For all you know alls who claimed Mike Tyson was scared of George Foreman

[joswift]

Tyson wasn't in his prime when he lost to Douglas.

I watched that fight on PPV.

he took the fight after sacking Kevin Rooney and having pricks in his corner whos only advice was "fuck him up Mike"

[illuminati]

he took the fight after sacking Kevin Rooney and having pricks in his corner whos only advice was "fuck him up Mike"

True - Also Douglas was down for over 10 seconds - The Fight should’ve been stopped
And Tyson The Winner.

Great shame what became of Mike without Cus & Rooney,
Completely exploited & used.

[BB]

Old George would've gave him problems. I honestly don't know how it would've ended. Far lesser tall fighters than Foreman gave Tyson problems and flustered him, and if it went late, Foreman would probably beat him.

Young George would trounce a prime Tyson.

[illuminati]

Old George would've gave him problems. I honestly don't know how it would've ended. Far lesser tall fighters than Foreman gave Tyson problems and flustered him, and if it went late, Foreman would probably beat him.

Young George would trounce a prime Tyson.

Young George Didn’t Trounce Ali

[BB]

Young George Didn’t Trounce Ali

He still beat Norton, Frazier, and Ron Lyle. Foreman was tall, fought a better overall class of fighter, wouldn't be scared, was tremendously tough, and shown he could do alright in the later rounds.

 

[beakdoctor]

Tyson wasn't in his prime when he lost to Douglas.

I watched that fight on PPV.

He most certainly was in his prime. I saw it live too. He was 24 years old when he lost to Douglas. He fought from 1985 to 2005. He fought Douglas in 1990.

[oldtimer1]

Tyson in his prime would have beaten over the hill Foreman. Foreman in his prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime. Know Foreman is very humble now and never brags about himself.  Truth be told he was a killer in his prime. I really don't know what happened to him in that Ali fight. He almost looks like he was drugged. If he had to have a loss in his prime then I guess Ali was the one to lose to. Foreman really had an off night.

[Matt]

Tyson in his prime would have beaten over the hill Foreman. Foreman in his prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime. Know Foreman is very humble now and never brags about himself.  Truth be told he was a killer in his prime. I really don't know what happened to him in that Ali fight. He almost looks like he was drugged. If he had to have a loss in his prime then I guess Ali was the one to lose to. Foreman really had an off night.

Did you see the part in the interview where he said he was better at fighting shorter men?  That would lead me to believe that he may have been able to beat Mike Tyson.

As for the comment about Tyson not being in his prime when he fought Buster Douglas; I think that fight was in February, and Tyson's birthday is in June, if I'm not mistaken.  That means Tyson was only 23 when he lost to Buster Douglas.  So...is 23 not being in your prime?

[illuminati]

He still beat Norton, Frazier, and Ron Lyle. Foreman was tall, fought a better overall class of fighter, wouldn't be scared, was tremendously tough, and shown he could do alright in the later rounds.

 

And none of that helped him or counted for much against a Post Peak Ali

[illuminati]

Tyson in his prime would have beaten over the hill Foreman. Foreman in his prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime. Know Foreman is very humble now and never brags about himself.  Truth be told he was a killer in his prime. I really don't know what happened to him in that Ali fight. He almost looks like he was drugged. If he had to have a loss in his prime then I guess Ali was the one to lose to. Foreman really had an off night.

He was out Thought - Ali had worked out how to beat him

[SuperTed]

Tyson in his prime would have beaten over the hill Foreman. Foreman in his prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime. Know Foreman is very humble now and never brags about himself.  Truth be told he was a killer in his prime. I really don't know what happened to him in that Ali fight. He almost looks like he was drugged. If he had to have a loss in his prime then I guess Ali was the one to lose to. Foreman really had an off night.

Ali dealt with the conditions and humidity of Zaire better than Foreman did. I would also fancy Foreman beating Tyson if both at the primes.

[Humble Narcissist]

It's all about the matchup. Foreman went the distance with Holyfield too. Tyson was overrated. Sorry for all you Tyson nut huggers but it's true. Besides Michael Spinks, who else did he beat that was a marquee fighter? Frank Bruno? Hardly. What happened when he faced Holyfield? He got his ass handed to him. If Holyfield would've fought Tyson before he went to prison the result would've been the same. Tyson was dominant against inferior competition during his prime years.

