Fantasy Fight: Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman

[The Great John L]

There's a big, big difference between Tyson and Frazier and I certainly do not see Foreman doing any kind of slapping on Tyson that he may have done to others...if Foreman did not come out throwing bombs to start then Tyson would just demolish him as Tyson certainly would be throwing bombs...only more compact and with a lot more speed than Foreman could muster and if Foreman could not throw and land something heavy at the start then Tyson would just go right through him!

Yes, Tyson and Frazier were different. Frazier was an offensive machine and could throw punches all night long. He also had much more consistent head movement, as Tyson usually abandonded head movement pretty early in his fights.

Yes Tyson could possibly demolish Foreman, unless Foreman just tied him up and pushed him around for a few rounds. Of course, Tyson was open to a straight right all night long, so maybe you're right and George would have just bombed him out in the first few minutes. I think it would have taken a George a few rounds to slap Tyson down.

[barry]

Yes, Tyson and Frazier were different. Frazier was an offensive machine and could throw punches all night long. He also had much more consistent head movement, as Tyson usually abandonded head movement pretty early in his fights.


Tyson was a better offensive fighter than Frazier was and while he did not throw the amount of punches that Frazier often did, he could still out do Frazier in most offensive categories. As to him stopping his head movement and defense, well yes he did do that, after he got out of prison and picked back up, but not when he was young.


Yes Tyson could possibly demolish Foreman, unless Foreman just tied him up and pushed him around for a few rounds. Of course, Tyson was open to a straight right all night long, so maybe you're right and George would have just bombed him out in the first few minutes. I think it would have taken a George a few rounds to slap Tyson down.


It would certainly be a shoot out and I would guess a fight very similar to Foreman-Lyle, but if Foreman was not able to land something big early to keep Tyson honest, or something big enough to put him down then Tyson's speed would play the biggest part, which I think his speed would be the deciding factor regardless, in beating "Big George."

[The Great John L]

Tyson had defensive lapses throughout his career. Bruno landed some good shots, he was just to slow to followup. And just watch him against the awful Mike Jameson, or many of his other early fights. He was hit with many right hands, including in the first round. That's why Douglas was able to beat a young, pre prison Tyson. He was open to a simple jab right hand all night long. Of course, I know Tyson was completely shot by the time of the Douglas fight, even though he had fought 2 pretty good fights in the previous 12 months. He aged an amazing 15 years between the Williams and Douglas fights, so that fight doesn't count.

Tyson was a great fighter. No doubt. But he just doesn't match up well with the younger Foreman.