Mike Tyson 1987 vs. George Foreman 1973

I've seen it before. And with respect to you, it's just a bunch of apologetic excuses for Tyson. He got his ass kicked plain and simple. It's tough to look good when the other guy keeps relentlessly punching you and keeping you engaged from distance. It's much easier to look good if you're facing a shriveled, scared light weight in Michael Spinks. Tyson was MADE to fight his worst game BY Douglas. The Toyko Tyson would have destroyed every fighter he faced save for Evander Holyfield and perhaps Lennox Lewis. He'd have looked just as devastating in Tokyo against other opponents like Spinks. Maybe sometime I'll dissect your big post but I don't think you'd like nor care for that

This would NEVER have happened to Frazier. The Frazier against Foreman would have destroyed Buster, nevermind FOTC.

Are you kidding me? How-to-box.com

I asked for YOUR OPINION vis a vis Tyson, Cus, and Patterson. I asked you to compare the two fighters and also speculate on Cus' intent. If you haven't watched enough of Patterson that's OK just revisit him on youtube. You still haven't answered the question.

 

Oh for **** sakes I give up. If you don't want to believe that Frazier had anything in common with Mike Tyson, that Cus D'Amato's opinion has any weight on the issue, that Tyson vs Douglas was not the best rendition of Tyson, or that Tyson's style was made for Foreman then all the more power to you..

Good day sir.

 

Good day to you too.

 

It was the opinion of one man. I'm sure there are countless boxing trainers, experts, and even other fighters who would pick Tyson to beat any version of Foreman. But since Cus plucked Tyson out of reform school and helped to mold him - at least the early Tyson - his evaluation of a Tyson/Foreman fight carries more weight than others'? I don't buy that.

 

I think saying that Foreman was a far greater puncher than any puncher that Tyson ever faced is more than just a stretch. I don't see how Foreman hit all that much harder(if at all) than Lennox Lewis, Razor Ruddock, and even Frank Bruno in a shot for shot basis. I'd have to rate Tyson's chin at least one notch above Frazier's chin. Frazier suffered some flash knockdowns against guys who were not regarded as huge punchers, and he was more than a little shaken up by the crude Bonavena and Ramos. He also got staggered more than once against the ordinary power of Ali. Tyson never hit the deck from a flash knockdown or succumbed from one punch unless it was after an accumulation of punishment.

 

First of all, let's strongly refrain from using the Joe Frazier vs George Foreman fight in Jamaica 1973 as the platform for discussing Tyson 87 vs Foreman 73.

Frazier was out of shape, overconfident, half blind, and didn't pay Foreman the same respect he did to Ali. If he did, the fight could have very well ended differently. The Joe Frazier just prior to the FOTC would arguably get past the early rounds against Foreman, wear him down to the body and stop him before the 10th. Lots of people on this forum believe Foreman destroys any version of Frazier, but I strongly beg to differ. Frazier circa 1967 - 1970 was a much quicker fighter, hand and foot, and was much harder to hit with his head movement than the fighter who showed up to fight Foreman in 1973. To not give prime Frazier a chance against 1973 Foreman is wrong. There's no reason not to believe that Frazier could make Foreman miss just like he did against Ali in 1971.

As for 87 Tyson vs 73 Foreman, it's quite possible that Tyson could KO this version of Foreman because he'd use his right hand against George, which Frazier could have and should have used, but didn't against Foreman. Another thing to consider, is the fact that Mercante let Foreman get away with some illegal tactics against Frazier. Pushing, shoving, grabbing Frazier's shoulders, holding underneath and hitting are wrestling tactics that should have been penalized. Tyson had more upper body strength than Frazier, but I'd argue less leg strength. Foreman's wrestling tactics probably wouldn't be much of a factor, unless Tyson gets dirty too, which is quite possible. Still, it's doubtful Foreman would be able to push Tyson off as easy as he did with Frazier.

Tyson and Frazier are similar in terms of their objectives in a fight which is to pound the body in close and work the head when the opponent's guard drops. There's no denying the fact that both are pressure fighters that like to come forward. Both men could fight moving backwards and circuling the opponent as they have both displayed that in their careers. Too many people say Frazier is a one-dimentional left hook fighter that just moves forward and takes punishment to land his own shots which is false.

The main difference between the two, Frazier prefered to bob and weave with some slipping of punches by the shoulders, whereas Tyson prefered to slip and drop his shoulders to the left side to double up his hook. Tyson is the only heavyweight that I've seen use a double shoulder slip, finishing on either the left or right, landing the hook after the slips. Tyson didn't bob and weave as much as Frazier but this wasn't absent from his offensive attack. Tyson would bob and weave when he had his opponent in trouble on the ropes. Both men also threw jabs to set up the right hand, moreso Tyson, but many on this forum say Frazier didn't have a jab which is wrong. He landed some good jabs against Ali, Bugner, Quarry, Chuvalo and Mathis.

As for the fight, I'd be more inclined to lean towards Foreman winning because his performance against Frazier, regardless of Frazier's condition was an awesome destruction. If Tyson doesn't get out of the fourth round with his head on straight, he gets knocked out. If he makes it to the middle rounds, he has a very good chance of beating Foreman. Stamina and conditioning would be a factor in this fight, and I'd favour Tyson over Foreman in this regard.

 

A fighter who has average foot and handspeed and who tends to stand straight up and throw wide, looping shots is tailor-made for a guy like Mike Tyson. I don't see how anyone could disagree with this. A strong case can be made that Foreman is tailor-made for Tyson.

 

Tyson with surprising ease. George's balance would do him in. He'd eat a few hard counters and be out. Round three.

 

George.

 

Big George.