George Foreman, the hard-hitting heavyweight champion, has come clean about dodging one tough opponent during his storied career.
Foreman's journey in boxing started with a bang. He grabbed a gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics and turned pro the following year. In 1973, he became world champion by knocking out the undefeated Joe Frazier in the second round.
But even the toughest fighters face setbacks. Foreman's first pro loss came in 1974 against Muhammad Ali in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle." After that, he kept fighting until 1977 when he decided to hang up his gloves.
During his decade away from the ring, Foreman became an ordained minister. But the call of boxing proved too strong. He made a comeback and shocked the world in 1994 by becoming the oldest heavyweight champ ever at 45, a record he still holds today.
After that incredible win over Michael Moorer, Foreman faced pressure from the WBA to fight their number-one challenger, Tony Tucker. Tucker had a brief stint as IBF world champ in 1987, holding the title for just 64 days.
Foreman, speaking to the Oxford Union, admitted he wasn't up for that challenge:
"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."
Foreman's honesty about avoiding Tucker shows that even the greatest fighters pick their battles carefully. It's a rare glimpse into the strategic thinking that goes on behind the scenes in professional boxing.
