What if Rahman would have defended against Tyson instead of the Lewis rematch?

I see Tyson knocking Rahman out, it might go mid rounds and get ugly, but stylewise i dont think Rahman beats Tyson.

Also Tyson turned up with no intention of beating Lewis, he knew he was going to lose and just took his ass kicking like a man.

Against Rahman and easy title shot, mgiht be a different story.

 

Tyson would have been 3 time champion.

 

Not sure...Tyson was done by then, but still a force for two or three rounds. Rahman was a rugged, strong guy and one with a huge sudden boost in confidence.

Despite his devastating knockout loss to Lewis, up until then I don't think he fought all that badly. He was losing no doubt, but he looked respectable and landed some hard jabs.

Could he have weathered the inevitable early storm? Possibly. Beyond five or six rounds, I think it'd be his fight to lose.

 

Rahman was easy to hit and was pretty slow and uncoordinated on the inside. Tyson wasnt going to get stranded on the end of Rahmans jab either. As bad as Tyson became I think he could still handle a guy like Rahman.

Lets face it Tyson was still beating all those guys Lennox Lewis was fighting his entire title run with the same ease. He was still that much better than the contenders of the late 90's. By 2002 I think Tyson just had zero interest in fighting anymore but he would have been up to fight Rahman in 2001 to regain the WBC belt.

 

Rahman did okay against Tua.
He gave an old Holyfield a tough fight, and was unlucky to lose by headbutt.
He beat Lewis once.

Tyson was totally washed-up by 2001.
Beating Nielsen or Golota or Savarese is one thing.
Rahman wasn't much good but he was a better than that.

 

Which ones ?

 

He was only getting his butt kicked by Holyfield who was probably as washed up as Tyson was or worse. Golota and Savarese were pretty much on the same level as Rahman.
You can chalk the Lewis win up anyway you want but Lewis was as interested in that fight as watching paint dry and it was pretty clear. A focused Lewis showed you how good Rahman was in the rematch.

 

Tyson would have knocked out Rahman, tbf to Rahman he managed to outbox Tua, but Tyson is faster, a better boxer with a greater arsenal and he'd really fancy it against Rahman. Rahman was twice ko'd by Maskeev and got beat up by Holyfield, he also fought to a draw against the equally sized Toney, I can't him surviving against Tyson

 

Rahman would KTFO teh Tyson from teh Nielsen fight late. :kothat Tyson loses to all top 10 boxers of 2001.

PRIME Tua from Rahman 1 was way better then Nielsen Tyson And Rahman had him on teh end of his ramming jab all night long. And Tua needed a shitty Ref to win VS PRIME Rahman. Watch Rahman VS Tua 1 - it is lots like Douglas VS Tyson. :deal

Foreman Hoooooooooooooooooook!:smoke

 

I thought Tyson looked pretty bad from 1999 onwards. And after 2000 he was utter ****.
I don't think Savarese was anywhere near as good as Rahman was at that time.
I think Golota was a bully and a quitter. At least Rahman would go out on his shield.

Holyfield in 2002 was still better than Tyson.

Rahman wasn't much good either. He was incredibly strong though, and a decent puncher.
Sure, IF Tyson gets in amazing shape he might score a KO.
But Rahman would definitely be up for the fight. Tyson's more like a 50-50 chance of getting his ass through a proper training camp.
The guy was on anti-depressants, "to keep me from killing y'all". He was making movies and doing drugs. He lived in strip clubs. He hated boxing.

When you're shot, you're shot.

 

Nielson, Golota, Savarese, Etienne, Botha. All those guys were pretty much on the same level as Rahman Briggs Grant guys.

 

Are you a Lewi-Hater?? :huh

You proper BADLY underrated Lewis's competition.


Foreman Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook!:hat

 

Main factor here. Tyson's speed would easily catch Rahman who was so slow. Thats the reason Holyfield beat him up so easily was because he was so slow. Rahman was probably bigger and stronger than Holy but so slow Holyfield just picked him off with counters and beat him up.

Tyson was still pretty quick around this time if he could get his weight down, (Etienne fight).

I dont think Tyson would have fought Rahman at the same weight he faced Neilson but that version of Tyson would probably get beaten by Rahman if he did.

 

Well, firstly, you said "Tyson was still beating all those guys Lennox Lewis was fighting his entire title run with the same ease" .... the only two common opponents on that list are Golota and Botha, and Lewis had an easier time with both.

Etienne and Nielsen would have been new lows for Lewis if he had given them a title shot.
Savarese, I don't know. As good as Briggs ? maybe. As good as Rahman ? Nah, I don't think so.