How did Tyson even survive...

[Tins06]

Smokin Joe said himself he hated being swarmed...the rematch was just as bad...Wonder what the whole shaved skull shit was about.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Smokin Joe said himself he hated being swarmed...the rematch was just as bad...Wonder what the whole shaved skull shit was about.

Same idea as Hagler, he thought the shaved dome made him more menacing. Foreman said when he fought Frazier he was terrified entering the ring, so Frazier tried to frighten him more the second time.

[ICB]

Smokin Joe said himself he hated being swarmed...the rematch was just as bad...Wonder what the whole shaved skull shit was about.

I disagree i thought Frazier done a bit better in the rematch he counter punched Foreman and made him miss. Foreman caught up to him in the end but he done a lot better than he did the first time.

[ICB]

I remember an article around here a while back Tyson where somebody claimed that Tyson wanted no part of Foreman, even the old version of Foreman. That fight probably could have been made if Tyson wanted it. According to the article, Tyson understood that stylistically, Foreman was the worse possible matchup for swarmers. Look how easily he dispatched Frazier both times.

Foreman had some troubles with a similar type of opponent aka Dwight Muhammad Qawi, exact same style as Frazier but lasted a lot longer and done better, and remember how short Qawi was, and remember what his natural weight class was.

[Tins06]

Any idea on he whole shaved skull thing ? what was that all about.

[Shamrock]

I have a video - you remember those tape things before DVD was invented - and Tyson himself states that the jab is 100% about timing. His own words are that if you get the timing right you can be 5ft 8in and out jab a guy 6ft 2in...

Timing is the answer to why Tyson was rarely out jabbed in the early days.

[Master]

Tyson had speed, power, technique, confidence, combinations, hunger, skill, and 20" neck. The real question you should ask is how did the other heavyweights survive.

[RozzySean]

I remember an article around here a while back Tyson where somebody claimed that Tyson wanted no part of Foreman, even the old version of Foreman. That fight probably could have been made if Tyson wanted it. According to the article, Tyson understood that stylistically, Foreman was the worse possible matchup for swarmers. Look how easily he dispatched Frazier both times.

Foreman had some troubles with a similar type of opponent aka Dwight Muhammad Qawi, exact same style as Frazier but lasted a lot longer and done better, and remember how short Qawi was, and remember what his natural weight class was.

The Qawi fight was under a year into his comeback and he still stopped him. The only other guy to stop Qawi was Holyfield in peak form at Cruiser. Yeah, Frazier looked better in the second fight, but he still got stopped. That's the problem with swarmers against guys with big one-punch power. I mean, Moorer was winning practically every round before George finally caught him. Even old Foreman would have been challenge for Tyson because George would not have been intimidated by him and he had the chin to take Mike in to deep water.

[Master]

Do not believe that Tyson was avoiding Foreman. He was fighting Rudduck who at that time was far more dangerous than old George.

[ICB]

I remember an article around here a while back Tyson where somebody claimed that Tyson wanted no part of Foreman, even the old version of Foreman. That fight probably could have been made if Tyson wanted it. According to the article, Tyson understood that stylistically, Foreman was the worse possible matchup for swarmers. Look how easily he dispatched Frazier both times.

Foreman had some troubles with a similar type of opponent aka Dwight Muhammad Qawi, exact same style as Frazier but lasted a lot longer and done better, and remember how short Qawi was, and remember what his natural weight class was.

The Qawi fight was under a year into his comeback and he still stopped him. The only other guy to stop Qawi was Holyfield in peak form at Cruiser. Yeah, Frazier looked better in the second fight, but he still got stopped. That's the problem with swarmers against guys with big one-punch power. I mean, Moorer was winning practically every round before George finally caught him. Even old Foreman would have been challenge for Tyson because George would not have been intimidated by him and he had the chin to take Mike in to deep water.

Yea but lets remember Qawi is a natural Cruiserweight and is very short somewhere around 5'7 mark, and lets also remember Foreman was actually in pretty good shape for that fight 235 pounds.

[SweetPea]

Let alone dominate the heavyweight division? I mean, if you look at him size wise on paper, he should've gotten murdered. 5'11", 71" reach isn't exactly optimal heavyweight measurables, and while it's a known fact that he was quick and had good punching power, you'd think he would've just been peppered with jabs and never got inside of anyone.

Does anyone have a solid explaination for this? Because it really leaves me scratching my head.

Joe Frazier was similar in size to Tyson. Short fighters with short arms can become champions, they just normally don't stay on top past the age of 30 because they have to absorb punishment to get inside taller opponents.

[match]

As said many times by others in this thread;

1 - Power. Had way more power in both hands than anyone else in the 80s

2 - Speed. Handspeed was also greater than any other fighter in his era

3 - Elusiveness - Cus and Tyson was a match made in heaven, the peak-a-boo style made him almost unhittable from power shots.

4 - (and most important) Intimidation - His reputation preceeded him, and 90% of his opponents lost the fight before the opening bell even sounded.

[Master]

Foreman was honest enough to say that he was handpicking the opponents. He said he would never fight Lewis. At that time Rudduck would have been too dangerous for George.

[ICB]

Foreman was honest enough to say that he was handpicking the opponents. He said he would never fight Lewis. At that time Rudduck would have been too dangerous for George.

He didn't want to fight Larry Holmes either

[El Kabong]

I think at that point in time Larry Holmes fighting Foreman wouldn't have been that big of a deal. I mean people would have watched but it would be like watching Riddick Bowe fight someone now. In the late 80's early 90's Larry wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

Of course Foreman didn't want to fight Lennox, can you blame him Lennox was bigger, stronger, faster, and he could move better. Foreman would always have a puncher's chance vs anyone but it would have been way too risky to fight Lewis at that point in his career.



For Tyson, he had to have the intimidation factor working for him...if anyone fought back things got a little shakey. Tyson took big shots from Bruno and Rudduck. He came back to win because those guys were not keeping the pressure on or fighting smart, those guys always ended up fighting Tyson's fight....if we're talking Tyson-Foreman then George is one of the few I would trust to stand and trade with Tyson and come out on top.