According to sources at the time, such as Harry Mullan of The Independent, this was supposed to be Don King's rough schedule of events for the following year when Tyson beat Holyfield. January 26th '97 vs Andrew Golota (29-1) if he beat Bowe OR vs Ray Mercer (24-4-1) if he beat Witherspoon, for the WBA heavyweight title. (would've been Mercer then) March 15th '97 vs Michael Moorer (38-1) for a unification of the WBA & IBF heavyweight titles June 28th '97 vs Oliver McCall (29-6) if he beat Lewis, for a unification of the WBC, WBA & IBF heavyweight titles sometime in September '97 vs George Foreman (75-4), defending the WBC (possibly), WBA & IBF heavyweight titles against the linear champ. Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis and Tim Witherspoon were firmly off the menu, not King fighters with Witherspoon in particular persona non grata with Don. Also not in the plans was the WBO title (then held by Henry Akinwande, another King fighter positioned to fight Lewis). Any thoughts? If it happened, Tyson-Foreman would've drawn huge numbers I'm sure.
Tyson would have smashed Golota (like he was doing before Golota quit) Tyson would have taken Moorer out real early. I would have liked to see it though. Tyson-McCall I wanted to see this fight, I think McCall could have hung for a bit he had a great chin. Tyson-Foreman man this was a dream fight for me back in the day I really wanted this.
Bloody Holyfield ruined the lot, at the time Holyfield was thought to be in the same class as the men above not a potential ATG.
By 1997, I don't think he would. Just continuing with the weird Liston vs Foreman rivalry banter that always gets thrown around. I do think he is still a live dog. And I do believe Tyson was afraid of Foreman... maybe not at this stage though.
I don't know. By 1997, Foreman was even slower and Tyson still had plenty of quickness left and would likely beat the old man up. Foreman would have no answer.
If Tyson did fear Foreman in the early 90s, I think there's a part of Tyson that would be shitting his pants at the prospect of fighting Foreman anytime after the Moorer knockout. While Tyson had more left in the tank that Foreman in '97, it may have only taken one big, early shot from George for Tyson to cave and find a way out, or wind up fighting at a pace that suited a 47/48 year old Foreman. As old and slow as he was, I'd also say that Foreman still had a stamina edge at this point. As for the rest of the schedule, it would have been great to see the match ups occur. Ah well, one can dream.
Foreman will always have a chance when he's a power-puncher with his chin and heart against a fighter moving forward. I was agreeing with you anyway.
1990s Mike Tyson had 3 common opponents with 1990s George Foreman Evander Holyfield- Both lost Alex Stewart- Tyson KO 1 Foreman W 10 Majority Lou Saverese Tyson KO 1 Foreman W 12 I think it's clear Tyson was by far the better puncher than old man foreman, and his speed/combinations/power would have been way to much for Foreman. Foreman never fought an ATG finisher like Mike Tyson in the 1990s, and I think Tyson was capable of putting anyone away. Let's face it, 1990s Foreman could be beaten by anyone. We all saw how easily a glass jaw slugger in Tommy Morrison beat him.
I've always wondered what King had lined up in 1997. And I'm always trying to calculate Tyson fights had Rooney hung around and the original Team Tyson was intact. 35-0 after Spinks with Bruno, Damiani, Rodrigues, Holyfield and Foreman lined up. 10 more victories and he gets to 50-0. Who would the fighters have been?