The build-up of Mike Tyson

:huh

 

Watching things about how promoters build up fighters like they did to Tyson got me thinking...

Bit off topic but am the only one who would enjoy a sort boxing based 'Football Manager 2012'?

As for the video, I wasn't around in the 80s so I find this pretty interesting. His promoters were obviously very smart in who he fought but there was a reason for the hype. Tyson was no hype job.

 

It wasn't just Mike Tyson. Look at that Bill Cayton development of his other heavies. Nobody has done anywhere near as good of a job since and that guy was a terrific manager for his up and coming heavyweights.

What were the combined records of Jeremy Williams/Mike Grant/Tommy Morrison/Mike Tyson in their developmental pre-top 10 years? What a brutal set of knockouts in those 75 or so fights as well and the record was what, 74-1? You might have had 50 brutal ko's.

Cayton was just a behind the scenes guy doing a terrific job. What you usually see in the sport is a self promoting type guy constantly patting himself on the back. But if you want results, who did better than Cayton?

 

Tyson brought a lot to the table in the form of excitement coming off a very boring era. Tyson was used to bring boxing back to the mainstream only a fool would criticize that and try and make the case he was overhyped and a cherrypicker.

He unlike a lot of fighters of today actually proved his hype. He was taking on savvy veterans at 19 years old in his frst year as a pro. Ferguson, Green and Tillis where no pushovers when Tyson fought them. He became the youngest heavyweight champion and unfied the titles. I dont know too many overhyped fighters with comparable accomplishments? Tyson wasnt just beating guys he was dominating them and that included most of the champions of the 80's and however you chalk that up thats a pretty solid resume.

Some people on this forum really dont know much about boxing. :verysad

 

I agree but most of those fighters still tripped up along the way unlike Tyson. Cayton was an excellent manager and he was wealthy so he was looking for longevity with his fighters rather than getting them to the ultimate payday and cashing out before they were ready which is the case with most fighters today.

 

There was a game called 'boxing manager' in the early 90s for the PC I believe

 

A part of me wants to explore this further

Here'in lay the criteria.

1. Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion
2. Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material
3. An advertising or promotional ploy
4. Something deliberately misleading; a deception

I wouldn't call him 4. 1 could be justified. 2 not overly. 3 yes, but that's boxing 101 if someone's got a bit going for them.

Most hyped ever tho?

He's certainly a massive contender. My memory of it is that the real hype started after he kept bowling people over in devastating fashion in the pro ranks. Your bolded comment would make an interesting thread.

 

Handpicked journeymen early on, as with every fighter, but he fought some good fighters before he won the title.

 

The best, although rawest documentary done on Tyson for my money:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-56eIdfxsQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-56eIdfxsQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

I very much like the title fight clips with the absence of commentators, but not sound.

The story as told by Jacobs, Cayton, Lott and Rooney.

 

met Tyson today, dude is funny as hell, cool ass guy.

 

You think? He had look pretty ordinary trying to qualify for the Olympics. He would go on and struggle a bit with Green and Tillis, and that started people asking questions. The Frazier fight was excellent TV, but I think there were still doubts.

Remember a week before the Berbick fight, the match was still a pick-em. Although late money made Tyson a warm favourite come bell time. I thought Tyson would win but I was far from sure and in the first 90 seconds of that fight it looked to me either could go.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Yes there were some who were sold on Tyson from day one, but they were the minority.

 

Mentally ill or trolling, I guess. Either way a fitting addition to my ignore list.

 

Hypejobs, tend to avoid certain fighters who they know they cant beat.

Tyson cleaned out the whole division top to bottom. The only person he didnt fight was Spoon. (I bet some moron is now going to say Tyson ducked Spoon)

Caytons/Jacobs merely made Tyson a lot of money very quickly thats all.

Otherwise Tyson may have ended up as another Wlad/Holmes, dominating his division and nobodys ever heard of him.

Tyson at his peak looked greater than Ali did. Tyson was never knocked down, never in any trouble. Their level of opposition is similar up until Alis exile and Tysons loss to Douglas. Its what Ali did after the exile which makes him the GOAT. And its what Tyson didnt do after prison which drops him a few places.

So basically what people are trying to say is Tyson couldnt KO Tillis/Green so hes overhyped?
Thats like me saying Ali has a glass jaw because Cooper dropped him.