How come Henry Tilman could beat Tyson in the amateurs but got ktfo in his pro career

[dayuum]

I know from own experience that a headguard really doesn't do that much

[aramini]

bigger gloves, completely different rules, Tyson was more mature. Some guys are awesome amateur fighters and never live up to their amateur domination (mark breland).

Not quite a prime tyson and just 2 oz on a glove and no headgear makes a pretty big difference in impact. I would fight a 147 lb amateur with am rules and expect to make it out of the first round. Not a 147 lb journeyman with pro rules.

It really is different. Hearns had almost no stoppages in the ams. He matured and the pro style just suited him better.

Also, though maybe not in this case, a hard knock out is harder to get in the ams because there are so many standing counts when you are in a corner or a good blow lands, so you can't accumulate on people in "trouble"

[Peppermint]

Pros is A LOT different the amatuers. It doesnt always translate

[turbotime]

It rarely happens. Ruelas spanked Oscar in the AMs and got absolutely crushed in the pros.

It's why I laugh when people show highlight vids of Golovkin in the AMs like that makes a difference.

[Dorfmeister]

Amateur Boxing doesn't mean all that much, Henry Tillman, Tyrell Biggs, Jorge Luis Gonzales, that's why I don't take for granted that Cubans like T Stevenson would do better than guys such as Ali.

[IntentionalButt]

It seems like there's been a new thread made about this every month since I made the first Tillman thread of the year (in which this question was answered):

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[daprofessor]

Originally Posted by dayuum

I know from own experience that a headguard really doesn't do that much

have u seen that fight?

from what i can recall....many believed tyson beat the shit out of tilman. he dropped him more than once too....but tilman got the decision. supposedly...they(judges/coach's/etc) felt mike fought too much like a pro and tilmans style was more suited for the olympics. sounds like the usual bullshit to me.

[Caelum]

Tyson was matured "FIGHTER" by the time he met Tillman in the Pros. And they are debatable fights.

Just watch his amateur fight and compare it to the way he fought for the Pros.

He got better with each pro fight from a Mental and Technical side. Don't forget how young he still was.

[Jr Middleweight]

Because its a different animal. This is why I laugh when cubans try and pretend they would be the goats of the sport when there boring amateurs turn pro.

[IntentionalButt]

Originally Posted by daprofessor

have u seen that fight?

from what i can recall....many believed tyson beat the shit out of tilman. he dropped him more than once too....but tilman got the decision. supposedly...they(judges/coach's/etc) felt mike fought too much like a pro and tilmans style was more suited for the olympics. sounds like the usual bullshit to me.

Usual bullshit? They are two different sports.

Tillman earned both decisions.

Knockdowns don't mean as much in the amateurs. It isn't like you get a 10-8 or 10-7 round for scoring a KD or two. That isn't how the scoring works.

[sugarrayhatton]

Audley Harrison

[daprofessor]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

Usual bullshit? They are two different sports.

Tillman earned both decisions.

Knockdowns don't mean as much in the amateurs. It isn't like you get a 10-8 or 10-7 round for scoring a KD or two. That isn't how the scoring works.

i know about amateur boxing. i used to box. i'm a coach now. tillman missed a lot. tyson landed very clean telling blows and more of them from what i can recall. i'll have to watch the fight again to be certain.

[Caelum]

Originally Posted by Dorfmeister

Amateur Boxing doesn't mean all that much, Henry Tillman, Tyrell Biggs, Jorge Luis Gonzales, that's why I don't take for granted that Cubans like T Stevenson would do better than guys such as Ali.

There was an interesting article a while back that discussed how people get to over-hyped about the Cubans had they turned pro. Some pro fighters gave their opinions in it. I also think it discussed how some of these guys got stopped in the amateurs as well...like Felix Savon who I think may have been stopped more than once.

If I recall, Felix Savon was offered a fight with Tyson and turned it down. Tyson wanted it. Felix did not. I think he said something about not needing the money because he fought for something important.

I also read he thought he would have won because of what Lennox did to Tyson and what he did to Tua (years after the fact that he turned down Tyson)



fact is, he had his chance and he ran from millions. He could have always given those millions to his beloved Cuba.

Overall, I wouldn't discount all the cuban fighters. Some would have been successful. Maybe even some that weren't as successful amateurs but could make it as good pros. We'll never know.

[dbouziane]

how come taylor could beat pavlik in the ams and then got left for dead in a corner in his pro career?

ams and pros are two different animals.

[eagleskins]

Tyson was the most overrated and babied fighter of all time. He never beat a B fighter or better in the pros. One of the softest fighters of all time. Great talent, but soft as charmin