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The year was 1990 and the heavyweight division had been blown open.
In February, the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson was a massive 42-1 favourite when he travelled to Tokyo, Japan to make the 10th defence of his heavyweight crown. Tyson’s opponent that night, James Buster Douglas, was seen as little threat on Tyson’s road to a megafight with undefeated Evander Holyfield, who had recently moved up to heavyweight after dominating the cruiserweight ranks.
10 rounds later Tyson was an ex-champion after an inspired performance from Douglas. The sight of a battered and dazed Tyson groping for his gumshield is something I will never forget.
At the same time, an unlikely comeback was in progress. After 10 years away from the ring, George Foreman was three years into his ring return. After being ridiculed at the start, Foreman would continue to rack win after win and in January, he scored the biggest win by knocking out former contender Gerry Gooney in two rounds. Foreman was ready for his first top 10 opponent.
On June 16 1990, these two former champions would fight on the same bill aptly titled “The Road Back”. Tyson’s comeback opponent was chosen to ease him back to winning ways. Henry Tillman had defeated Tyson twice in the amateur ranks but as a proefessional had never fulfilled his full potential. In his one world title challenge at cruiserweight, he was despatched by Evander Holyfield in 1987.
For Foreman, his first opponent at top 10 world level would be Brazilian Adilson Rodrigues. A year earlier Rodrigues had been rated as high as number two in the world. In July 1989, his days as a serious contender would come to a close brutally. In July 1989, Evander Holyfield in an early heavyweight outing would dispose of Rodrigues in two rounds.
The two fights at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas were never competitive. Rodrigues that night had the legendary trainer Angelo Dundee in his corner. The strategy against “Big George” was to employ a stick and move tactic. Presumably the thinking behind this was that Foreman’s stamina would be suspect on a hot June Vegas night.
Stamina would not be an issue when a clubbing left hook landed on Rodrigues’ jaw in round two. The comeback was still on track.
In the other half of the main event, Tyson disposed of Tilman even quicker, knocking him out with a clubbing right hand in round one.
Seemingly this co promoted Bob Arum/Don King double main event was designed to whet the appetite for a future Tyson vs. Foreman mega bucks clash. In fact, they were scheduled to appear on the same bill a second time in September that year. Tyson was due to face Alex Stewart and Foreman was to meet Francesco Damiani in Atlantic City. A nasty cut in sparring to Tyson scuppered those plans.
Ironically, it would be Foreman who would receive the first world title shot, losing a brave 12 round effort to the new champion Evander Holyfield the following April. Foreman would eventually regain the crown in November 1994. As for Tyson, the undefeated run would continue a further three fights. After a prison spell, he would win back his old world title in March 1996.
But, unfortunately Tyson vs. Foreman, a fight that could have been the most exciting heavyweight fight in history, never materialied.
