Did Mike Tyson duck Forman & Lewis?

[TitoFan]

With George Foreman you had everything you needed to beat Tyson at that time: chin, huge power, great jab, and a calm cool confidence that just wouldn't sit well with Tyson...Tyson liked to see fear in the eyes of his victims, in his comeback Big George was beyond Tyson's reach psychologically.

People never counted Holyfield as a puncher until he stopped Tyson and it was all timing that did Tyson in with that fight: roll with the overhand right counter with his own right.....think Foreman could have done that? I do

Good points regarding George's attributes like his chin, huge power, and his demeanor in the ring. Normally I'm not very intrigued about "X ducked Y" threads.... but this one I admit got me thinking. No one ever thought of Mike as ducking anybody, as he was the baddest man on the planet. But there's no telling what goes on inside the mind of great fighters.

Of the attributes mentioned above, I think George's confidence probably was the biggest ace up his sleeve. You're 100% correct in that Tyson liked to feed off his opponent's fear and doubt. George never exhibited any of that. If I had to put money on a Tyson-Foreman fight at that time, I would've been hard pressed to predict a winner, although in the end I would've probably given the slight edge to Tyson, based strictly on his speed, mobility, and sheer power. What a fight that would've been..... two hellish bangers!!

[ykdadamaja]

Before Lewis fought Holyfield, Frank Bruno was grossing MORE than he was world wide. Tyson of course would fight Bruno.

As for Foreman, Tyson fought Ruddock twice and then went to jail. Came out of jail, for some tune up fights before he went for Holyfield. He didn't duck Foreman.

[p4pking]

I think old Foreman is completely overrated. If you take away the one punch he landed against Moorer, with a different name he would have basically been a tough fringe contender in the 90s. Maybe Tyson was for some reason afraid of him or unwilling to make the fight, but Foreman also didn't want no part of Larry Holmes in the 90's, and that's a fact!

[walrus]

Last time this issue came up someone posted a video of one of Tysons cohorts saying Tyson was scared of, and did not want to fight George. I loved George's comeback, gave us younger guys a chance to see a legend in the ring. Foreman is on the top of my list, I even use his grill, it's great for boneless breast of chicken.