George Foreman and Muhammad Ali are two of the most legendary heavyweights to ever lace up the gloves.
Ali caused a huge upset back in 1974 when he defeated Foreman in front of 60,000 fans in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in a clash billed as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. Ali came under heavy fire from ‘Big George’ from the opening bell, but displayed his famous rope-a-dope tactic to weather the storm and drain all of Foreman’s energy – allowing him to score an eighth round knockout of his own.
Foreman retired just three years later but made an incredible return to the sport in 1987 in a bid to win back the heavyweight title.
Within eight years of making his return he was crowned the oldest heavyweight champion of all time when he stopped Michael Moorer in 1994 at the age of 45 years and 299 days.
During his comeback run he faced the likes of Evander Holyfield and Gerry Cooney but there was one heavyweight rival he didn’t step in the ring with.
Foreman revealed to TMZ Sports that his old foe Ali warned him about facing Mike Tyson due to his punching power.
“Mike Tyson could hit man, even Muhammad Ali who had not faced him, when I told him I was coming back he said ‘George, that Mike Tyson can hit.’ That’s punching power there.
Yeah [he told me not to face Mike Tyson], it was a caution like my big brother.
He said ‘George, Mike Tyson hits so hard.’ He said it with a little more action with his words than just hard. It was like a warning ‘don’t do that George.'”
