A lot of people say prime for prime George would’ve won. What about George in 1977 against prime for prime mike any year in which you think he was prime
People choose Mike over Ron when Ron knocked George down 2 times. However. George had a way better style of slugging to take on swarmers a lot better than Lyle did. Way similar to Liston with the uppercuts and the low hooks that you weren’t really able to weave since they were really low. Even though Joe Frazier almost went six rounds with Foreman, even being out of his prime. does that mean Tyson would do better? Tyson had great lateral movement. Way more stronger. Which would help him far better against sluggers. Better defense, more explosive. More skilled.
If George fought smart and patient, and kept pumping that jab, I could definitely see him winning.But that’s just not how he fought in his prime. He was aggressive, wild, and loaded up on every punch. Against like Tyson who thrived on explosive counters, tight hooks, and uppercuts Foreman’s wide swings and defensive holes would get him hurt. Tyson would feast on those openings if Foreman came in reckless like he did in the 70s.
So, on one hand we have “prime” Mike while only sampling Foreman from 77 during which he had only 2 fights,so, not the best version of Foreman and stylistically, Jimmy Young was a far different proposition to Mike at any rate. Post Zaire, Foreman did post performances that were that much more measured and patient - but still underscored by power punching - see the Frazier rematch and the LeDoux fight in 1976 for 2 examples. I can’t see that we can take the exact version of Foreman from just the one fight (for all intents and purposes, from the Young fight) without duly adjusting his stylistic approach and strategy. Against Young, Foreman unwisely tried to prove that he could box against a boxer - PTSD and over compensation from Zaire. If Foreman had just gone in and done what he did best, his chances of stopping Young would’ve risen dramatically. As it was, Foreman barely threw during the first several rounds - simply posing more than anything else. As Mike would fight George, per action/reaction, I think Foreman would’ve more easily reverted to type and thrown bombs from the opening bell - but even if he employed the pacing of the Frazier rematch and LeDoux fights when he was still throwing hard - I still think that would be a big problem for a fighter of Mike’s ilk and physical attributes.
First career Foreman gets caught while trying to be macho and blasting Mike out of there. Gets caught be Mike’s superior hand speed and counter punching. 2nd career older George survives the early storm, takes Mike to the deep end with that jab and drowns him late. Probably 10th or 11th round pours it on a hurt and worn down Tyson.
I don’t think Tyson beats any version of Foreman. Just a bad matchup for him for a variety of reasons.
Foreman seriously staggers Mike in a thrilling first 4 rounds, but both men lose steam after and the fight is a sleepwalk. Mikes superior hand speed makes the difference and though he scores a flash kid toward the end he’s too exhausted from the clinches to finish it. UD Mike, both look real bad in the face in the end.
Prime Mike Tyson Vs a George Foreman who was struggling against Jimmy Young and whose head wasn't in the right frame of mind..... ......Tyson would run through him Confidence is everything. Ability and physicality is only part of it.
