Did George Foreman duck anyone ?

From memory Holmes was steered away from him in the 70's after an offer. He wasn't ready and one can't blame them for that. There's been loads of talk he ducked Holmes in the 90's but someone here had a story up a while back showing that the fight was ready to roll and i just can't remember what happened to cancel it.

Actually found the reason on google -

Holmes and George Foreman signed to fight on January 23, 1999 at the Houston Astrodome. Foreman called off the fight several weeks before it was to take place because the promoter failed to meet the deadline for paying him the remaining $9 million of his $10 million purse.

 

George said he wanted no part of Jerry Quarry or Earnie Shavers in the 70’s even though he’d beat them. In his comeback he made it clear he wanted the title shot. No unnecessary risks to be taken. So he probably ducked fighters in the sense it made no business sense fighting them.

 

He was managed very well and kept away from pointless risks.

 

That was so disappointing. That had such potential to be the definitive old man battle for the ages. One of the GOAT sluggers vs one of the GOAT pure boxers, both old so neither really has a disadvantage.

 

Certainly would have been an interesting and entertaining fight.

 

I don't put too much stock in George's claims of ducking various guys in the 70s. Ever since the comeback, George has been a little weird, had this thing about being overly-modest in my opinion. I really don't believe he ducked Holmes, Quarry, and Shavers, or anybody else for that matter.

 

This. Foreman had a very smart team handling his career. Quarry would’ve been bad news for Foreman in the early to mid 70’s and beating Quarry simply wasn’t necessary for Foreman to get a shot at the title.

Two perfect examples of taking pointless risks are when Lyle fought both Quarry and Young (1st fight) when he didn’t need to.

 

Holmes tired to make the fight several times. The would have made something, more than 90% of his fights. The reason is when two old men fight, the loser really takes a hit in boxing. That would be Foreman.

 

Couldn’t agree with you more. I also don’t buy the claim that his knees were knocking in the face off with Frazier either. That stone cold killer stare he was giving Joe, that was coming from George’s every fibre. In the ring, George was one mean mo fo back in the 70s who feared no one.

 

George loved hamming it up with a big story didn't he. Scared stiff of this one and that one and swatted them away in the blink of an eye like an absolute baus.

 

I don't buy this whole Quarry story, Foreman would dominate past prime Quarry at this point.

 

Tbh, I even wonder if an older Liston did force him back in sparring as George said. Not that Liston couldn’t have necessarily managed it but since “self deprecating” George claimed it to be so, should we automatically second guess him? LOL.

 

Though Quarry was better skilled than Chuvalo, I think a fight between Jerry and Foreman might’ve followed a similar line to that of Foreman v Chuvalo but with Quarry offering a bit more opposition in a fight that goes a few rds longer.

George used to be good friends with younger brother Mike Q. so perhaps that’s where Foreman’s seemingly over polite deference to Jerry came from.

 

gerry earnie razor tucker and mutiples others