George Foreman: ‘I can’t see Anthony Joshua beating Tyson Fury’

By Boxing News - 05/07/2020 - Comments

By Jeff Aronow: Two-time former heavyweight world champion George Foreman says he doesn’t see how Anthony Joshua is going to beat Tyson Fury when the time comes for those two to fight.

Foreman says Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) is fighting at such a high level right now that it’s going to be difficult for anyone in the heavyweight division to beat him right now, and that includes IBF/WBA/WBO champion Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs).

Fury, 31, is at the top of his game right now with his recent victory over former WBC champion Deontay Wilder last February, and he might have too much boxing skills for the lumbering 6’6″ Joshua to deal with.

The promoters for Fury and Joshua would like to set up a unification fight between them in 2020 if they could, but it doesn’t look like a possibility of that happened this year.

Fury has a contractual rematch with Wilder 42-1-1, 41 KOs), and Joshua needs to defend against his IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) next.

Wilder can come back from loss to Fury

“I was shocked. I really knew that Tyson Fury could win the fight, and I definitely thought he could do it on points,” said Foreman to IFL TV on Fury’s win over Wilder. “And I had no idea he could get a knockout. He shocked the whole boxing world. If I said I knew it, I’d be lying. I was washing, ‘It can’t be. It’s over.’

“Certainly,” said Foreman when asked if Wilder can come back from his defeat to Fury. “When I lost to Muhammad Ali in Africa all those years back, ‘the ropes were loose, someone put something in my water, it was too early in the morning.’ The excuses went on.

“You got to have excuses when you lose, especially when you’re undefeated. You just can’t say, ‘I lost.’ No, you can’t say that. And that’s gravity in putting yourself down to make an excellent comeback. He can come back, and he can win again easily,” Foreman said of Wilder. “All fighters can.”

Most people agree that Wilder, 34, can bounce back from his loss to Fury, but they have doubts about whether he can beat ‘The Gypsy King’ in the trilogy match.

It would be better for Wilder if he took a couple of warm-up fights before facing Fury, but that’s not going to happen. The rematch will be happening once crowds are allowed back boxing events.

Image: George Foreman: 'I can't see Anthony Joshua beating Tyson Fury'

Foreman can’t see Joshua beating Fury

“That boy, Tyson Fury, you’re going to have to bring everything you got to beat him,” said Foreman. “I’m going to be honest with you. I can’t see Joshua beating him, but I’d sure buy some tickets to see what happens. I’m that curious about it. But that Tyson Fury, woo. Fury, how does he get the name?

“George Foreman WAS the best puncher,” said Foreman when asked if Fury would beat Ali. “Muhammad Ali w-a-s. Is can beat ‘was’ any day, and you just can’t take it away from them. If someone decides, ‘Tyson Fury can whip George Foreman and Muhammad Ali,’ what can we do? It’s not as if we can say, ‘Give me another chance.’ No, no, no. He [Fury] is the man of the hour, and why not say those things? ” said Foreman.

Joshua has good boxing skills, but not on the level of a Fury. While Joshua looked good in outboxing Andy Ruiz Jr. and Joseph Parker, it’s going to be a lot harder for him to do the same thing with the 6’9″ Fury. Joshua would need to be able to land his big power shots for him to win this fight, and that’s not going to be easy.

Most boxing fans would agree that these are the top four heavyweights:

  1. Tyson Fury
  2. Anthony Joshua
  3. Deontay Wilder
  4. Dillian Whyte

Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the world

“You summed it up yourself in what a guy can do after being devastated,” said Foreman on Anthony Joshua coming back from a loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. to avenge it last December. “He just has to look at films, study the sport, and he can come back and win.

“It’s the same thing Muhammad did with [Leon] Spinks back in the day. Joe Louis, he was terribly beaten by Max Schmeling. If they want to study, stay in training camp. Andy Ruiz shocked the world. He’s another fourth member of those guys. He’s one-fourth of the whole thing.

“It’s strange how the UK is blossoming, one great heavyweight after the other,” said Foreman. “It’s unreal. I don’t even understand it. I think it’s like something from Mars fell over in Europe, and it’s just producing one great heavyweight after another. We’re going to have to move the Earth and turn this thing a little bit so that it starts falling back on us.

“It’s strange. They’re not just flukes. They’re actually great fighters. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, it’s like something from outer space. They’re not supposed to be from the United Kingdom. They’re not supposed to be from there.

“Lennox Lewis, who is also from Europe, never got the credit that he as supposed to. If you name the top 10 fighters of all time, you get Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano. You can put Lewis anywhere in there, and he’s one of the greatest heavyweights of all time,” said Foreman.

Ruiz Jr. shocked the world with his win over Joshua last year, but then he slacked off and lost his titles in their rematch. Given how badly Ruiz was beaten by Joshua, he’s going to have to prove himself worthy of being included in the top four in the division.

Image: George Foreman: 'I can't see Anthony Joshua beating Tyson Fury'

Foreman believes Mike Tyson can become a top contender

“I was so happy,” said Foreman when asked about his thoughts of Mike Tyson working the mitts on Youtube. “It looked like he’d turned the clock back at least 20 years. He was looking fit, and those punches were coming sharp.

“If he went into the woods and dedicates himself for 10 months, he could come back and be a top contender,” said Foreman about Mike Tyson. “That’s how it happens.

“I called Dick Saddler, my original trainer back in the 1960s, and said, ‘I just want to do exhibitions and learn more about boxing.’ The next thing you know I’m in with the heavyweight champion of the world. So it starts off as an exhibition, but it gets bigger and bigger.

“Mike Tyson, I’d like to see him back in the ring. He’s an older fellow, but hey, a record is always waiting to be broke, said Foreman about his record as being the oldest heavyweight world champion.

For Mike Tyson to become a top contender, he’s going to need to beat one of the top heavyweights in the division. It’s not enough for Tyson to beat a journeyman fighter in a charity event

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