Prime Mike Tyson vs 70's George Foreman

Any version of Foreman beats any Tyson. Exactly the wrong style for Tyson.

 

here's the link:

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and here's the story:

Why We Never Saw Foreman-Tyson
By Frank Lotierzo


On March 9 1987, former heavyweight champion George Foreman stopped journeyman Steve Zouski in the fourth round. Foreman's fight versus Zouski was the official beginning of the second leg of Foreman's 18-year career, after being retired for ten years. Foreman's bout with Zouski was his first fight since losing a decision to third-ranked contender Jimmy Young back on March 17 1977.

Foreman said he came back to reclaim the title he lost to Muhammad Ali back in October of 1974. After beating Zouski, Foreman fought on a schedule that had him in the ring just about every other month. He would constantly tell anyone with a microphone after each fight that, he came back because he knew he could beat Mike Tyson and wanted to fight him for the title. Through Big George's first ten to fifteen fights, he was laughed at for the quality of the fighters he was fighting and wasn't taken seriously. Foreman never made excuses for them and admitted that he was fighting guys who had no chance of beating him. He said that he wanted to get used to being back in the ring and was in no hurry.

In 1987, Foreman fought five times; in 1988, he fought nine times and in 1989, he fought five times. After 19 fights, Foreman was 19-0 (18). During the course of those 19 fights, Foreman only fought two name fighters: former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champ Dwight Muhammad Qwai (formerly Dwight Braxton), and fringe contender Bert Cooper, stopping both.

On January 15, 1990, Foreman fought former heavyweight title challenger, the hard-hitting Gerry Cooney. Cooney was making a comeback after not fighting in almost two and a half years. Cooney viewed Foreman as an easy win and figured he could capitalize off of Foreman's name and jump to the front of the heavyweight picture with an impressive victory. Going into the fight neither Foreman or Cooney were perceived to be a real threat to any of the top heavyweights in the world, let alone Tyson who was just 23 and the unbeaten, undisputed champ.

By January of 1990, Foreman had built up such a following and fan base that the Foreman-Cooney fight was only seen on PPV. It took Foreman less than two full rounds to mutilate Cooney sending him back into permanent retirement. Foreman displayed accuracy and devastating power in stopping Cooney. It wasn't until after Foreman's destruction of Cooney that he was taken as a serious title contender. Before the boxing world had time to digest Foreman's showing against Cooney, it was dealt an even bigger shock 26 days later.

On February 10 1990, 42-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas literally turned the boxing world upside down when he traveled to Tokyo and knocked out undisputed heavyweight champ Mike Tyson. Don King promoted Tyson, at the time of his defeat. After Tyson's loss to Douglas, King wanted to have Tyson fight in a high profile fight.

He figured a spectacular knockout win over a name opponent would get Tyson back on track to being the man in the heavyweight picture again. King thought he found the perfect opponent in Foreman who was all over television after beating Cooney. Foreman never passed up an opportunity to take a shot at Tyson and throw out challenges to him while doing the talk show circuit.

In the subsequent months following Foreman's victory over Cooney and Douglas' upset of Tyson, there was much talk of a Foreman-Tyson fight. It was a potential fight that captured the public's imagination, and not just the boxing public. In fact, there were several reports that the fight was signed and about to be announced. ESPN Sportscenter devoted numerous segments on the fight assuming it was going to happen.

Shortly thereafter, there was an announcement that Foreman and Tyson were going to fight on the same card. In late April of 1990, it was announced that Foreman and Tyson would be fighting a co-main event on June 16 to be broadcast on HBO. Foreman's opponent was Adilson Rodrigues, who was ranked in the top ten by two of the major sanctioning bodies. Tyson's opponent was the unranked Henry Tillman.

Tillman was best known for beating Tyson twice in the 1984 Olympic trials.
At this time, Evander Holyfield was getting ready for his sixth fight as a heavyweight against Seamus McDonagh on June 1 in Atlantic City. On the day of the Holyfield-McDonagh fight, I went to grab something to eat with Georgie Benton, Lou Duva and Bobby Goodman. At the time, Goodman was, and still is, Don King's matchmaker.

I've known Benton for many years, through him I met Duva, and was introduced to Goodman a couple weeks before Tyson fought Larry Holmes at the Convention Center in Atlantic City in January 1988.

