George Foreman (1973) -v- Mike Tyson

jab · Post by **jab** » 12 May 2005, 17:59

KOJOE90 wrote:
jab wrote: Foreman did avoid certain fighters,
Do you mean Holmes and Shavers? I only ask as both claim Foreman avoided them.

Actually yeah. IT was those guys.
Holmes may be BSing about it, but About Earnie Shavers I know from Foremans own mouth. He says he wanted the fight, but his management did not want to touch that wiht a 10` pole. George was confident about it, but the trainers and advisers said it is too much of a risk and convinced him not to fight this guy. (at least thats what he says; but I happen to believe the story, at least the part about his team not wanting the fight. Though I must say if Big George really felt so confident about it he would have overruled them. So perhaps a lingering doubt was there.)

As for Frazier, I doubt he ever inspired fear in George. His management wanted this fight and so did George. They were all convinced the big guy will steamroll Joe, which is what he did.
I have the tape of both fights and I couldnt see any feet shaking or trembling form Foreman. I think he i stelling tales, to brush up the wounded ego of Frazier. The way he blew out Joe is refuting these tales of fear shaking legs etc. Foreman was confident and had a determined look and demeanor from the word go.

Styles make fights. Ali used to say that he beat Foreman because he could stay away from him for 3 rounds and that Joe lost because he could not stay away for the first 3 rounds. I think Ali was right.
Frazier would have had an excellent chance to win if he could somehow stay away from George int he first 3 rounds. Unfortunately he could not and got himself busted up in the first 2.

A better match up that Foreman vs Tyson or vs Frazier would have been Foreman v Liston. Now that would have been something!

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 13 May 2005, 11:50

I have also heard George say a number of times during his comeback years that he was in no rush to fight Kenny Norton either, and that he was a little afraid of Norton at the time. I lean towards thinking that George may have said those things as part of his 'loveable jolly giant' routine he has now adopted.

He also say added that when he fought Norton he wanted to get him out of there as soon as possible as "Once Ken warmed up he could fight all night". George may well be right and maybe he was thinking the same when he fought Frazier.

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 27 Jun 2005, 12:20

KOJOE90 wrote:I have also heard George say a number of times during his comeback years that he was in no rush to fight Kenny Norton either, and that he was a little afraid of Norton at the time. I lean towards thinking that George may have said those things as part of his 'loveable jolly giant' routine he has now adopted.

He also say added that when he fought Norton he wanted to get him out of there as soon as possible as "Once Ken warmed up he could fight all night". George may well be right and maybe he was thinking the same when he fought Frazier.

That's true.

The transformation of Foreman is amazing; from a brooding menace with little charisma in the 70's, to a jovial, charismatic man in the 90's & today.

Must be those grills that he's selling!!!

Hesketh Vampire · Post by **Hesketh Vampire** » 27 Jun 2005, 12:46

KOJOE90 wrote:I lean towards thinking that George may have said those things as part of his 'loveable jolly giant' routine he has now adopted.

Spot-on, I was thinking the same thing myself as I was reading down this thread. All these nice things George has said have come from the 2nd career of Foreman. Back in the early 1970's George was one bad-ass hombre who sneered with contempt at anyone and everyone.

Incidentally Foreman did spar with Liston didn't he, there are some pictures kicking about. Might have been worth seeing.

ringsider · Post by **ringsider** » 27 Jun 2005, 14:46

Foreman would have destroyed him. Iron Mike was made to order for George, just like Joe Frazier. Keep coming in, keep getting knocked down and then out.....

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 28 Jun 2005, 05:28

I'd say Foreman's physical strength would have been an underrated asset against Tyson. Tyson getting muscled around is a very much less effective Tyson. He could never fight going backwards and being off balance from George's pushing tactics would make things even worse

Very bad night for Tyson

kingpawn · Post by **kingpawn** » 28 Jun 2005, 09:07

Hesketh wrote:
KOJOE90 wrote:I lean towards thinking that George may have said those things as part of his 'loveable jolly giant' routine he has now adopted.
Spot-on, I was thinking the same thing myself as I was reading down this thread. All these nice things George has said have come from the 2nd career of Foreman. Back in the early 1970's George was one bad-ass hombre who sneered with contempt at anyone and everyone.

Incidentally Foreman did spar with Liston didn't he, there are some pictures kicking about. Might have been worth seeing.

Agreed. I have Foreman's book and have seen him in interviews where he talks about his fear of Frazier and his left hook, and he talks about Norton and how Norton was such a physical specimen (as big as George himself), etc. But you notice that the praise is offered to guys he beat badly. Kind of a personal slap on the back.

Conversely, in his book, he talks of suspicion before the Ali fight in Zaire about something being in the water that made him feel tired. And little things he says about his fight with Morrison that sound just a smidge like excuses.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Foreman fan. And I think Tyson, if he didn't get off the big one first, was just what the doctor ordered. But that's kind of how I see the good will George has extended to guys Frazier and Norton. Nice gestures, but with just a touch of self-adulation.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 01 Jul 2005, 22:12

Foreman would have destroyed his ass...I'm not so sure Foreman wouldn't have had an outside chance in the late '80's...Tyson hadn't been exposed by Douglas yet, maybe old Big George could have exposed him...a good dose of adversity and Tyson short circuits...did it every single time...

Really, Tyson vs. (anybody in the top 10) is a loser for Tyson...no discipline, no self control, couldn't come back from defeat, couldn't avoid prison, couldn't come back after prison, ear biting, threatening to 'eat your children', multiple suspensions, a real nut-case who squandered his talent...

Dapaper · Post by **Dapaper** » 02 Jul 2005, 08:00

Foreman was a human being, not an animal. Of course he got scared sometimes. Only retards don't get scared. No good boxer has ever lived who didn't get scared before a lot of fights. You have to be smart enough to be scared to be a great fighter. And it is the fear that turns men like Foreman and Tyson into the incredible killers that they are. Tyson has talked about it often. It is fear of a man like Kenny Norton that gives a young Foreman the incredible rage and killer instinct to beat Norton so viciously.

Of course he was scared. Fear is what drives people to accomplish great things like George Foreman did in the boxing ring. It doesn't mean he wasn't confident; it doesn't mean he though he would lose.

I think Foreman WASN'T scared of Ali, and that was one of his problems.

Foreman KOs Tyson before round 7, every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Foreman is the perfect guy to destroy Tyson completely. He had that natural instinctive timing where he could just make those huge ponderous punches connect. Foreman's timing was really his greatest asset, imo. Young Foreman is bigger, stronger, and badder than Tyson; he hits at least as hard and his punches are going to connect. He has at least a s good a chin as Tyson does.

The only way I can see anyone having Tyson as the winner in this fight is if you think he could avoid Foreman's punches, but if you think that you are wrong. Foreman had possibly the best instinctive timing I have ever seen, and he would definitely land on Tyson.

-Dapa