George Foreman is known as being one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport.
After bursting onto the heavyweight scene in the 1970s, Foreman became world heavyweight champion after a destructive second round knockout win over Joe Frazier.
‘Big George’ was seen as an unstoppable force, but he then suffered a shock eighth round knockout loss to Muhammad Ali in the famous ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ in Zaire in 1974.
After initially retiring from the sport in 1977, Foreman returned after a decade away, and would go on to become the oldest world heavyweight champion when he knocked out Michael Moorer to won the IBF and WBA belts, holding world honours until the age of 46 years and 169 days.
While he may have shared the ring with some world class heavyweights, Foreman once admitted that there was one man who he didn’t want any part of.
Speaking at the Oxford Union, ‘Big George’ revealed that once he had become the oldest world heavyweight champion, he didn’t want a showdown against his countryman Tony Tucker so vacated his WBA title to avoid the clash.
“They tried to force me to fight Tony Tucker after I’d beaten Michael Moorer and I remember looking at Tony Tucker and saying ‘momma didn’t raise no fools. I’m not fighting him.’
And they took the titles. Some people I’m not going to fight. That’s the good reason, I didn’t want to fight him. Too tough. I’ve got to tell the truth.”
Tucker had become world heavyweight champion back in 1987 with a victory over Buster Douglas, before he lost his title to Mike Tyson three months later.
Tucker ended his career with a record of 57 wins, 7 losses and 1 no contest, with 47 of his victories coming by knockout.