While we were eating, Benton said, "Bobby, what's up with Foreman and Tyson, how come they're not fighting each other on the 16th? Isn't that the fight that King was trying to make?" He said, " Georgie,You'll never believe this but, ****in' Tyson is scared shitless of Foreman and wants no part of him. I was there when Don was trying to make the fight. He was telling Tyson that Foreman represented huge money, plus he was old and slow and would be no problem. Tyson got up and screamed at King saying, 'I'm not fightin' that ****in' animal, if you love the mother****er so much, you fight him!'"

Goodman stated that Tyson said Foreman was much better than people thought, and was a dangerous fight for any of the top heavyweights. Goodman proceeded to explain how Tyson was calling Foreman a big con man, and explained that the grandpop act was just a front. He said Tyson saw Foreman as trying to set up the boxing world into thinking he was a pushover, knowing that he really wasn't. Tyson said Foreman was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Goodman continued to say that after seeing Tyson's response to King trying to push him into a fight with Foreman, he had no doubt that Tyson had fear of Foreman. He also said that from that point on, he felt that if Foreman and Tyson ever fought, Foreman would knock Tyson out!

Throughout the lunch Goodman, Duva, Benton, and myself shared stories and thoughts on the fight game. Out of the blue Goodman said, "Oh I remember why else Tyson wanted no parts of Foreman. He said that King had found out from Steve Lott that Tyson and Cus D'Amato used to watch the Frazier-Foreman fight over and over." He continued saying that Tyson loved that fight because he was awed by Foreman's power and Frazier's toughness and how he kept getting up after every knockdown. He also said that Lott told King that Cus sat alongside Tyson saying, "It's suicide against Foreman if you're short and fight a swarming attacking style like Marciano or Frazier," never figuring that Foreman could be a possible Tyson opponent down the road. He said that Cus said the only fighters who had a chance against Foreman were, tall rangy fighters who could fight him from a distance while moving away from him, and no way any swarmer could beat Foreman by going to him.

Those are the words of the man who actually had a hand in trying to make the Foreman-Tyson fight, and was in the room when the negotiations broke down. Over the years, I've talked to many people who were involved with Tyson and Foreman and they all verify the story, every one of them. I have also talked to people who were involved with promoting Foreman, including Ron Weathers who promoted a few of Foreman's comeback fights. He told me the same story.

The fight didn't happen because of Tyson being fearful of losing to George. Bob Arum also said that he dreamed of making Foreman-Tyson. He said it would be huge money and that Foreman would stop Tyson easier than he did Frazier. This is something Arum often repeated to the press. I have also heard this from George's brother Roy who was his business manager. I co-hosted a boxing show with Roy in Atlantic City for a little less than two months and this was a regular topic when discussing Tyson. Anyone who covered boxing at the time or knew any of the involved parties knew of this. It's not breaking news.

It is absolutely a fact that Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George Foreman--the same Foreman who Evander Holyfield would fight and beat in April of 1991. I have not a doubt that had Foreman and Tyson fought anytime between 1990 and 1997 that Foreman would have knocked Tyson out inside of three rounds. Tyson just has nothing to beat Foreman with; his edge in hand speed would have been a non-factor. He can't beat him by backing away, and he would have gotten his head handed to him if he brought the fight to Foreman. In addition, Foreman was bigger, stronger, tougher and hit harder. Not to mention the fact that Foreman had a better chin and no fear or doubt, unlike Tyson, who was full of fear and self-doubt.

Think about it, Foreman-Tyson was the biggest fight that could have been made in 1990. Foreman was perceived to be an easy fight for Tyson, and it would have been his biggest payday to date. There can only be one reason why Tyson didn't fight Foreman, and that's because he feared losing to him.

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why were there no reports on this at the time then? just reports of foreman getting offered contrats and refusing to sign.



1st attempt:

"...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..."

Read more:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...95/2/index.htm


2nd Attempt

"After Tyson's win over Razor Ruddock in their June 28 rematch, King set out to land a bout with Foreman. It was a power move that could well have left Holyfield with his crown, but with little opportunity to parlay it into another megabucks fight. However, the 42-year-old Foreman, whose gallant loss to Holyfield in April left him the heavyweight division's most popular figure, reportedly turned down a $20 million offer from King. Big George, it seemed, wanted a Holyfield rematch..."

Read more:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...0013/index.htm


3rd Attempt

"Tyson is scheduled to fight for a title in March. Foreman, who said he will retire after one more fight, is tentatively scheduled to meet Michael Moorer in March. Foreman has said he would like to fight Tyson, but not if King is involved in the promotion. King said he is confident that could be worked out.

