How would've George Foreman ('73-'74) fared against 80s and 90s heavyweights?

His chin was too good

 

Mike Tyson (1986) Foreman TKO 3
Lennox Lewis (1999) 60/40 For Lewis. Maybe Lewis on points
Larry Holmes (1982) Holmes by TKO in 11
Evander Holyfield (1992) 50/50
Trevor Berbick (1981) Foreman KO 2
Michael Moorer (1994) Foreman KO 2
David Tua (1997) Foreman by late TKO
John Ruiz (1998) Foreman KO 1
Riddick Bowe (1992) Foreman KO 8 (Bowe takes a few knockdowns and absorbs too many punches from George in the exchanges)
Ike Ibeabuchi (1999) Foreman KO 4
Buster Douglas (1990) Foreman KO 3
Tommy Morrison (1993) Foreman KO 2
Ray Mercer (1991) Foreman TKO 6
Oliver McCall (1994) Foreman TKO 8 (No knockdowns)
Frank Bruno (1989) Foreman KO 3

 

Tyson had a considerably better chin than Frazier though and was much more proven against KO artists than Frazier was.

Ruddock for single punch power is on Foreman's level and his uppercut/smash never really troubled Tyson that much he took those punches very well.

 

Foreman loses to Holmes, Lewis.

Holyfield if he fights a smart fight is capable of beating Foreman, Tyson despite some thinking he has a stylistic disadvantage i think he fairs alot better than Frazier did maybe Foreman has the edge but by no means a certainty.

Ibeabuchi despite not seeing him much at world level i think he's a very troubling opponent for Foreman. He's 230+ pounds he has an iron chin and better stamina, Foreman should be favoured because he's much more proven but this is a possible banana skin for Big George.

Douglas on his A game would be troubling opponent for Foreman his 83 inch reach jab would be an issue and he's of similar size. But i think Foreman may bring too much heat and Douglas's suspect temperament when put under pressure will come into play.

Bowe despite being bigger than Foreman fights on the inside too much and is far too hittable Foreman by stoppage for me.

The other fighters on the list i'd make Foreman a considerable favourite over.

 

Mike had a very good chin. But he was stopped by both Douglas and Holyfield, neither were considered great punchers. I daresay even Holyfield didn't have the power of Ali, at least whenever Ali settled enough to sit into his punches (see the Lyle and Foreman fights).

Ruddock was a great puncher, however Foreman was ridiculously powerful with both hands...and knew exactly how to deal with a swarmer like Mike.

To me Mike never finds the range with Foreman: if he comes in the uppercut ends it early. If he tries to stay at midrange he has to deal with the jab and being bullied into punches by George.. Either way he's screwed. Though I can certainly see Foreman getting floored, Mike would have the bad luck to watch him get right back up again and muscle him around.

I also have to mention, when Frazier had been down 5 times and was out of his mind he STILL got up and was game to fight. As much as I admire Mike, he never did anything close to that. He never had that kind of superhuman resilience, though he showed wonderful heart against Ruddock, Douglas, and Lewis.

But this is just all my vision, all respect to yours. I love both fighters.

 

Tyson took long sustained beatings from Holyfield, Douglas, though until he finally was stopped. It doesn't matter if they're not great punchers if you're taking a sustained beating for 10 or 11 rounds you're going to get stopped eventually especially at Heavyweight. Plus and i hate to sound like one of those Tyson fan boys but Tyson was not in his prime vs Holyfield and his poorly prepared for Douglas.

That's me like saying the Foreman who went life and death with Lyle and lost a comprehensive points win vs Young would you confidently pick the Foreman of those fights vs Tyson ?

No doubt Foreman is a better fighter than Ruddock but Tyson was never really troubled vs big punchers especially big punchers who were considerably bigger than him.

Bonecrusher was of similar size to Foreman and a big puncher yet he didn't have the confidence to engage Tyson in a war. Likewise big punchers like Bruno and Ruddock who i've already mentioned were beaten comprehensively.

People like to assume because Frazier got destroyed by Foreman that Tyson would end up the sameway but i don't necessarily agree. Tyson was bigger than Frazier, had a better chin, better defence, considerably faster, and had a much more proven record vs KO artists. Also see Qawi vs Foreman for example he was a swarmer even shorter than Frazier yet Foreman had some issues putting him away, and Qawi was considerably past his best by that point and out of shape so Foreman may not have an easy time vs every swarmer as you assume.

Frazier has more heart than Tyson agreed but i can't see Tyson getting stopped very early vs Foreman for one Frazier was a slow starter in fights unlike Tyson. Plus as i said Tyson has a considerably better chin and a more proven track record vs KO artists. In actual fact Foreman himself would be in danger in the early rounds as Tyson is one of the fastest starting Heavyweights of all time.

Stylistically Foreman may have the edge and as i said i would make him a slight favourite but it's not as clear cut as you think. And i don't think because Foreman got rid of Frazier early that it has the same relevance to Tyson in all honestly they're two different fighters despite their similar dimensions.

 

The only two fighters with a chance of beating a Focused Foreman is Holmes and Lewis. The only one I'd bet on beating Foreman would be Holmes,,,Lewis? Sometime in the first 4 rounds George will cut off the ring and pin Lennox on the ropes and fire away. It would only take one to get Lewis in serious trouble, if he survives he can win.

 

That George would have lost a clear UD against Mike, gotten dropped once or twice along the way.

I mean the Foreman who beat Frazier and Norton. Mike never beat anyone as good as either of those fighters imo. Spinks was the closest he came and let's face it, Spinks was significantly more limited (and arguably had lesser quality wins) at heavyweight than Norton.

I see the validity in pretty much all your points otherwise, my friend.

 

The best Heavies of that age - Lewis, Holyfield, & Bowe, would all be defeated.

 

That's what I was going to say. Nothing in Tysons career indicates him being stopped in 3 rounds.

 

I’d only Pick Lewis and maybe Holmes and Holyfield.
He walks Tyson onto an uppercut at some point as he comes in.

 

Nothing indicated Frazier would be stopped in two rounds prior to Foreman, either. While I’m of the opinion Tyson took a better single shot than Frazier, he had absolutely zero of Frazier’s mental commitment or stability under pressure, & could never withstand the kind of sustained punishment Frazier could (anyone picture Douglas knocking Frazier out in ten rounds?)

Foreman would make Tyson crumble.

 

There were signs. He was dropped by Mike Bruce and Oscar Bonavena. He quickly recovered, but in hindsight, those were signs that he could perhaps be troubled by a big puncher.

 

I’d have to disagree - a lot of retrospective thinking there. He was never even near being stopped in those fights.

 

I love Frazier as a fighter but could you picture Frazier taking bombs consistently from a 230 pound plus massive puncher like Ruddock ? i think Frazier as good he was is slightly untested against big punching KO artists. Where as Tyson's record against KO artists especially guys that were big men is tried and tested Ruddock, Bruno, Bonecrusher, etc.

Hence people assuming Foreman blows away Tyson very early is unlikely to me.