Larry Holmes believes George Foreman would quickly knock out Mike Tyson in a hypothetical matchup. The former heavyweight champion shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Sky Sports Boxing.
Holmes, who lost to Tyson in 1988, compared the punching power of the two heavyweight legends. He didn't hold back in his assessment of how a fight between them would go.
Speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, Holmes said:
"I ain't knocking Mike Tyson, but no.. George Forman would win in two seconds, he hit too hard."
Holmes explained that Foreman's punching power was on a different level. He compared Foreman's punches to getting hit with a kitchen sink.
"Anybody come at George Foreman you got to box like I did, or Ali did, you can't stay there and take those punches. They take your head off. Bam, bam, it's like the kitchen sink he's hitting you with."
Foreman was a dominant force in the heavyweight division in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He won the world heavyweight title in 1973 by beating Joe Frazier. After retiring in 1977, he made a comeback 10 years later and became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.
Tyson, on the other hand, made his mark in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He became the youngest world heavyweight champion in 1986 when he defeated Trevor Berbick. Tyson went on to make nine title defenses and became the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Holmes suggested that to beat Foreman, a boxer would need to use the tactics that he and Muhammad Ali employed. This strategy involved avoiding Foreman's powerful punches rather than trying to trade blows with him.
The "Easton Assassin" also hinted that Tyson might not have been as successful if he had fought in Foreman's era.
Holmes himself faced Tyson in January 1988, losing by knockout in the fourth round.
Tyson recently returned to the ring in November 2022. He faced YouTube sensation turned professional boxer Jake Paul at AT&T; Stadium in Texas. Tyson lost the 8-round bout, showing that even legends can struggle against younger opponents.
While we'll never know for sure how a Foreman-Tyson fight would have played out, Holmes' opinion adds an interesting perspective to the debate between fans of different boxing eras.