Foreman did not elaborate upon the reason he is against King, who is responsible for promoting the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" title fight in Zaire, West Africa, where he and Ali became the first fighters to receive $5 million each in an unprecedented guarantee. King, named "Greatest Promoter of All-Time" by the World Boxing Council, inspired President Mobuto Sese Seko's government to promote the first one-billion viewer fight spectacular between Ali and Foreman in Zaire's capital city, Kinshasha. The government guaranteed the $10 million which was split between Foreman and Ali, who regained his heavyweight title..."

Read More:

http://books.google.com/books?id=fTk...page&q&f=false
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmG_gR576EA[/ame]

skip to 1.28

 

maybe those are cover-up lies to protect Tyson's image.

 

Foreman would've whooped Tyson. If the fight wasn't over within 3 rounds (and Tyson ain't knocking Foreman out like some bum), Foreman tortures him the rest of the fight before stopping him.

 

I like Tyson here, his speed coupled with his incredible head movement give him the win.

 

BTW those claiming Tyson ducked Foreman are dumb as ****, Foreman in the 90s could've mailed his punches to Tyson and they would've got there quicker, in fact King saw him as an easy payday and made multiple offers which Foreman always rejected.

 

atsch:rofl:nut Foreman turned down multiple offers including a 20 million dollar payday to face Tyson, get your **** straight instead of quoting some Tyson hater.

 

The sole reason Foreman came out of retirement in the mid 1980's was to fight Mike Tyson.

Foreman always wanted to fight Tyson. Its Tyson that didnt.

 

atsch:rofl:nut Why did Foreman turn down a 20 million dollar payday in addition to the other offers if he wanted Tyson?

 

foremans sole reason for coming out of retirement was to make money with the least possible risk!
his second career was all smoke and mirrors, and because he lasted 12 with holy, (who was small and not seen as a big puncer by george), he seems to get mythical status.
he wouldnt except the contract with tyson as he knew tyson would put him into retierment.

lets look at his fights in his second career.

all bums set up for him, then.
bert cooper who was never a really good fighter but gets a lot of rep from his holy performance.
gerry cooney, who hadnt fought since he got tko'd by MIKEY SPINKS!
lost a decision to holy, lasted the distance.
fought alex stewart, who made him look like mr potatoe head. and got a gift decicion, a guy the tyson knocked out in one.
tommy morrison, one of the worst chins at that time, but couldnt knock him out and lost a decision again.
michael moorer, was being totally outclassed in everyway by light heavy glass chinned moorer, but he got the win here with a one punch knock out. nothing special here imho as a gust of wind would sent moorer over. but fair play to george he got the win!
axel schulz, another gift decision.
lou savarese another (contravercial) decision
shannon briggs a fight the george maybe should have won.

now when stepping up against solid comp he had 1 KO in his second career and the was michael moorer.
the rest all went to decision.
the other guys he ko'd were were pretty much cans set up for the KO
so wheres this mythical power he is gonna take tyson out with? (tyson that had a granite chin mind!)
i like george but **** some people cant see how how much of a salesman he was, in his second career.

now in the seventys it would be a good fight!

 

Lotierzo's a hack.

 

Er Cus was reffering to the Young, Prime Foreman, not the fat slow slob who came back in the 90s.

I have answered this topic numerous times abotu why Tyson/Foreman didnt happen.

Foreman was nothing but a freakshow in the 90s, why is it that Foreman was fighting and calling out midgets and guys with glass jaws?

Hmm lets, Holyfield, who was a former CW. George probably thought this would be a walkover

He was calling out Tyson, another midget.

Moorer who always had a dodgy chin

Qawi who was a former LHW

Morrison, another guy with a dodgy chin

Why didnt we see Forman vs guys his own size like LL, Bruno, Ruddock, Bowe, Tucker....or Larry Holmes?

Tyson never ducked Foreman, Foreman was just never a priorty for team tyson.

However Foreman was on both Bill Cayton and Don Kings fight plans for Tyson, AFTER Tyson had beat Holyfield (which of course never happened)

Holyfield was always more of a priority for Team Tyson, both before a
and after prison.

Its like accusing Wlad of ducking James Toney so he can fight David Haye instead....

 

pathetics Tyson haters

 

:smoke Styles make outcomes and GEORGE blastes him with ease 10 out of 10 times .