King' End Chapter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 19: Defeat! page 337 "Following his victory over Frank Bruno came an offer for Tyson to defend his crown in, of all places, China. The Chinese government agreed to back the fight with $25million, with a target date of November. The opponent was to be former champion, George Foreman, now making a comeback. Estranged manager Cayton said Tysons share would be $20million. But shortly afterwards came the student rebellion and in the wake of the Chinese governments brutal oppression of the pro democracy demonstrators, the fight deal dissolved ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now imagine if Tyson actually took that path AND Defeated all the above mentioned fighters?? Oh how peoples peceptions of Mike would change.... :deal
True. But imagine also if he took that path and it was in fact Foreman (and not Buster Douglas) who burst the bubble. How awesome would people consider Foreman?
:good I still think Foreman's comback is overrated....Morrison outboxed him like an idiot, & alex stewart puffed his face up a tad too atsch
Tyson hated going overseas and fighting away from home. All the problems with the Bruno fight being in London and the cancellations (re-fracturing his hand in sparring after breaking Mitch Green's face). Don't forget the cancellation of the Ruddock fight in Canada in late '89. Cayton's world tour for Tyson was sabotaged by King. :bart
Yeah but would Tyson turn up for Foreman the same way he did for Douglas? And remember, we're assuming Cayton would still be his manager and Rooney his trainer. Most people point the Douglas loss to Tyson not training (enough) and overlooking Douglas. He would not have overlooked George Foreman
King really, really ruined Tyson and Tysons career. I cant emphasise how much this man ****ed up, what could have been a great career. However, look at the fights King got Tyson during that same period. Williams, Douglas, Stewart, Ruddock and the Holyfield fight was signed until prison. Funny, Cayton made no mention of Douglas at all....
Because Douglas was really a non enitity at the time. Carl Williams was more of a name than Douglas because he fought competitively against Holmes and was a regular Tyson sparring partner, so he was in the plans. Douglas was perceived as average really, lost to Ferguson who Tyson beat and quit against Tucker who Tyson beat one sidedly.
Douglas fought on the undercard of the Spinks fight. That was Tyson and Caytons last fight as fighter and manager so the plan was already in place. Douglas at that time was pretty close to coming off his loss to Tucker and had only fought two bums and hadnt raised any eyebrows as of yet. He fought a decent fighter on the undercard of the Spinks fight, and really it wasnt until two fights later that he was back in contention after beating Berbick and Mcall.
Aaah right But at least it goes to show and proves that Tyson would have fought Foreman down the line sooner or later.
