James Slater predicts: Tyson-Foreman '90 & Bowe-Lewis '93

Here are James Slater's (ESB) predictions for Tyson-Foreman '90 & Bowe-Lewis '93. I frequently find myself strongly disagreeing with many of the moronic statements Slater makes, like when he gave David Haye a puncher's chance in the early rounds against a Peak Tyson. Here he claims Tyson ducked Old Foreman as a fact, despite it being George himself who turned down a $4.5million offer to fight Tyson in early '90, & a $20million offer to fight Tyson in '91. The first time his excuse was Don King's contract options "I was more afriad of Don King and the dotted line than I am of Tyson" & the second time he rejected the chance to fight Mike, was because he prefered to pursue an even more lucrative rematch with Holy instead... as if winning 3 rounds against the Champion is enough to warrant a rematch & like $20million wasn't enough for him, the greedy sod.


From Slater's article...

(I'll post my disagreement with his predictions later)

1: Lennox Lewis Vs. Riddick Bowe

When they should have fought: 1993.

Why the fight should have happened and what would have happened had it done so:

This heavyweight clash could well have been a classic. Also, for two other big reasons the fight should have taken place - 1: it would have resulted in a unification of all three major heavyweight titles, 2: these two guys hated each other! (you could also add a third reason, stating that the fight would have been a rematch - what with Lennox and Riddick having met at the '92 Olympics).

Lewis would have been my pick to win, but it wouldn't have been easy. Not yet with ace trainer Emanuel Steward and also still to work on improving things such as his balance and footwork, Lewis would have been in with a peak "Big Daddy," one who was coming off a sensational showing against Evander Holyfield - a far greater fighter than anyone Lewis had on his own resume at the time.

My pick: Lewis by close decision.

Back in and around '93, Lewis was struggling with men like Tony Tucker and Frank Bruno - two heavies who were no way near as gifted as Bowe was. Also, Bowe was a very good inside fighter - who had Lewis met that was as adept at this art form back then? On the flip side, Bowe, as we know now, had already peaked and he would never again put on a show to match his epic win over Holyfield. Lewis, the more disciplined fighter, would have pushed himself harder in pursuit of becoming the undisputed champ (Riddick was already ballooning up between fights and slowly eating his way to a shortened career). There might have been a knockdown or two along the way - on both sides - but in the end Lewis would have prevailed in a fine fight. As for no knockout - remember, no-one ever KO'd Bowe, a fighter whose bravery and ability to take punishment turned out to be quite incredible (see the two Andrew Golota fights).


4: George Foreman Vs. Mike Tyson

When they should have fought: 1990.

Why the fight should have happened and what would have happened had it done so:

This fight that wasn't to be had had people talking in excited tones since 1988, a year or so into Foreman's surprising comeback. During this time, practically any issue of either Ring, KO or Boxing Monthly magazine you picked up had either an article about this prospective fight, or a letter or three sent in by fans talking about it. And when "Big "George starched Gerry Cooney in impressive fashion in early 1990, and then, the following month, "Iron" Mike lost his cloak of invincibility due to being put to sleep by James "Buster" Douglas, the fight was seen as a tough one to call. In short, everyone wanted to see it, and the fight would have made both men and all other people involved with it millions and millions of dollars. This monster of a fight would have been an EVENT. As one promoter who was doing business at the time put it when talking about this Dream Fight, "What fu***ng excitement!"

This one would have had a good shot at being short and sweet. A battle between two of heavyweight history's biggest bangers, Tyson-Foreman would also have been, as Ring magazine put it, a clash between the immovable object (Foreman) and the irresistible force (Tyson). Would old man George have been able to have timed one of Mike's rushes and clobbered him with a bomb as he came at him? Or would Tyson have snapped Foreman's head back with lightening fast combos? Or perhaps another scenario would have unfolded. What we know now about what Tyson was capable of doing when discouraged (quit, bite or foul some other way - basically lose heart) makes is possible that, had he hit Foreman with his best shots and not gotten rid of him, Mike may have looked for a way out. Remember, there have since been stories that have surfaced telling us how Mike was not in favour of fighting Foreman, telling Don King that he was not getting in the ring with "that animal."

My Pick: Foreman by mid-rounds KO.

It would have been hellish for Foreman in the first three rounds or so and, depending on who the referee was, a TKO win may well have been awarded to Tyson. If, however, a third man was appointed who was prepared to allow Foreman to take severe early-rounds punishment, Tyson would have ran out of gas and ran out of confidence. And we know what a rock for a head George had! Staggered a number of times and cut and swollen he would have been, but the phenomenally tough old warhorse who ruled his weight class in the 1970s would have taken his lumps - only to come though the pain and get Tyson out of there around the 7th or 8th round. Would Tyson have quit? Maybe. If not he'd have been knocked flat. In short, Tyson wanted nothing to do with Foreman.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=28820&more=1

 

Some random guy who writes articles for ESB.

 

Read this...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123095/2/index.htm

Tyson-Haters like you are morbidly moronic. :hi:

 

Some people say that, but i've never seen a source provided, ever.

However, i do have a reputable source for this...

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."

The victory over Cooney has only increased Foreman's marketability. Soon King will have to bring more than $5 million to the table. Meantime, Foreman wants to fight once a month. "Old men like me got to stay active," he said. "I rest too long, I might get rusty and never get out of my rocking chair."


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123095/2/index.htm

 

According to Mongoose, Tyson said that about Smokin' Bert Cooper. :rofl