Mike Tyson supposedly ran away from George Foreman while the power puncher was chasing him down for a battle between two of the greatest of all time.
At the peak of his powers, the Texan was a truly terrifying competitor, with the ability to turn the lights off with a single shot.
His performances were nothing short of terrifying, with Foreman sensationally dropping Joe Frazier six times in two rounds.
With this in mind, it goes without saying that ‘Big George’ could intimidate even the most fearsome of competitors. But did he scare ‘Iron Mike’?
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George Foreman says Mike Tyson ran away from him while he was trying to make a fight with the icon
During an interview with Letterman, George Foreman revealed his desire to go head-to-head with Mike Tyson in a bout that would’ve caught the imagination of fans around the globe.
The legend claimed: “I came back to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, I want this Mike Tyson. I will assure you, I’ll do it in one or two rounds. I guarantee it.”
In his dedication to pursuing the fight, Foreman made sure he bumped into his rival on a number of occasions, with the combination puncher once sprinting away from him.
However, it wasn’t because he was scared; rather, he didn’t want to be embraced by his monstrous countryman.
Foreman revealed: “I’ve met him, he didn’t want to talk too much. I grabbed him and hugged him, and the next time he saw me, he ran. I guess he didn’t want to be hugged.”
George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to become oldest heavyweight champion in history after being pushed by Teddy Atlas
In a sparkling career, Foreman achieved so much, with his victory over Frazier still sending shivers down the spine of anyone who’s watched it.
However, as good as it was, it wasn’t the icon’s defining moment.
That came against Michael Moorer, when the heavy-handed boxer captured the heavyweight championship of the world at 45 years of age.
And the victory tasted especially sweet, considering the fact that his rival’s trainer, Teddy Atlas, pushed Foreman in the build-up to the fight.