Similar to the George Thread. I cant think of any other heavyweight (asides from Ali) whose existence affected the careers of so many boxers
Douglas would've had no choice but to give Tyson a rematch, if he wanted a payday anywhere close to the $28million he got for facing Holy. :deal
Tyson regains his title, but then doesnt have any other big rival apart from Big George. But then Big George wont really have established himself against anyone. Riddick Bowe most likely wins the vacated titles in Tysons absences But what happens next.......???
Tyson rematches douglas and loses before being imprisoned. Douglas retires as champ. Mercer and cooper fight for a vacant belt. Bowe gets to the winner and ducks lewis. Bowe reigns as a paper champ up until 96 when tyson returns to knock him out. Lewis beats tyson in 96 and rules until 01 when he becomes complacent. Aside from holy and lewis noone would have beaten bowe in the early 90's.
The Douglas that did turn up to fight Holyfield, turns up to fight the Tyson that fought Stewart/Ruddock? I dont see it happening at all. Bowe would have no one else to fight except Lewis, or maybe Ruddock/Foreman or even Holmes? I can see that happening, but with Tyson not losing to Holyfield (Twice) and not getting banned for the ear bite, surely Tyson has a better career and fights regularly and gets another match at Lennox in the late 90s? Without Holyfield, Tyson may have gone after Moorer to unify the titles and became the only man in history to unify the titles twice? Maybe Golota :good Then again, with no Holyfield, Bowe might not have had such a short prime (possibly due to the wars they had)?
Hmmmmm your right, there's no reason to assume he'd have got himself back into that shape again. Ok tyson beats douglas and defends against ruddock. He gets imprisoned and bowe fights mercer to win a war. He still gives up his wbc and his claim as top hw to lewis, but he doesn't lose himself till 96 against tyson. Tyson would lose to lewis in 96 imo. And he would earn another shot but still lose. The biggest gain is probably lewis because he wouldn't spend the decade in holy's shadow.
And hed have no one else to defend it against (and make the same amount of $$$) a Tyson-Douglas rematch (with no Holyfield) would be HUGE. Why Ruddock? Tyson only fought him because Holyfield was facing Foreman at the time and there was nobody else. With the titles and no Holyfield to fight, Tyson may have gone straight for Foreman, or even Bowe in 91. This also then takes away the shine on Lewis victory over Ruddock, which could then cause Team Bowe to consider Lewis as an option? Bowe would beat the **** of Mercer. Throw Old Foreman in that mix somewhere. We could see Bowe facing Foreman for the vacated titles instead. With No Holyfield, there would have been a loud cry for Bowe to defend against Lewis. If he STILL didnt face Lewis (Before Tysons release) then Bowe is def ducking Lewis. Would Tyson face Lewis straight away or once again look for an easier option before facing Lewis and who would be this easier option? I think Bowe misses out the most, he loses his best wins, Tysons standing increases a bit because he could avenge the loss to Douglas and then only lost to Lewis after prison and still be the 2nd best heavy in the world. I think Lewis standing still stays the same. He misses out on the Holyfield wins, but faces a better version of Tyson (and maybe Bowe too)
Because ruddock was a top contender with ko appeal. Bowe defends against old foreman and old holmes rather than taking on lewis. Tyson could, in theory avoid the lewis fight until 99 as holy did. I've no doubt tyson beats mm and bean. In which case lewis spends the decade in tyson's shadow.
Thats true Ruddock had appeal, but then what if Bowe took the fight instead with Ruddock? with no Holyfield and Tyson in prison. Who could Lennox fight? Tyson could avoid Lennox until 1999, but by then he would have got his groove back after prison, not gone on a mad rampage after the ear bite and got some good fights under his belt. Tyson in shape under Tommy Brooks with no mental issues and some good rounds under his belt would have been a good fight with LL. Im thinking Tyson with the short dreadlocks (who was in shape), not the fat bald Tyson. Tyson/Lewis would have been the top 2 heavys from 1996 onwards. Bowe either gets himself into shape and really makes a meal of it, or he just fades away as just a belt holder (with no Holyfield trilogy)
I Tyson faces Douglas in a rematch and goes to prison that leaves Rudduck as hot property while Tyson is in the joint 1. Depends if Douglas comes in at 245 and folds like he did against Holyfield, that Douglas isn't winning a rematch 2. Not sure how the belts ranked the guys 3. Probably although I'm not sure it happens in '96 and a '96-'98 Tyson would stand a better chance 4. Disagree as Bowe was slipping
Yeah either way bowe still suffers because noone would regard him as a real champion considering he ducks lewis still. Tyson gets the rematch against douglas and judging by their respective shapes i'd favour tyson. He also gets the 96-9? Which holy enjoyed after the bite fight. I still think by this point lewis batters tyson and it's a matter of when the fight gets made as to when he earns victory. In real both lewis and holy had a **** 98 that meant nothing so it's possible that tyson and lewis do the same in this timeline. To be totally honest tyson in my rankings would not improve any places because I already have him 1 behind lewis and have him above holy. To improve he'd have to beat lewis which I can't see him doing.
Douglas most likely would turn up in the same shape he always turns up (minus Tokyo), plus with the overconfidence that hes beat Tyson before, whereas Tyson trains his ass off and comes in shape. I dont think Ruddock would be hot property for long, not if Bowe gets hold of him.
Surely with no Tyson OR Holyfield, people would be screaming for Bowe to fight Lewis from 91-96 (maybe longer depending on what Tyson does after prison?) Bowe literally have no other option If Tyson has sucess in 96-99 hed have to beat guys like Tua/Briggs, Morrison, Mercer, add that in with his pre prison career and a loss to LL, would you still rank him below Lennox? Depends what Lewis gameplan is, if he fights like he did against Mercer, hes not going to beat Tyson Tyson had a great 1998, he was at the Royal Rumble With a win over SPinks and Holmes, a successful pre prison career and a sucessful 96-99 with a loss to LL, surely youd rank Tyson just a little higher?
No real room for improvement. All he really has is an extra stay of execution. Bowe had already been battered by golota so a win doesn't mean much improvement because he already beat golota in real. He already has bruno and seldon. In 97 he beats a shot moorer which doesn't mean much. No reason to believe he'd face better opponents in 98 than holy and lewis actually did. Then in 99 he loses to lewis which he did in real anyways just two years later. As I say it's not enough for me to move him over lewis and he's already above most everyone else. So no improvement i'm afraid.
True, youve got a point. I currently rank tyson Just under Lewis, even though theyre careers were very similar. Tysons stint in prison really messes it up for him unfortunately