Tyson fought using the Cus D'Amato "peak a boo" style of fighting that is advantageous for a fighter who is shorter and has a shorter reach on his opponent.  It is also a young man's fighting style because of all the head movement and bending of the knees and waist.  After Tyson dropped Kevin Rooney as a trainer he no longer trained extensively with the training drills required to master this fighting style.  Add aging and a few years off completely to serve the prison term he wasn't anywhere close to the same fighter.  Had he kept Rooney who knows what the '90's would have been for him but he would have deteriorated faster than most fighters anyway because of the younger man style and he has admitted this in interviews.  Look at his early fights and the foot work and movement compared to his later fights where he walked flatfooted and ate jabs all fight.  Totally different fighter.

George Foreman fought a totally different style than Tyson and kept most of his skill into old age.  He was huge physically with a mastodon bone structure which created crushing power and he used it.  Even when he was an old man in the ring he could always end a fight with one big punch.

[robcguns]

I know fuck all about boxing but being as I’m a betting man all my money would go on Tyson.

[oldtimer1]

Did you see the part in the interview where he said he was better at fighting shorter men?  That would lead me to believe that he may have been able to beat Mike Tyson.

As for the comment about Tyson not being in his prime when he fought Buster Douglas; I think that fight was in February, and Tyson's birthday is in June, if I'm not mistaken.  That means Tyson was only 23 when he lost to Buster Douglas.  So...is 23 not being in your prime?

Tyson was drinking and taking prescription drugs by then. He also wasn't training like he use to do. Ever see him on Oprah when he married that actress? He looks drugged out of his mind. Psychologically he was a shell of himself. I do give Buster a ton of credit. He fought the fight of his life.

[pellius]

True - Also Douglas was down for over 10 seconds - The Fight should’ve been stopped
And Tyson The Winner.

Great shame what became of Mike without Cus & Rooney,
Completely exploited & used.

100% true. I sometimes think how dramatically different Tyson's life and career would have been if Cus stuck around for another five years when Mike still essentially had the mind of a child and if Kevin Rooney was there until the end. When you think of what Mike accomplished and became such a legend despite all the obstacles in his career imagine if the team held together? I think he would have been the greatest boxer that ever lived.

[beakdoctor]

Tyson in his prime would have beaten over the hill Foreman. Foreman in his prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime. Know Foreman is very humble now and never brags about himself.  Truth be told he was a killer in his prime. I really don't know what happened to him in that Ali fight. He almost looks like he was drugged. If he had to have a loss in his prime then I guess Ali was the one to lose to. Foreman really had an off night.

Not a one off, Ali is the greatest Heavyweight of all time. I cannot think of another heavyweight champion who would've beaten a prime Ali.

Aside from that Foreman was still just a kid from the Houston ghetto of the 5th ward. Going to Africa and hearing the crowds chant "Ali kill him!," fucked with George's mind.

[WoogsRaven]

he took the fight after sacking Kevin Rooney and having pricks in his corner whos only advice was "fuck him up Mike"

Not only that, his idiot corner men didn't use an en-swell to deal with Tyson's swollen eye against Douglas. Instead, they used a blown up condom filled with cold water. If they had used one, Tyson might have saw that huge uppercut coming that led to the knockout.

[IroNat]

Foreman thinks Joe Louis was the best heavyweight of all time.

Tyson got messed up for a couple reasons:

1) Cus D'Amato died.
2) He married Robin Givens.

[Humble Narcissist]

Not a one off, Ali is the greatest Heavyweight of all time. I cannot think of another heavyweight champion who would've beaten a prime Ali.

Aside from that Foreman was still just a kid from the Houston ghetto of the 5th ward. Going to Africa and hearing the crowds chant "Ali kill him!," fucked with George's mind.

How about the fighters who beat him in his prime?  Ali got a lot of gifts.  I have watched a lot of classic fights recently and I am now convinced Ali is THE most overrated fighter in heavyweight history.  Ken Norton crushed the first time (broke his jaw and won) and lost "controversial" decisions which he clearly won in the other two.  Ali struggled against the "bum of the month" club he fought through the 70's.  Frazier should have won 2 of the 3 fights they fought as well.  Seems the judges always gave the benefit of the doubt to Ali maybe because Howard Cossell was constantly screaming at ringside about how Ali was dominating the fight when he was actually losing.

