Muhammad Ali once picked George Foreman to beat Mike Tyson in a fight that never happened. The boxing legend predicted Foreman would knock out Tyson in just four or five rounds.
Ali's bold prediction came in 1990, when Tyson was at the height of his powers. The ferocious puncher from Brooklyn had burst onto the scene in 1985 and quickly became heavyweight champion. He'd even knocked out Larry Holmes - the only man to stop Ali in the ring.
But Ali wasn't impressed. He told the Seattle Times that Foreman would have Tyson's number if they ever met in the ring.
"George Foreman will knock out Mike Tyson. He will annihilate him. Foreman will knock Tyson out in four or five rounds … Foreman is taller, has more reach and Tyson comes right in. Foreman will use his reach and wait for Tyson to come right in. Then, Foreman will tag him. The longer it goes, the more chances Foreman will have to tag him."
Ali knew both fighters well. He'd beaten Foreman in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" back in 1974. Foreman had retired in 1977 but made a comeback in 1987 with the goal of regaining the heavyweight title.
The fight Ali predicted never happened. Tyson lost his belt in a shocking upset to Buster Douglas, derailing plans for a Foreman showdown. Tyson later said he regretted missing the chance to settle who punched harder.
We'll never know if Ali's prediction would have come true. Foreman passed away recently, leaving boxing fans to wonder what might have been. But Ali's words show how much respect he had for Foreman's skills, even against a seemingly unstoppable force like Tyson.
