was tyson scared of bowe and foreman

[likeamulekick]

ive always thought these guys would give tyson alot of trouble. Hes said in interviews that he wouldnt fight bowe out of respect because there friends but i think he meant he respects him too much in the ring, same for foreman, i think he would **** himself in the ring with george.

[dan_cov]

I think it was more to do with Don King but I don't feel Tyson, especially a prime Tyson was scared of anybody. If anything I feel it may of been the opposite. Its easy to forget just how intimidating a prime Mike was. You do not get any more mean & ferocious than that.

Foreman, maybe but Bowe?

Why would a guy who fought Holmes, Lewis, Holyfield x2 (I'm not saying it was a prime Holmes) but why would he be scared of Bowe? One of the biggest waste of talents to ever grace the sport.

I really doubt he was scared of anyone, he may of felt Foreman would be a threat but Bowe, naa I can't see it. I'm not saying he was a bad fighter or anything I just can't see any version of Mike being scared of Bowe, a rather inconsistent guy, often out of shape & unmotivated who threw his title in a trashcan to avoid Lewis.

[TBear]

After Tyson's Prison term, I believe Don King was very careful with who he put Tyson in with. Even Holyfield, by the time Tyson fought him seemed like a sure win. Holyfield was knocked out by Bowe just two fight previous to their bout.

[Daddy T]

DOn King actually wanted to make a Tyson v Foreman fight. He thought it would be a nice easy fight for Mike and a real big pay day. Tyson supposidely freaked when Don mentioned it.

Fact is Tyson didn't fancy a foreman fight. In fact one of the big motivations for george was his desire for a tyson fight, I think he had images of frazier in his head when he watched Tyson. And Cus had always hamered into Tyson that Foreman annihilates anybody of his style/build i.e. ... frazier/marciano/Tyson. Mike never forgot that.

But Bowe? No no fear of Bowe

[HaglerSteelChin]

DOn King actually wanted to make a Tyson v Foreman fight. He thought it would be a nice easy fight for Mike and a real big pay day. Tyson supposidely freaked when Don mentioned it.

Fact is Tyson didn't fancy a foreman fight. In fact one of the big motivations for george was his desire for a tyson fight, I think he had images of frazier in his head when he watched Tyson. And Cus had always hamered into Tyson that Foreman annihilates anybody of his style/build i.e. ... frazier/marciano/Tyson. Mike never forgot that.

But Bowe? No no fear of Bowe

Agreed. I remember going through Tyson's career a few years ago, and Tyson seem to be concerned by both Holyfield and Foreman. Foreman always felt Tyson never gave him a shot. In fact, i remember one interview when Larry Merchant had to repeat the Foreman name, as Tyson said "excuse me." Foreman had a very good winning streak in 1987-1989 to merit a shot. Tyson gave Holmes a crack in 1988, this is after Holmes had a two year hiatus, and coming off two losses(although i disagree with the Spinks rematch decision).

Tyson in an interview he did with Ali and Leonard in the Arsenio Hall show would admit that guys like "Earnie Shavers and George Foreman were bigger punchers than me." He called them "killers." He understood Foreman even at his old age was a threat. One of the few things that remains with fighters as they age is their power.

[The Surgeon]

I think that the Prime Tyson was a VICIOUS Nasty Brutal fighter who genuinely believed he was THE BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET and would fight anyone

[jabsRstiff]

Fighters are not afraid of other fighters. The people who handle them? Different story.

[elfag]

I dont normally buy into fighters being afraid of other fighters. But something is weird with Foreman-Tyson.

The commentators are always talking about that fight during foreman and tyson fights of that era and Foreman is on video talking about that fight a lot. But you NEVER hear Tyson saying anything about it. There was huge demand for this fight, it would have been an easy fight to make and Don King always found ways to make the big fights, it wasnt like it is today with TR and GBP.

Tyson never talking about it seems to me like he didnt want the fight.

[res]

I dont normally buy into fighters being afraid of other fighters. But something is weird with Foreman-Tyson.

The commentators are always talking about that fight during foreman and tyson fights of that era and Foreman is on video talking about that fight a lot. But you NEVER hear Tyson saying anything about it. There was huge demand for this fight, it would have been an easy fight to make and Don King always found ways to make the big fights, it wasnt like it is today with TR and GBP.

Tyson never talking about it seems to me like he didnt want the fight.

I agree with this. From the time Tyson was a kid he had D'amato and Jacobs feeding Boxing history into his head, watching the old footage . You get the sense that those fighters really became larger than life for him, almost like demigods, and there is a sense in which Tyson never really grew up.

I don't even think it was so much a rational assessment of his prospects against old Foreman that was the issue, I think it was Foreman the fearful historical titan, the unbeatable monster that could only be tamed by "the great Muhammed Ali " that he was reacting to.

[HardAss]

Foreman was too bIG to strong for tyson, tyson wanted none.