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23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?


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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 Qawi (formerly Dwight Braxton), and fringe contender Bert Cooper, stopping both.

On January 15, 1990, Foreman fought a 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.

 

http://coxscorner.tripod.com/foreman_tyson_fl.html

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

I once read that Lennox Lewis had no interest in fighting George Foreman or Larry Holmes cos he thought he'd kill them. Mike Tyson was a student of the game and respect these guys - he ravaged Holmes like no one has ever done. George would've gotten hurt by Mike Tyson - in their primes things would've been different.

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

I am positive Tyson was not afraid to fight Foreman. He fought Lewis, and Lewis was much faster than George. Lewis also had a very strong killer instinct, that George only had in his first career, and even at his peak, he was decked by Lyle, Young and Ali, so I am sure Tyson, would have thought he would easily flatten him.

Also if chinny Morrison can survive the distance, Mike had nothing to fear.

If we want to talk about Foreman being ducked, let us not forget that Foreman himself ducked Holmes, in what would have been a great historical, even match up, and he ducked all big strong black contenders too, in his comeback, until he had no choice. The only ones he would agree to fight were ex light heavies like J.B. Williamson, and old 5ft7 Qawi, or small Bert Cooper, who was well known to be taking drugs, throughout his career. I dislike Tyson as a person, but he ducked no one.......unlike Mr Bowe.

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

--- Larded Larry wasn't a factor during George' comeback.

 

Never won a fight against a defending champ unless you count his DKing split decision against Norton who should have won. No rematch either in what would have been his biggest purse then.

 

Lotsa fleas on Lar's mangy hide as he showed during his Hof induction where he used up all his time ranting about George who always made the girls of boxing cry.

 

Anyway it's documented that during his comeback tyson near shat hisself when King proposed the Foreman bout.

Edited by LondonRingRules
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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

It wasn't so much fear as not wanting to hurt his childhood idol I think. Big George must have been an idol of Mike's and it's never easy kicking your idol's butt. Ask Terry Norris, James Toney, even Evander...but a shame this fight didn't happen, would have been interesting. Of course, I was only about 11-12 back then, but I was already starting to follow boxing, thanks to Tyson.

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

I don't think he ducked Foreman. George's comeback was treated as a bit of a joke until the Cooney fight and Tyson lost his title shortly after. If he'd retained it I've no doubt the Don King would have matched them in a hugely profitable contest.

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

I don't think we agree on anything at all. No way on this(or any other earth) did Norton deserve the decision against Holmes(who is yet another all time great, you seem to have a dislike for) and he cannot help never beating a defending champ, if he was the other guy designated to fight for the vacant title. In fact he actually DID beat a defending champ (Mike Spinks) but was robbed.

Holmes wasn't a factor in Foreman's comeback you say! That is because he wouldn't let him be. Holmes made a very big fuss to get that fight made but George would not have any of it. As I said earlier, I saw a Foreman interview in which he openly admitted, he ain't fighting no strong young bucks, translated to, black contenders.

Tyson would have fought Foreman no problem. I met Foreman btw

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

We seem to agree on everything. Even the Cooney fight was an easy match. Cooney had not fought in 3 years and only 4 times in 8 years, and in his last fight, he was stopped by an ex light heavyweight.

If very average ex light heavies J.B williamson and 5ft 7 old Qawi, would have the guts to fight Foreman, you just gotta know that Tyson had nothing to fear

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  • 3 weeks later...

Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

We were only talking about this at work today. Some guy reckoned that Tyson had nothing to gain, and everything to lose because he shouldn't lose to an old man. I read an article that said Tyson was scared to fight Foreman, and he was shouting and swearing at King to fight Foreman himself.

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  • 5 months later...

Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

I think that 23 year old Mike Tyson would destroy that 41 year old Foreman. Foreman was a great champion, but at 41 years was (of course) slower, too slow to be able to defeat the young Tyson, powerful and explosive. The old Larry Holmes in the early rounds kept out Tyson with a jab and good footwork, Foreman did not have that boxing. Rather different speech for the young Foreman, what would have been an epic match, for me would last no more than 5-6 rounds (and have already been many), a slugfest from start to finish :boxing21:

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

--- Actually, foreman in his comeback perfected a poleax of a jab more powerful than most straight right hands.

 

Tyson was 23 when he showed up in Tokyo as a zombie with DKing stooges in his corner to get an all time beating by Douglas who was seen as a cream puff for Tyson. I'd say from that point on Tyson was mentally struggling as he slowly dissolved into a circus sideshow. He only fought for the money and lifestyle he was now accustomed to as his minders struggled to keep him on his meds and out of jail. Sad squander of what had been heir to greatest ever heavy. Young tyson was Ring's first ever p4p #1. Think about it.

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

No way Tyson ducked Foreman!!!

That Mike Tyson had damaged Foreman badly. Do you remember Foreman´s face after his fight with Alex Stewart?.

We all know wath Tyson did to Stewart...

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Re: 23-year-old Mike Tyson was afraid to fight 41-year-old George?

 

--- Yeah, I remember george knocking him down twice in the second rd and asking the ref for the stoppage.

 

Credit Stewert for working his way into the fight but he did it by running, whining, and potshots of an elderly, now disinterested George. Had george not low blowed Stewert he would have a UD. Tyson would never run like Stewert which is where the danger is against George.

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