Who was the most fearsome fighter?

iron mike, hands down... with sonny liston a close second...

John "The Beast" Mugabi had a scary reputation too until Marvin Hagler and then Duanne Thomas destroyed the myth; in succession.

No disrespect mate but how did you see a prime Foreman other than on re-runs? Aren't you only 21? A fourteen year old could never have seen either Foreman or Tyson other than on a TV. I'm 34 and I cannot remember Foreman in his prime but I have seen most of his fights since. I do remember Tyson in his prime and he was for a period the most feared man in the sport, fighters like Spinks, Bruno and Biggs etc etc were beat before they even stepped into the ring. In the Mid eighties he was an enigma who carried a aura of menace everywhere he went, this was only intensified by the antics outside the ring that proved he was unstable. Therefore I would place him as the most fearsome fighter. We are talking prime here (i.e. his early 20's). BTW Sonny Liston was reputed to have a similar reputation until Clay beat him. He got you there Bringer, you saw Foreman in his prime the same way we did. On video or on the internet my friend.

George or Mike, people lost fights with Mike because they were afraid of him before the fight even started. Sonny Liston also gets honorable mention because of a quote I read on this very board. My title is dedicated to Aaron Pryor, he is the definition of "SKILL AND WILL".

I'd edge Foreman on this, because he generally tried to intimidate his opponents, walking up & just glaring at them, not a word spoken, & was damn scary doing it. Just this aura of brutal power glaring down. This is the guy that managed to intimidate Ken Norton completely off his game - hell, even Ali had to talk himself up 24 hours a days for months with Bundini as backup for Foreman. Dempsey & Liston next - guys who came from the very far side of the wrong tracks. They didn't bother trying to intimidate opponents, they were just incredible tough, dangerous guys. Prime Dempsey's savagery in the ring was legendary, & Liston was one of the most brutal finishers in the game. It showed. Tyson gets a lot of mentions, & was very good at intimidating opponents, but there was always this slightly manufactured feel to Tyson. Also the fact that when he didn't manage to intimidate opponents his effectiveness was severely reduced. Smaller guys I'd go for Hagler, Duran & Hearns.

Nigel Benn

Why does it not surprise me that Tyson is currently in the lead? Probably because most posters here are either 14 or have never seen a prime Foreman. No disrespect mate but how did you see a prime Foreman other than on re-runs? Aren't you only 21? A fourteen year old could never have seen either Foreman or Tyson other than on a TV. I'm 34 and I cannot remember Foreman in his prime but I have seen most of his fights since. I do remember Tyson in his prime and he was for a period the most feared man in the sport, fighters like Spinks, Bruno and Biggs etc etc were beat before they even stepped into the ring. In the Mid eighties he was an enigma who carried a aura of menace everywhere he went, this was only intensified by the antics outside the ring that proved he was unstable. Therefore I would place him as the most fearsome fighter. We are talking prime here (i.e. his early 20's). BTW Sonny Liston was reputed to have a similar reputation until Clay beat him.

julian jackson and gerald mcclellan. Julio Ceasr Chavez , you just do not stand and trade with this man cause eventually he will it you up ,unless your Frankie Randall

julian jackson and gerald mcclellan.

How about Marvin Hagler??? I'll never forget the first time i saw Hagler v Hearns. Fricken scary shit!

Why does it not surprise me that Tyson is currently in the lead? Probably because most posters here are either 14 or have never seen a prime Foreman. :haha: :haha:

Why does it not surprise me that Tyson is currently in the lead? Probably because most posters here are either 14 or have never seen a prime Foreman.

George Foreman, followed by Mike Tyson. At third I would put Marvin Hagler above any of the other poll options except maybe Liston. When Hagle rhad you, he had you. All he had to do was throw on that "war" baseball cap and the shit was on.

tyson..so many first round knockouts, the fact that he was small (unlike foreman) and kept coming forward, his attitude, and he was labeled " the baddest man on the planet"