“With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr., who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones.” This was the heartbreaking news that shook boxing fans worldwide last month. A true legend had passed, leaving behind a legacy of extraordinary achievements in one of the most unforgiving sports. And if anyone understood the scale of Foreman’s success, it was Mike Tyson—a legend in his own right.

While the two never squared off in the ring, despite both being active in the early ‘90s, a potential clash was heavily discussed behind the scenes. Some reports even suggest that Foreman, who had returned to the sport in his 40s, was eager to face Tyson after his release from prison. However, the highly anticipated showdown never came to fruition. Foreman told David Letterman, “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.”

Despite this, there wasn’t any semblance of a lingering rivalry between the two. In fact, after Foreman’s passing, Tyson expressed his sorrow through a social media post.“Condolences to George Foreman’s family,” Tyson wrote on X. “His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.” Weeks have passed since then, but ‘Iron’ Mike continues to remember the boxing legend with the utmost respect. 

While appearing in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Mike Tyson unmasked George Foreman, sharing his impressions of the towering boxing legend. When asked what ‘Big George’ meant to him, Tyson responded bluntly, “He’s just a removable [likely meant to say immovable] object. In our sport, there’s nobody that’s ever been more ferocious, more fierce, more intimidating.” 

Iron Mike shares a lot of that intimidating aura, which Tyson reveals was no accident. “He’s really a beautiful individual cuz when I was a little kid and I read about him and I seen films about him, he just seemed like a monster. And I wanted to be something like that cuz I said, ‘Well, I bet you nobody messes with that guy,’” Tyson recalled. Mike Tyson clearly admired Foreman, but was there a bit of fear mixed in? Can that be the reason a Foreman vs. Tyson fight never happened?

Mike Tyson was scared of George Foreman

Mike Tyson was one of the most feared fighters in boxing history, but some claim even he was “scared” to fight George Foreman. After a ten-year hiatus, Foreman returned to the ring in 1987, looking to reclaim the heavyweight throne. By 1990, serious negotiations for a Tyson vs. Foreman showdown were underway, but talks ultimately fell apart.

Bobby Goodman, Don King’s former matchmaker, revealed Tyson wanted no part of the fight. “Georgie, you’ll never believe this but, f***** Tyson is scared sh****** of Foreman and wants no part of him,” Goodman claimed, per a 2005 article from Boxing Scene. He added, “Tyson got up and screamed at King saying, ‘I’m not fighting that f***** animal, if you love the m******** so much, you fight him!’”

Ironically, Foreman himself admitted he had no desire to fight Tyson either. “That guy was a nightmare in the ring. I didn’t want anything to do with that guy,” Foreman told ESPN. “Those are the kind of guys you see in a nightmare. You want to wake up and say, ‘so glad that’s a dream.’”

Having said that, it appears Mike Tyson and George Foreman shared a deep-seated respect and admiration for each other. While Foreman has passed on, Tyson will continue to remember the man he once looked up to with fondness and fear. What are your thoughts on Tyson’s statement?