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The dream match in the early 1990's was that of one Big George Foreman v Iron Mike Tyson.

Big George had been making waves since his unlikely comeback in 1987, aged 38. The sudden retirement post the Jimmy Young loss and the hallucinations in the dressing room had convinced George to pack it in and become a preacher. Who know's what really happened that night way back in 1977? Hallucinations brought on by dehydration? Anyhow an older, slower Foreman decided to return to add some fiscal power to his Church. This I remember aroused much interest-initially a joke but becoming more and more serious as George compiled win after win.

That would be a helluva fight; neither of them would take a step back; both had excellent chins and frightening power.

The difference would be mental; George wouldn't be intimidated, while Tyson said numerous times (indirectly) that he refused to fight George, even past 40.

While Tyson helds an advantage in hand speed and boxing skills, i feel George would start to take charge come mid rounds,hurt Tyson and back him up. Tyson not being as effective on the retreat , he would progressively lose confidence and get stopped around the tenth.

I think Foreman's chin could take it better than Tyson's. Not being able to intimidate Big George would also count heavily against Tyson from the opening bell.

Id pick Foreman and the reason i say that is because you dont meet fire with fire when you are facing a guy that is physically stronger than you, which i believe Foreman was, and a guy who can hit just as hard as you, and a guy whom brings his shots from underneath and over the top.

I think Tyson would have to box a little against Foreman, like what Joe Frazier did against Chuvalo because Chuvalo like Foreman seemed the more physically strong of the two.

If Mike did used his superior speed and picked his spots he could beat the methodical/slower Foreman but is he saavy enough to do that ?

I think Foreman was a physical freak, because he was as strong as a bull and could punch as a mule. Tyson´s success and dominance in the early eighties was possible only because of the rather weak opposition at that time, giving him the chance to win mostly by early knockouts. Tyson was a bully who tried to intimidate his opponents and knock them out early. Surely, Foreman would not be afraid of Tyson and match him punch for punch. Based on experience, punching power and determination I give the clear edge to Foreman. He was kryptonite to short pressure fighters a laJoe Frazier who came at him.

I think someone posted on this forum that Tyson and Cus' favorite heavyweight fights back in the Catskill days were Frazier/Foreman 1& 2; and that Tyson always knew, or Cus told him, that with his Frazier-like 'pressure' style, he had to beware of matchups with Foreman-like guys. Obviously then, he'd have to be wary of match-up with Foreman himself. I always wondered why Tyson when he got out of prison for the Washington rape never fought Foreman, it'd have been a huge money spinner and Foreman, having the belts he'd won off Moorer plus the linear title was almost a cult figure at the time. Tyson getting out of jail would be cast as the antithsis, it'd be a promoters dream! Recently, I read that Don King put the match to Tyson, he responded about Formean with "wtf, he's a fu#%$en monster"! If true, it shows that if Tyson at least respected a 40+ version of Foreman, he well might have been intimidated by a 20 something version of Foreman. Prime Foreman (versus frazier 1) vs prime Tyson (versus Spinks)- i'm tipping Foreman to win on a mid-round DQ, as Tyson gets hurt repeatedly by Foreman's heavy hands but wont let himself be knocked out.

I think id have gone for Foreman. Tyson was alread in decline and Foreman would 've soaked up a lot with his cross arm defense. I dont think he would have took Mike out really early but after about 6 rounds. Tyson by that time after 2 rounds resorted to throwing 1 punch at a time and i just feel a patient Foreman stops a desperate Mike.