Would Cus have tried to protect Mike from any fighters?

Foreman's comeback would have sent tremors racing all through Catskills.

 

Tyson was like the terminator compared to Patterson, a more advanced and complete version of what Cus envisioned as the perfect fighter, I could see Cus wanting to test Tyson vs Liston, I think if anything Cus might not let him fight prime Foreman, but I think 88 Tyson blows away comeback Foreman

 

Tyson himself said that Liston intimidated him. I even believe that he n his team thought Holyfield would b a much easier fight than defending his WBA belt against Lewis. They miscalculated that one lol. Foreman I'm not on tho I have heard Tyson n his team had no interest pursuing an old Foreman. A young one probably would've been avoided wouldn't doubt that.

 

I guess it’s a twofold question.

1) Would Cus view any fighter as a mountain too high to climb for Mike?

2) If the answer to 1) is yes, then history did prove that Cus would likely go to utmost lengths to protect his fighter and avoid the threat in question - and unashamedly so.

So the answer to 1) isn’t cut and dried BUT if the answer to 1) is yes, then the answer to 2) is most likely yes also.

If Mike fought in the same eras as Liston and then Foreman, I certainly think Cus would take pause re the increased likelihood of Mike losing to Sonny and/or George - and based on the degree of Cus’s concerns, he would avoid the match ups in proportion to the perceived threat.

Without fence sitting, I would say Cus would’ve duly identified the notably increased risk factors involved in Mike facing a prime Liston or prime Foreman - but his reluctance wouldn’t have been as acute as it when presented with the prospect of Patterson facing Liston.

Cus absolutely didn’t want to know about Liston fighting Floyd and he’d likely set up multiple, artificial hoops for Liston and Foreman to have to jump through before they could get to Mike.

He’d also hope that Liston and Forman tripped and fell along the way so he could ultimately reason them as having lost their eligibility for a shot.

That Cus could reason that neither the # 1 contender Machen and # 2 contender Folley deserved a shot due to their “cancelling” each other out in their actual H2H match was quite an extraordinary move.

 

Hard to say. Cus died before Mike started taking on any world beaters.

 

Cus would've moved heaven and Earth to make sure the Lewis fight didn't happen unless Tyson was in tip top shape and Lewis was looking vulnerable. Like say, after the McCall loss. The disaster that was the 2002 farce of a fight never would've happened and he'd probably have gotten Tyson to retire much sooner (while also managing his money way better so he didn't make so many half hearted comebacks desperate for cash).

He'd be wary of Foreman and Holyfield, but if they became mandatories or held onto belts he'd probably reluctantly give in since people would be demanding the fights. Both are very ugly clash of styles.

 

I don’t think Cus would’ve believed anyone could’ve beaten his best work -maybe he’d have thrown him in deep and maybe Tyson would’ve swam if he stayed on track. He’d make a cereal bowl out of George’s skull I don’t know how anyone can think that would even be a threat GF wanted it for money not because he thought he’d win I reckon. Lennox… well Tysons a bit better and a bit smarter then Rahman and Oliver… so he could win out with LL. EH probably EH stops him still, Buster still does the trick and most likely I think Bowe would be vaporised I reckon.

 

You'd be wrong. He publicly declared he would KO Tyson in 2 rounds and even a decade later maintained it was Tyson's fault it didn't happen because his management was worried about the matchup.

 

The only two whom had the right physicality and USED it
for an advantage was Liston and Foreman.
I can see Cus avoiding those two as long as possible
(As he protected Patterson from Liston until he had no
choice but let the fight happen, Patterson was the reason
it happened not Cus.)
But other than those two, I don't think theirs anyone else
Cus would have a serious concern for. Note: Not saying
there's isn't other heavy's that couldn't beat Tyson.

 

High risk .Low gain. Tyson likely beats the old Foreman ,his speed being the major factor,but why take the chance of walking into one of George's bombs?

 

I try to never get into the mentality side of things when it comes to fantasy matchups. I just try to envision the participants at their best, a purely physical observation. No intimidation factors, no mental games, no cannibalism.

I don't think Cus would be too keen on Mike fighting prime George and for good reason. Foreman and Liston are the exact type fighters that the Tyson type fighter has the most problems with (followed by the Holyfield boxer-puncher type, of which I think Liston belongs, along with Louis and others that would beat Tyson).

At his best, Iron Mike Tyson has a brawl with Big George Foreman that is similar to George's fight with Lyle, trading knockdowns and hurting each other. Tyson's quickness, power & head movement, along with a rock solid chin, sees him through to last longer than Lyle did - but the outcome is the same: Foreman TKO 8 Tyson.

As far as Old George, it would be ugly, resulting in a ref stoppage with the big preacher-man stranded on the ropes.

 

Totally agree, Tyson was a knowledgeable boxing historian due to his access to a treasure trove of boxing films and watched hundreds of hours with Cus and Jacobs discussing fighters ,styles and skills. He knew a guy like Foreman was the blue print of the fighter to beat him.
Cus might have wondered if Foreman's age would make enough difference for Mike to win but he as well as Mike would know that his style was tailor made for George. And Tyson entering the ring carrying that doubt could be deadly for him.

 

Exactly. I'm not saying Foreman would win, I would favor Tyson if he's in shape. But it's a foolish fight to take unless you absolutely have to in terms of matchmaking and an ugly clash of styles. Tyson could only fight coming forward and could sometimes struggle with guys that imposed their size with big jabs and strong uppercuts.

Yes on paper Foreman's age and decreased speed may have helped even the odds, but as Mcvey points out it would be a high risk low reward fight. It would be dumb for his management to take it unless he had to (mandatories/unification) or they were ready to cash in their investment for Tyson (it would be a guaranteed huge payday at least). On paper Tyson could win and you could even favor him due to his youth, speed, and defense, but it's still an ugly and risky matchup even with Foreman's age due to the pulverizing jab, uppercut, and shoving against the smaller man who can't fight backing up.

Gun to my head, I'd narrowly favor Tyson at his best to either outbox him or stop him late but that is far from a guaranteed outcome (especially if it's the Foreman of 90-91 who was looking quite sharp, durable, and dangerous for an aging fighter and still had KO power).

 

Assuming we’re talking about a scenario where Cus lived longer and stayed in control of Tysons career?
I don’t think he’d have put him in the HBO Don King tournament. Too high risk and he wouldn’t have wanted to work with Don, kind of like how Butch Lewis handled Michael Spinks. I think Tysons career would’ve played out more like Spinks or Bowe in terms of management.
Foreman may have happened but it’s impossible to say…Cus died before George came back, so all his opinions are based on how George was in the 70s…he never saw the 80s/90s version.