Ali was the media's darling because he came out against the war and was a black radical which they favored.  Guys like Norton, Foreman and Frazier were not political and weren't showoffs so they were not pushed to the forefront like Ali.  Remember Ali before one of the Frazier fights with the gorilla toy and calling Frazier a gorilla?  Imagine a white fighter getting away with that.

[beakdoctor]

How about the fighters who beat him in his prime?  Ali got a lot of gifts.  I have watched a lot of classic fights recently and I am now convinced Ali is THE most overrated fighter in heavyweight history.  Ken Norton crushed the first time (broke his jaw and won) and lost "controversial" decisions which he clearly won in the other two.  Ali struggled against the "bum of the month" club he fought through the 70's.  Frazier should have won 2 of the 3 fights they fought as well.  Seems the judges always gave the benefit of the doubt to Ali maybe because Howard Cossell was constantly screaming at ringside about how Ali was dominating the fight when he was actually losing.

Ali was the media's darling because he came out against the war and was a black radical which they favored.  Guys like Norton, Foreman and Frazier were not political and weren't showoffs so they were not pushed to the forefront like Ali.  Remember Ali before one of the Frazier fights with the gorilla toy and calling Frazier a gorilla?  Imagine a white fighter getting away with that.

No one beat Ali in his prime. I can't really talk to you anymore about it. If you think Frazier deserved 2 of the fights against Ali it says 1) you didn't watch all of the fights or 2) you're  an idiot. Ali won virtually every round of the rematch with Frazier and stopped him in the rubber match.

Norton had a difficult style and sort of had Alis number. You clearly don't know what you are talking about. Calling Ali overrated is absurd but even if he is  hes still the goat. No one even comes close.

[Humble Narcissist]

No one beat Ali in his prime.

What do you consider his prime?  Does the whole 70's decade not count?

[beakdoctor]

What do you consider his prime?  Does the whole 70's decade not count?

Please see my edit to the previous post. His prime ended while he was in exile. His losses came after his ban from boxing was lifted. After his prime.

[Humble Narcissist]

No one beat Ali in his prime. I can't really talk to you anymore about it. If you think Frazier deserved 2 of the fights against Ali it says 1) you didn't watch all of the fights or 2) you're  an idiot. Ali won virtually every round of the rematch with Frazier and stopped him in the rubber match.

Norton had a difficult style and sort of had Alis number. You clearly don't know what you are talking about. Calling Ali overrated is absurd but even if he is  hes still the goat. No one even comes close.

I clearly stated how Norton dominated Ali so I guess it means I do know what I was talking about.  Why is a fighter's "prime" always talked about anyway?  It's just an excuse for losses later in their career.  If a fighter isn't in their prime to fight why are they taking the fight?  If Rocky Marciano lost his last 10 fights would we be talking about how he was the greatest fighter during his prime?

[illuminati]

100% true. I sometimes think how dramatically different Tyson's life and career would have been if Cus stuck around for another five years when Mike still essentially had the mind of a child and if Kevin Rooney was there until the end. When you think of what Mike accomplished and became such a legend despite all the obstacles in his career imagine if the team held together? I think he would have been the greatest boxer that ever lived.

Exactly Right - Had Cus & Rooney Been with Him,
No doubt He’d of Been right at the top of the tree with Ali.
From a Fighting / Boxing Point of view it’s a Great shame what happened & Became of Mike.

[beakdoctor]

I clearly stated how Norton dominated Ali so I guess it means I do know what I was talking about.  Why is a fighter's "prime" always talked about anyway?  It's just an excuse for losses later in their career.  If a fighter isn't in their prime to fight why are they taking the fight?  If Rocky Marciano lost his last 10 fights would we be talking about how he was the greatest fighter during his prime?

Every fighter loses sooner or later. So it's pointless to point out a fighter's loss as evidence of their lack of greatness. The undefeated fighter is the rare exception. Judging based on their loses doesn't capture their whole career or full spectrum of their talents.

Norton did not dominate Ali. All those fights were close. Every single one was a split decision. Norton did better than anyone expected and gave Ali the most difficulty of anyone. But just because he did better than expected doesn't mean he dominated. We talk about primes because it's the metric for total ability. These are hypothetical discussions so talking about their prime makes it somewhat objective.