A legend of the heavyweight division once admitted that he actually refused a showdown with Mike Tyson.
‘Iron Mike’ is often credited with being one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, proving his credentials on multiple occasions during his storied professional careers.
Tyson is perhaps best known for becoming the youngest world heavyweight champion of all time when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the 2nd round of their 1986 showdown, capturing the WBC title at just 20-years-old.
He became the undisputed heavyweight champion shortly after this historic victory, producing respective wins over WBA champion James Smith and IBF champion Tony Tucker to achieve this outstanding feat just days after his 21st birthday.
Despite facing a number of world class heavyweights during his career, one man that Tyson did not cross paths with along the way was the late, great George Foreman, who remains the oldest world heavyweight champion of all time.
In an interview with Max Kellerman, Foreman revealed that he actually refused a potential match-up with Tyson when the American duo were linked with a bout in 1994.
“I called him Mike ‘Nightmare’ Tyson, that guy was a nightmare in the ring, I mean really. If he missed you with his left, then miss you with his right, he’d bite you. I didn’t wanna have anything to do with that guy. No way”
Foreman etched his name into the boxing history books in November 1994 when he sensationally defeated Michael Moorer to capture the unified WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at 45-years-old, breaking a record that remains intact to this very day.
