Tyson vs Page

Does it actually matter what you think/say?

you're by far the worst poster on this forum, you and Foremanjab.

Your so deluded by your Tyson hate, you claim Holyfield slipped in their first fight.

When even Stevie Wonder can see that Tyson had Holyfield reeling from the first punch he threw.

 

I wonder what Tyson might achieved if he had had the dedication and discipline of, say, Louis. And of course hadn't been sent to prison.

I can't really say. He definitely was remarkably gifted, but don't know if he would have gotten past Holyfield, Bowe and Lewis even he'd kept his dedication and his freedom. Quite probably not all three of them.

Let's say he came into the Douglas fight in the right frame of mind and defeats him after been given his toughest test yet, but then looses to Holyfield next time out without any real cause for excuses... Ironic thing is, he might have been less of a legend in that case. No "what ifs". Just the plain fact that he ran into someone who had his number and who himself would go on to have a great career.

 

Very good point.


I just want to touch on that everyone is making a huge deal over the fact that Tyson was dropped by Page in sparring and that others apparently had the best of him. Sparring doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot. Its one thing if fighters spar again and again and everytime the one fighter has the best of it but you can't say anything based on one particular sparring session. Sometimes guys don't have good days in the gym. It can be mental or sometimes physical for instance you may have trained very hard the day of or day before the sparring a feel a little sluggish. Also you want sparring partners that'll sometimes get the better of you. I always found good sparring is when you and you're sparring partner test each other well and both are capable of getting the better of the other on good days. A fight is much different then sparring. On fight night you're supposed to be 100% ready both physical and mentally for the fight this is why the best man should always win though it sometimes not the case. In a fight their is a lot more pressure and some find it more difficult to perform while some perform better. Their are certain fighters who perform excellent in the gym but can't perform on fight night while some perform great on fight night and look like crap in the gym. Also in a fight you're wearing 10- 8 ounce gloves with no head gear which essential makes it a completely different ball game.

If Tyson showed up for a fight with Page and displayed the forum he showed on the night he fought Buster Douglas and Page was at his best which was very rare (Page was much more likely to have an off night then Tyson) then the fight could be very interesting. But if Tyson came in at his best and Page came in at his best, or if they both came in sluggish, there isn't anything to me that points to Page being able to beat him, I think he could possibly go the distance maybe win a couple rounds but overall I'd expect Tyson to carry the day. Overall I'd favor Tyson to beat Page at least 9.5 times out of 10 and I'm not knocking Page I think he was a good fighter but not a huge threat to Tyson IMO.

 

I think that's simplifying it at bit. Despite his imposing physical assets (speed and power) Tyson was very dependent on his timing - being much shorter than his opponents. He was in essence an aggressive counter puncher, who was in his element when he provoked a lead and then countered on it.

But if he couldn't fight like that - either because the opponent's timing was that great or his own was off - he could only hope his one-punch ability would bail him out. As it did against Botha and quite nearly did against Douglas.

I've watched Douglas-Tyson a gizillion times and still can't say for sure how much is down to Douglas making Tyson look poor and just Tyson being poor. Douglas had a great night, for sure, and my money is on him giving any version of Tyson all he could handle that night. But when all is said it done, it was only one fight and everything can happen on a given night.

 

To put Tyson-Douglas in a bit of perspective:

Imagine that Norton gets a shot at Foreman directly after beating Ali - gets KO'd and then runs into Shavers on the comeback trail, gets destroyed once more and drops off the map. Ali on the other hand goes on to beat Frazier and Foreman, but never meets Norton again. I'm pretty sure just about everyone would write off Ali's loss to Norton as a freak occurrence in that case. As it is, we of course know better.

 

Oh please, the likes of Tillman and Bruno also bettered Tyson in sparring,then what happened for real? Tyson Koes Page in 2.

 

Interesting question, i think the fight would have been extremely tough between Tyson/Holy in '91 and Holy MAY have sqeaked it.

If that happened, Tyson may have been gotten some **** for it for losing to a fighter who wasnt really respected (until later).

Tyson still goes to prison, Holyfields career carries on the way it did, i think Tysons 'loss' would probably gain a bit more respect because of how great Evander would go on to prove himself.

 

I think Tyson would have won a rematch.

Tyson would have trained extremely hard and motivated and came in as he did against Ruddock.

Douglas more than likely would have reverted back to his normal fat lazy self and came in like he did against Holyfield (which is what happened in real life)

Tyson of the Ruddock fight blitzes Douglas of the Holyfield fight.

Tyson even predicted that Holyfield would destroy Douglas who was a one hit wonder.

 

:yep

 

Years ago there used to be a guy here on GF called Jack Prescott. Dude was obsessed with (discrediting) Oscar De la Hoya. Wuss reminds me of him.

 

Page was very underrated as a puncher.And it wouldn't matter how hard Tyson hits, if he can't hit the person in front of him.And Page took a good shot in his prime. He knocked out James Tillis and Gerrie Coetzee.