In July 1989, George Foreman appeared on The David Letterman Show to discuss, among other things, the possibility of fighting Mike Tyson.
Foreman was a week removed from a points win over Everett Martin, whom he dropped in the eighth round but could not shift before the final bell. The victory moved Foreman to 19-0 on his comeback, now into its third year after returning to the sport following a decade-long absence.
A day after Foreman’s win in Tucson, Tyson was in Atlantic City, where he needed only 93 seconds to retain his heavyweight title against Carl Williams.
During his appearance with Letterman, the 40-year-old Foreman was asked if he genuinely intended to fight Tyson. “Big George” replied:
“No doubt. I’m going to whip his head till it’s roped like okra.”
Negotiations for a generational super-fight between Tyson and Foreman did take place, but the bout never materialised. Today, the idea of Tyson vs. Foreman belongs to the realm of fantasy matchmaking, and beloved British heavyweight Frank Bruno was recently asked by Clubhouse Boxing during a ‘Winner Stays On’ segment who would have won between the two American power-punchers. Bruno said:
“What a scary one. Depending what side of the bed George Foreman woke up. Before he came back I don’t think Tyson would have lasted that much.
He may have been, he had the sharpness but if George Foreman caught him he’d be doing some breakdancing and body popping at the same time.”
Foreman would eventually go on to win the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles against Michael Moorer in 1994, becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.
