Champions who cleaned out their division avoiding no-one

[CarlosG815]

Foreman ?.


Roberto Duran's reign at LW

I'm not convinced that myth is true, as Tyson had no real reason to avoid a fat old Foreman.

He fought much better fighters. When you're talking about the best of that era (Tyson) vs a guy who would have had trouble with him in his prime (Foreman), it's pretty hard for me to believe he ducked him at that specific period of time.

[NChristo]

I'm not convinced that myth is true, as Tyson had no real reason to avoid a fat old Foreman.

He fought much better fighters. When you're talking about the best of that era (Tyson) vs a guy who would have had trouble with him in his prime (Foreman), it's pretty hard for me to believe he ducked him at that specific period of time.

Foreman was always begging for the fight and it could of happened plenty of times, both Don King and Bob Arum tried to promote the fight but Mike just didn't want to know.



(Part 3 is hilarious)

George sometimes says a lot of rubbish but I believe this.

Tyson was a great great style analyst, maybe he knew no short puncher could stand to Foreman ?, I don't know.

[SuzieQ49]

he was the best but i don't think he really cleaned 115 out.

I don't know about Joe Louis. He certainly fought a lot of good to great fighters and in my view is the # 1 heavyweight of all time. However, only 3 of his 25 title defenses were against black men. There were some great highly rated black fighters of the era like Lem Franklin, Lee Q Murray, Elmer Ray, and Jimmy Bivins who Louis should have fought but never did.

[JAB5239]

I don't know about Joe Louis. He certainly fought a lot of good to great fighters and in my view is the # 1 heavyweight of all time. However, only 3 of his 25 title defenses were against black men. There were some great highly rated black fighters of the era like Lem Franklin, Lee Q Murray, Elmer Ray, and Jimmy Bivins who Louis should have fought but never did.

The question I would ask is how high were they rated and for how long? If Louis missed them while taking on other top contenders and they fell out of the rankings or were not consistently in the rankings I think we'd have to say he pretty much cleaned out his division.

[geribeetus]

I don't know about Joe Louis. He certainly fought a lot of good to great fighters and in my view is the # 1 heavyweight of all time. However, only 3 of his 25 title defenses were against black men. There were some great highly rated black fighters of the era like Lem Franklin, Lee Q Murray, Elmer Ray, and Jimmy Bivins who Louis should have fought but never did.

race really shouldn't come into the equation when measuring up a man's resume. whether or not someone fought black or white fighters mostly just doesn't matter. bivins was the only one of those who really deserved a shot as much as anyone who louis did fight. franklin, murray, and ray don't get extra contender points just because they were black in a racist era.

and for the record, bivins' best was when louis was in the army.

[GJC]

I don't know about Joe Louis. He certainly fought a lot of good to great fighters and in my view is the # 1 heavyweight of all time. However, only 3 of his 25 title defenses were against black men. There were some great highly rated black fighters of the era like Lem Franklin, Lee Q Murray, Elmer Ray, and Jimmy Bivins who Louis should have fought but never did.

Think you'll find with most of those guys that the war got in the way of their best chance as Louis didn't defend much. Also I know Walcott beat a few of them so probably derailed them. They were better than some of his challengers for sure but you find with most of these guys they get within a fight of challenging then lose.
As for them being black, maybe Louis camp who were always walking on eggs re the race thing might have made it a touch harder for them to get a shot but take the case of Joe Baksi (I can hear you all groaning ) he was a top ten fighter for 5 or 6 years during Louis reign but always managed to screw it up

[CarlosG815]

Foreman was always begging for the fight and it could of happened plenty of times, both Don King and Bob Arum tried to promote the fight but Mike just didn't want to know.



(Part 3 is hilarious)

George sometimes says a lot of rubbish but I believe this.

Tyson was a great great style analyst, maybe he knew no short puncher could stand to Foreman ?, I don't know.

George is kidding himself. An old man looking for a payday that beat up non-contenders and lost to Holyfield and Tommy Morrison.

Just because a fighter calls somebody out and the fight doesn't happen doesn't mean the other guy is ducking, especially when the other guy is the best in the world at that time.

Mayweather gets called out by everybody. I was watching a fight a few months ago and some nobody ******* Vernon Paris was spewing the same bull**** only about Mayweather. Like Mayweather is ducking him, give me a break, Mayweather doesn't even know who that guy is.

I think the same holds true for a fight with Tyson. Absolutely no reason to duck a slow, old, fat Foreman. I'm having a hard time believing that, as he fought bigger and stronger guys.

Foreman didn't even deserve a shot, as he barely broke top 10.

[NChristo]

George is kidding himself. An old man looking for a payday that beat up non-contenders and lost to Holyfield and Tommy Morrison.

Just because a fighter calls somebody out and the fight doesn't happen doesn't mean the other guy is ducking, especially when the other guy is the best in the world at that time.

Mayweather gets called out by everybody. I was watching a fight a few months ago and some nobody ******* Vernon Paris was spewing the same bull**** only about Mayweather. Like Mayweather is ducking him, give me a break, Mayweather doesn't even know who that guy is.

I think the same holds true for a fight with Tyson. Absolutely no reason to duck a slow, old, fat Foreman. I'm having a hard time believing that, as he fought bigger and stronger guys.

Foreman didn't even deserve a shot, as he barely broke top 10.

If he fought Foreman in 90', it would of been the fastest way for Tyson to get his title back after being beat by Douglas, seeing as Foreman was the next in line to get his shot. Had Tyson beat Foreman in 90' he would of got Holyfield right after in early 91' instead Foreman did.


Though after saying this you was correct, Tyson did clear out the heavyweight division in the 80's and didn't avoid anyone (that I know of), Foreman didn't make his comeback until 87' and wouldn't of deserved the shot until after Tyson had lost it to Douglas. Didn't really think before I posted and just jumped straight to the Foreman thing when you said he didn't duck >.< my bad.

[CarlosG815]

If he fought Foreman in 90', it would of been the fastest way for Tyson to get his title back after being beat by Douglas, seeing as Foreman was the next in line to get his shot. Had Tyson beat Foreman in 90' he would of got Holyfield right after in early 91' instead Foreman did.


Though after saying this you was correct, Tyson did clear out the heavyweight division in the 80's and didn't avoid anyone (that I know of), Foreman didn't make his comeback until 87' and wouldn't of deserved the shot until after Tyson had lost it to Douglas. Didn't really think before I posted and just jumped straight to the Foreman thing when you said he didn't duck >.< my bad.

[StarshipTrooper]

For someone who cleaned out a division Tyson seems to have missed Dokes, Page, and especially Witherspoon

Poet