KO Digest: Title Bout: Mike Tyson vs George Foreman in 1991

August 18, 2011

Title Bout: Mike Tyson vs George Foreman in 1991

A fight that could have happened but never did. Until now! Mike Tyson was coming back from his upset KO loss to Buster Douglas in February of 1990 and was back on a tear through the division, stopping inferior opposition through the rest of 1990 and then stepping up with a pair of wins over Razor Ruddock in the first half of 1991. During this same time period, Big George was coming off his unexpectedly competitive fight with Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield so the fight everyone wanted to see was a natural at this point in time.

Tyson vs Foreman!

Both fighters were paid millions and knew a win would put them right back in the title picture.

Tyson won this "Title Bout" DREAM fight by TKO from an accumulation of punishment in the 4th round after dropping Big George with a vicious combination of punches early in the round. Foreman quickly got to his feet by the count of 3 but was relentlessly pounded by an onrushing Mike Tyson who showed his trademark killer instinct. With Foreman no longer defending himself and Tyson teeing off on him, the referee stepped in to stop the fight. Foreman landed a few hard punches in the 2nd and kept it close in a slow opening round but for the most part, it was all Tyson.

Result: Tyson KO4 Foreman
Time of the stoppage: 1:48 of the 4th round.
Scores at the time of stoppage: Judge 1: 29-28 Tyson, Judges 2 & 3 30-27 Tyson.

Lee Groves reads KO Digest at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Cantastota.

The Ring Magazine's Travelin' Man Lee Groves also writes: "Along the way, we ran into the unmistakable 6-foot-9 frame of Jeffrey Freeman, also known as “KO Digest”. He and I always good-naturedly tease one another about our differences regarding Arturo Gatti’s Hall of Fame enshrinement – his advocacy of Gatti mirrors Paul Heyman’s of Brock Lesnar, while I believed he fell far short of the mark – but there always is a deep respect for the other’s acumen. That’s the way it should be; disagree if you must but don’t do so in a disagreeable manner."

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"Jeff, I read the article, was very happy the way it came out. Please tell Joel that I think he did a wonderful job. Only one mistake, he said that the only Hall of Famer I beat was Bobby Chacon. Not true, I also defeated Jose Luis Ramirez in a North American Title defense, the fight before I fought Arguello. In fact, Ramirez was such a big favorite, they wouldn't even put a bet on the board in Vegas. Other than that, it was a terrific article. Thank you to Joel and yourself for thinking of me for an article."

~ Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini

Editor's Note: Ray is in fact, correct. Though not a member of the more prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), Ramirez is a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame as well as one of the best fighters that Mancini ever beat. Thanks for the feedback Champ!

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KO's #TrumpClinton Pick

KO's #TrumpClinton Prediction — When George Foreman announced his comeback in 1987, they (we) laughed at him and said it was impossible what he claimed he'd do: regain the world heavyweight championship as a fat old man. As the wins mounted and the pounds melted, the media told you not to believe your lying eyes, that Foreman could NEVER beat Mike Tyson and that his comeback was all a big fat joke. Well, the joke was on us then and it's still on some of us today. Just as Foreman needed the perfect foil (Michael Moorer) to achieve his "impossible" dream, so too does boxing's own Donald Trump need Hillary Clinton for his. He was born to beat her like Big George was born to beat Moorer. On November 8, Donald Trump will prove all his naysayers wrong (again) when he wins the popular vote, receives 270+ electoral college votes, and KO's Clinton to become POTUS.

It Happened (As Predicted)

The Donald Trumps Clinton & Big George — As predicted, Donald J. Trump was elected 45th President of these United States last night. It was the greatest upset in American Presidential politics and a stunning repudiation of the rogue Obama-Clinton regime that had run roughshod over the world for the past 8 years creating terror and chaos in their wake. With 270+ Electoral Votes and many more popular votes, Trump is (and the new) President-Elect. We The People's President. Help is on the way in the dawn of a new day. As a near landslide, it was the greatest comeback since George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer 22 years ago last week in 1994 to regain the World Heavyweight Championship in a shocking reversal of fortune. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Foreman, like Trump, was laughed at, ridiculed, and his supporters turned into the butt of jokes. The best part about boxing and politics is that both give ample opportunity to get the last laugh. Congratulations America. You have saved our Nation and again shown why we are still the land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE. Congratulations President Trump.

~Today in Boxing History~

JUNE 10, 2016: Exactly 70 years ago today in 1946, Jack Johnson (who some call the original Muhammad Ali) dies in a car accident in North Carolina. America's first black heavyweight champion of the boxing world, Johnson faced overt racism and daily discrimination throughout his troubled life and times, ultimately resulting in exile from his own country. You see, unlike Ali, Johnson went with white women and this infuriated white men. An international boxing hall of famer and an American original, Johnson still stands convicted of race crimes. His family still awaits a Presidential pardon. President Barack Obama gave an excellent speech commemorating the life of Muhammad Ali this week. Pardoning Jack Johnson would be an ideal way to honor both revolutionary black lives before leaving the White House. Rest in Peace great champions. Ali is being buried today in Louisville, Kentucky on the 70th annversary of Johnson's death, a heavyweight championship coincidence.