Tyrel Biggs -- just not suited for the pro's or ruined by Tyson?

Agreed,

Apparently, Tyrell had his collar bone broken against slugger Jeff Sims as well.

 

AFTER the Tyson fight jagoff.

 

His best post-Tyson showing was probably against Riddick Bowe.

He eventually went down in about 8 or 9 rounds, but had Bowe stumbling and the scorecards were tight. I've got a copy of the fight myself, it's a good one.

I don't think Biggs ever adjusted to the pro style, it wasn't even up until the Bowe and Lewis fights than he began sitting down on his punches rather than that old cliche "punching to the target instead of through it".

Another problem was that, in his desire to prove himself, he'd often pass up his lovely movement and good jab in favour of trying to go toe-to-toe, which just didn't suit him.

 

Especially when you didn't have the power necessarily to get you through.

 

Purely as an aside........I don't agree with the idea that Biggs had no power. His style was not that of a true warrior, but when he went flatfooted, he could bang. It's just that he did it so rarely.

 

I dont see how anyone can say he lacked determination.
Comparing him in any way to Audley Harrison seems a bit low as well.

Tyrell Biggs was one of gutsiest fighters I've ever seen. Brave as they come. Fought against Jeff Sims with a broken collarbone, suffered one of the worst cuts I've ever seen against David Bey, took a torturous beating from Tyson.
He tried his hardest. He showed grit.

Truth is, he probably lacked the strength of an elite pro, and peaked as an amateur, never developed a great style for the pros, and aged quick due to the tough fights and the cocaine & alcohol.

Biggs is an example of how being a brilliant amateur doesn't mean you'll be the best pro. But he was a real fighter in both arenas. Biggs was a worthy contender.

 

Yeh, he had Bowe shook up a few times - With more power and perhaps better finishing ability he may have taken Bowe out.

And I think he did well against Tyson for the first two minutes of the fight - But was then destroyed. I think his durability was what worked against him in the Tyson fight, he sustained substantial punishment before being stopped, unlike others who went down sooner.

I do believe he had all the tools to be a great fighter - Not an all-time great, but certainly a heavyweight titlist. Skills, speed, footwork, obviously he wasn't the most powerful heavyweight but that's not an essential "ingredient" for a great fighter.

 

I spoke to Tyrell Biggs a couple of days before he boxed Mason, he appeared to have a heavy cold but said it wouldn't really bother him. He seemed to overlook Gary as a serious threat and only afterthe fight did he say thatthe illness did hamper his breathing and Mason was far better than he anticipated.

 

I've never seen that fight, but Mason was a heavy-footed but heavy-fisted and durable guy. Considering Biggs had the ability to dance away from Mason all night and jab him to bits, I'm guessing he got caught with a few too many clubbing blows and started trying to trade.

I remember it caused a bit of a stir here at the time, it was a minor upset even though Biggs had lost to Tyson and Damiani.

Have you seen the fight? I have, again I've got a copy. Biggs outboxed him conclusively for me, but 'battered and abused' was never in Biggs' armoury...plus it's a 3-round amateur bout with headgear, y'know...

 

Biggs could bang decently, but not even in the league with a Dokes.

 

I went to see that. Biggs kept making strange noises, I thought he was on the verge of breaking down Gary, when the fight ended all of a sudden.

For all grief Biggs gets, I remember Lewis being lauded for taking Tyrell out in their bout.

 

I don't know where or how that myth got started, but that's not what happened at all. Damiani walked through Biggs and beat the **** out of him, even easier and more impressively than Tyson had. Damiani was impressive enough in this fight that there was even talk of matching him with Tyson.

The fight is on Youtube here for anyone who hasn't seen it:
[yt]vYJgMxWuduM[/yt]


To answer the original question, Biggs' lack of real HW power and inability to keep his poise under pressure were major weaknesses, plus he had already shown a tendency to cut/swell even before the Tyson fight. If he couldn't keep glass-nosed Damiani from boring in on him, that doesn't say much. And Damiani not only outbullied him, but actually outskilled and out-techniqued him as well.

 

It was a COMBO of Lenny Lewis, Mikey Tyson, Riddy Bowe And white line fever what ruined Tyrell Biggs. :deal

Biggs could of been a ATG-Ameuteur Boxer - he did beat Lewis, Tyson And Bowe in teh Ameuteurs.

As a Pro - he could of MAYBE been a temporary holder of one of teh 4 heavyweight titles at some point.


Foreman Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooook!:hat

 

Tyson and Cocaine killed biggs