How did Tyson's skills and boxing abilities change in 91 and in 96 (compared to 88)

People put a shine on Tyson's skills during the Rooney years, but even then he had lapses in throwing combinations and moving his head in fights that lasted more than 2-3 rds. In the Tucker fight he didn't do much of it during the last 9 rds, but what he did was enough since Tucker just looked to survive. Haven't seen the Smith fight, but it seems to have been similar. Against Thomas he was only the mythical Tyson for the first and last round, and wasn't very dynamic in the rounds between.

Put Tokyo Douglas in there instead of either Tucker or Thomas and Tyson would need to show much more to get the win.

 

I should also say that Williams (which was post Rooney) was one of Tyson's most impressive performance. He had clearly identified Williams's weakness of dropping his right when jabbing and needed about half a round to capitalize on it with a perfect counter. He was technically and tactically perfect during the short time it lasted.

 

The biggest notable difference to me was footwork and lacking combination punching, also his lack of real confidence, if he got punched you could see discouragement, different mind set. This along with the other 100 attributes he lost. I find it strange that he was declining so early on and didn't run back to kiss Rooney's feet begging him to come back. brings a new depth to the term cutting off your nose to spite your face. Its amazing how superior the 22 year old kid version was to his older self. Mike fell off, no doubt about it. that inability to bring back some kind of form is on him though, most greats were able to pull something out in their late career.

 

That sir is spot on... Douglas IMO had Tyson's number plain and simply.

 

It's always hard to tell from just one fight, but it certainly looked that way.

If you compare Douglas and Tucker against Tyson you can see that Tucker had success during the first 3 rds (imo he won 2 of them) doing much the same that Douglas did. Using the jab, giving angles and catching Tyson with the uppercut when he came in.

One main difference is that Douglas superior size and strength means that he doesn't have to tun and waste as much energy as Tucker did. He isn't afraid of exchanging in the middle of the ring instead of when he's fighting off the ropes. He also has an easier time to control Mike in close. Actually dominating him in there.

On the other hand, Tyson does look less sharp against Douglas than against Tucker. At least in part because Douglas's jab off-sets him more. But it's true that Tyson wasn't in top shape.

The popular narrative (at least for Tyson fans) in this fight is to look at what Tyson didn't do, but one shouldn't forget to look at what Douglas did do that no Tyson opponent had done before: giving angles behind a stiff jab without running, having a sharp right just behind and roughing Tyson up in the clinches.

There's good reason to believe that even a Tyson at the top of his game wouldn't be enough that night. But we'll never know for sure.

 

All true except for the enlarged part. He was in exactly the same shape he was in for Bruno and Williams, Buster was simply a far better opponent. He was also just a coupla pounds heavier than for the Spinks fight, and even that could be down to being almost 22 for Spinks, and 23 and 8 months for Douglas.

I simply do not buy the stupid " Tyson wasn't fighting fit " excuse for Douglas, for the even simpler reason, how the **** would anyone know? Spinks less than a round, Bruno, 5 rounds, and Williams a single round.

 

I'm not saying he was in **** shape, he clearly couldn't have taken 10 rds of that kind of punishment if he was. I'm just saying that he didn't seem in absolutely top shape physically or mentally.

But there's nothing strange about that. No fighter is in mental and physical top shape for every fight.

Lewis sure wasn't for Vitaly, for example, and he was unlike Tyson vs Douglas also past his physical prime, but he still managed to beat a formidable opponent.

 

Just rewatached Ruddock I and must say that I think that was one of Mike's best. A very mature and measured performance.

Tyson has some trouble to time him early, but when he starts to find his range toward the end of rd 1 Ruddock reverts to mainly spoiling holding tactics. Mike retains his cool, though, paces himself and works Ruddocks body beautifully. And when Razor regains some confidence and starts to open up a still fresh Tyson pounces on the openings and ends it.

Almost flawlessly executed, even though it looks a bit messy due Ruddock's spoiling. But he succeeds with what he didn't when Tucker and Smith used similar tactics.